Rating: 
Summary: Awesome set - well worth the wait!
Review: Finally! After disappointing efforts (in my opinion) in both the quality of the Seasons 1 & 2 DVD sets and the dearth of "extra" material, this set more than compensates! The video quality is exceptional, and the extra material is chock full of behind the scenes information. Almost every episode includes an interview with either the producer, actor or other behind the scenes personnel, and many include both video and audio commentary from the same. The video commentary by Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor on "The Bitter Suite" is worth the price of this set alone!The various producers and directors comments give excellent and insightful background on what were the intentions behind an episode, the complexities and challenges involved in getting it done, and their perception on whether or not the attempted vision was successful or not. In addition, the video commentaries by Lucy and Renee are not only enjoyable because of the information the two provide about an episode, but also because of the camraderie between the two actresses. It's obvious that they enjoyed working together, enjoyed the challenges of their characters, and are very proud of the work they've done. They are self-effacing, down-to-earth, and very quick to give credit to the other actors and especially the crew for their efforts in making the show a success. The additional interviews and commentaries by actors Hudson Leick (Callisto), Ted Raimi (Joxer), and Alexandra Tydings (Aphrodite) are just as interesting and insightful; and the comments all make regarding the late Kevin Smith (Ares) are both genuine and poignant. This set of DVDs has really set a high standard for the rest of the series' DVD sets. If Season 4, 5, and 6 are as awesome as this set, they can't get them out too soon! This set alone is more than worth the money - it's a MUST HAVE for any Xena fan!
Rating:
Summary: Two very enthusiastic thumbs up!!!
Review: In my view, Season 3 was the best season of XENA. The quality of the show was at its pinnacle, sometimes achieving true brilliance (THE BITTER SUITE, for instance). The mix of drama, action and comedy was perfect -- this was the season that gave us some of the show's darkest and most tragic episodes (THE FURIES, THE DELIVERER, THE DEBT, MATERNAL INSTINCTS, WHEN IN ROME, SACRIFICE) as well as some of the most sparkling comedies (BEEN THERE DONE THAT, THE QUILL IS MIGHTIER..., FINS, FEMMES & GEMS). Epic drama in which gods battle each other and the fate of the world itself hangs in the balance blends effortlessly with the personal drama of friendship and maternal love. As always, Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor are great as Xena and Gabrielle (with O'Connor very effective as Gabrielle's evil daughter Hope). The late Kevin Smith shines as Ares -- seductive and dangerous as the God of War, sexy and funny as the mortal Ares in THE QUILL... Hudson Leick gives some of her best performances here as Callisto (in MATERNAL INSTINCTS and SACRIFICE). Ted Raimi manages to be both funny and touching as Joxer (and excellent in a dual role as Joxer's twin brother Jett). There are also quite a few fine performances in the lesser supporting roles. A special mention goes to Marton Csokas, superb in dual roles as Borias (THE DEBT) and Khrafstar (THE DELIVERER). There's also Karl Urban as Caesar, Alexandra Tydings as the ditzy Valley Girl-ish Aphrodite, Darien Takle as Xena's mother Cyrene, the scarily excellent Amy Morison as the child Hope, Jacqueline Kim as Lao Ma, and Jennifer Ward-Leland as Boadicea. A word about this DVD set: Third time's a charm -- finally, the extras are fantastic! I haven't seen them all yet, but the deleted/alternate footage from SACRIFICE II was a pleasure to watch (I just wish they'd added some deleted/alternate scenes from other episodes as well), and the interviews and commentary by actors, producers, directors, and other Xenastaff members are almost invariably interesting and informative. I particularly enjoyed watching Rob Tapert, Liz Friedman and RJ Stewart's commentary on THE FURIES. If you are a Xena fan, this is a must. If you aren't, this DVD set just might convert you!
Rating:
Summary: Making of a masterpience
Review: Looking for power? Watch this DVD. Looking for passion? Watch this DVD. Looking for danger? Watch this DVD. This season 3 has changed my world. It's not only an incredible season of a historical television masterpiece, but it also includes so many extras, you get to see what the stars themselves think and if you haven't already gotten this, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?! This DVD set is good for people of all ages and I would recommend it to ANYONE and EVERYONE! If you haven't fallen inlove with this show yet, I can guarantee that YOU WILL after having watched just the first few mins of this incredible package!
Battle On!
Rating:
Summary: Xena Done Right!
Review: I own XWP Years 1 and 2, and always felt a bit disappointed with the picture quality, sound, etc. But...simply put, Year 3, in terms of quality of each disc, content and "extras" is truly superb. This is XWP done right!! Numerous reviews here have detailed the contents, etc., so I won't belabor the point. Of note, two things I found particularly interesting in the interviews and commentaries were the degree to which story lines were debated amongst writers, producers, actors...and in some cases, the network. Interestingly, the directors and writers (of which there were several over the years) let Hudson Leick pretty much do her own interpretation of "Callisto" in that she clearly was more familiar with the character than the rotational pool of people working on individual episodes. She added and deleted dialogue...and developed several mannerisms of her own in fleshing out the evil "Callisto" character. Her excellent performaces, during several episodes, are featured during many discussions...as is the late Kevin Smith's similarly delightful performances as Ares, God of War. Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor let several of the series regulars (cast and crew) have the majority of the "on-air" time in terms of commentaries, etc. A magnaminous gesture, and the larger pool of talent involved makes this year particularly rewarding and informative, and numerous interviewees explore in considerable detail the evolving relationship between Xena and Gabrielle. Also, there are several references to locations and personnel (actors, costumers, etc.) that had significant impact on the planning and filming of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings" trilogy; a particularly good discussion of XWP's impact on the New Zealand film industry and LOR is contained in the interviews conducted on "The Debt" episode. Bottom Line: A top drawer production all the way around...and Anchor Bay and all the personnel involved in Year 3 are to be commended. This is certainly a MUST BUY for any XWP enthusiast!
Rating:
Summary: An amazing capture of womanhood at its finest
Review: Season three,All I can say is I know I saw Callisto and Lao's
lips on Xena...sweet lesbian hayday.Women prancing around strong and proud and in leather..enough said ...buy it now!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Xena & Gabrielle Battles On!
Review: By far Season 3 stole the hearts of many fans and non fans (is there really any such a thing) This fantastic 9 disc set includes a fans dream come true of great extras including interviews/commenteries by the beautiful Lucy Lawless & Renee O'Connor, also by Rob Tapert, Steven Sears, Ted Raimi, Hudson Leick plus many many more..also has deleted scenes, lost footage a terrific photo gallery...soo many extras too many to name..with great releases like this all fans will look forward to future dvd sets..be sure to check out Seasons 1 & 2 as well!!
Rating:
Summary: Xena Memories
Review: I spent 6 years sitting on the edge of my seat biting my nails, I shared laughter, tears, heart stopping moments with my two fav Warriors Xena and Gabrielle..when the show ended so did the adventure now with the release of these dvd sets I can relive the adventures...Season 3 is packed full of great extras more interviews, pictures, special behind the scenes extras this is by far the best dvd set ever...Lucy and Renee look great..and seeing the people behind the making of the great show was a treat..all of this packed onto 9 discs..the most surprising thing about this great dvd set no matter how many extras they include the price never goes up...This is definitely a dvd set not to be missed..Thank you to everyone involved a true masterpiece!
Rating:
Summary: xena rules-go buy it
Review: Hi everyone the Xena season 3 on DVD was realeased on 10th Feb.
The 3rd season is the most memorable and best crafted, including: the season opener, The Furies, wherein Xena's recurring foil, the god Ares, has her driven insane; Been There, Done That.
The video details are crisp and the colors vivid. All things considered, this is probably as good of a transfer as Xena will ever get, sharper and easier on the eyes than most action TV programs, and, for that matter, looking better than it originally appeared during on television.
The sound is on Dolby 5.1. Season three also has more than nine hours of new material. Each of the 22 episodes has an Interview segment with comments from writers, producers, actors and sometimes all three. Several standout programs -- including The Furies, The Debt, One Against An Army and The Bitter Suite -- also have full-blown voice-over commentary following throughout the episode.There is also a documentary which includes a short tribute to the late Kevin Smith, who played Ares.
There's more than enough in this set to please everyone who cares about the show .
Just go and get your copy before they disappears from the shelf.
Believe me it's worth the money.
Rating:
Summary: 'Exclusive Content' Confusion
Review: An update to my previous review posted on 8 Feb 2004. This is a separate post, since the word count is understandably limited to 1,000 words. There may be some confusion as to what's contained in the supplements on Disc 8. Another review notes that they may not be the same if purchased from Best Buy. For what it's worth, I bought mine at Best Buy on 6 Feb 2004, four days prior to the official release date, it was there, couldn't believe it, so I bought it. I purchase a number of fine items on amazon.com and will continue to do so, btw! My Disc 8 says 'Sacrifice II' (it's the episode), 'Sacrifice I & II, A Retrospective' (a 30 minute featurette outlined below), 'Sacrifice Part II (Alternate Cuts)' (the deleted and extended workprint scenes), 'Bloopers' (the blooper reel) and 'Best Buy 30 Minute Featurette' (detailed below). My previous review reflects the inclusion of the Best Buy featurette. Note, there is nothing else on the packaging that indicates anything unique to Best Buy, nor is the retailer credited in the supplements, nor is their logo anywhere to be seen. My slipcase does say 'Exclusive Bonus Content: All New Interviews with Cast and Crew: Deluxe Collector's Edition'. My Season Two boxed set, also purchased at Best Buy for convenience and immediacy's sake, has that same 'Exclusive Bonus Content' banner on the slipcase and an 'Exclusive 30 Minute Interview with Lucy Lawless, Reneé O'Connor and Rob Tapert' on Disc 6. I'll attempt to detail the contents of the main featurettes for the sake of information. I have not seen a Disc 8 from amazon.com or another retailer to date for comparison. 'Sacrifice I & II, A Retrospective'. This is what it contains: A 30 minute set of interviews by Kym Jaborn 'Producer/Interviewer' who we see in parts of the interview some reason. Her dental work leaves something to be desired, but she seems affable and to be a fan of the show. I assume her title refers to 'DVD Producer' and not a producer of the show. She interviews Steven Sears, Paul Robert Coyle 'Writer', Rick Jacobson 'Director' (looks like Craig Kilborn), Hudson Leick, Rob Field 'Editor' and Jason Schmid 'Sound Designer'. It includes discussions on the Sacrifice episodes, production & editing trivia and insight, the Callisto character, and a short tribute to Kevin 'Ares' Smith. The entitled 'Best Buy 30 Minute Featurette' contains the following, and why I made a comment in my initial review that some of the interview content seemed redundant. I think this featurette is more slickly produced, like the rest of the episode interviews on the other discs in this set, and feels more substantial than the 'Sacrifice I & II, A Retrospective'. Although that one offers some fun insights, it's padded with clips, video intros and music moreso than this featurette seems to be, and the graphics and video montages are not as well-produced, was my impression. So this one contains R.J. Stewart 'Executive Co-producer', Liz Friedman 'Producer', Eric Gruendemann 'Producer', Robert Gillies 'Production Designer', John Caill 'Cinematographer', Robert Tapert 'Executive Producer', Ted Raimi, Oley Sassone 'Director', Hudson Leick, and briefly Lucy Lawless. The graphic text over the video intro includes the words: 'Lives, Murder, Betrayal'. Topics discussed include the storytellers, writers and producers deciding to test Xena and Gabrielle's relationship by challenging their loyalties and trust. They note that great TV series put roadblocks up for the main characters. Lucy wasn't totally happy with her character being deceitful, but she says that with a laugh. Xena's darker storylines compared to the Hercules series, and the effect it had on the production design and cinematography, is noted. The writers and producers felt that Xena and Gabrielle, after the first two seasons were two of the strongest characters, male or female, in the history of TV, and that the time to test the established rock-solid relationship was at hand, lest the writers and audience get complacent. Time is spent examining the Gabrielle character as she developed from a hero-worshipping inexperienced sidekick to an equal of Xena who could temper her destructive tendencies. They also note Gabrielle being the representative of the audience. The well-known origins of the Xena character on the Hercules series are noted and explained. A bit odd that they appear here, but it's good to hear from the producers directly. Another sequence examines 'Comedy vs. Drama' as Rob Tapert explains that they wanted to do a Halloween episode in a comedic manner, and thought it might be fun to do Gabrielle with 'Rosemary's Baby' (even though that film's not a comedy). This concept of a 'devil-child' turned dramatic in later season-defining episodes with Gabrielle's daughter Hope. The comedy arc is examined via Joxer being smitten with Gabrielle, as well as Lucy, Renee and Ted's natural comedic talents. They mention how Joxer's character was not meant to be a threat to the strong female leads, and that's the main reason his character takes a comedic turn. The featurette comes towards a close with a more substantial tribute to Kevin Smith than the other featurette it seems. Finally there's a wrap-up of Xena and Gabrielle's relationship given dramatic weight overall in Season Three via the reality of real-life relationship pitfalls amidst the mythology & fantasy elements of the show. The bottom line for the producers and writers was if Xena and Gabrielle kept going forward as buddies, then it wouldn't have been as real nor as interesting as putting their relationship to the test. So there you have the overview of what the so-called 'Best Buy 30 Minute Featurette' contains. I don't know if this 'Exclusive Content' is a good or bad thing for consumers. I'm satisfied with the quality, content and participants of this particular featurette.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, Xena Done Right ! ! !
Review: This is an exceptional set of DVDs. Every single episode has an interview available to discuss background, important plot points and how this episode fits into the overall arc of character development and the season as a whole. Eight of the episodes have in-depth audio and video commentary from Lucy and Renee (Xena and Gabrielle), Rob Tapert (creator and executive producer), Steven L. Sears (writer and producer), Hudson Leick (Callisto), and Ted Raimi (Joxer) among others. The Hudson's intense and hilarious discussion of the effect of Falling Rocks on Fluffy Bunny Hair and Hooker Boots alone is worth the price of admission. The video and audio quality is very good to excellent. The third season blooper reel is included along with a lengthy interview and analysis of the Season Ender episodes, Sacrifice I and II. The commentaries pull few punches, when the occational poor episode shows up, both cast and crew own up to it. Which makes the in-depth analysis of the many, many good to great episodes all the more enjoyable. If you love Xena . . . , If you like Xena . . . , If you don't give a whit about Xena, but want to get a glimpse of how the complex creation of a technically sophisticated television series takes place, Get This Set. Highly Recommended!
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