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IDES OF MARCH


EPISODE NO. 89
Season 4, episode 21
Series 421
1st release: 05/10/99
2nd release: 09/20/99
Production number: V0624
Approximate shooting dates:
Last update: 11-08-01
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GUEST STARS, CAST & CREDITS
PROMO TRANSCRIPTION
TV GUIDE PROMO
AIRING AND RATING INFORMATION
SYNOPSIS 1 by Bluesong
COMMENTARY AREA
COMMENTARY 1 by Beth Gaynor
COMMENTARY 2 by Diane Silver
COMMENTARY 3 by Xorys
COMMENTARY 4 by JoJo
COMMENTARY 5 by Videntur
COMMENTARY 6 by Beboman
COMMENTARY 7 by Philip Teo
WHERE HAVE I SEEN YOU BEFORE?
WHIMPERS, MURMURS, AND A LOVE GONE TOO FAR
EDITS & CUTS
THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR
MORE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR
TRANSCRIPT
DISCLAIMER


CAST
Hudson Lieck (Callisto)
Karl Urban (Julius Caesar)
David Franklin (Brutus)
Jennifer Sky (Amarice)
Tim Omundson (Eli)
John Leigh (Nabcot)
Sean Aston-Peach (Jailer)
Jim Ngaata (warlord with head)
Rodney Cooke (guy that got nerve pinched)
Jane Fuller-Smith (Woman in hell)
Alan Poppleton (Hanged man)

CREDITS
Written by R. J. Stewart
Edited by Robert Field
Directed by Ken Girotti


PROMO TRANSCRIPTION
(Callisto growls.)
CALLISTO RETURNS--
(Julius Caesar pulls a dagger on Callisto.)
Callisto (to Julius Caesar): It's through me you'll finally fulfill your
destiny.
(Julius Caesar puts on a crown golden laurel leaves.)
TO SEAL THE FATE OF THE WARRIOR PRINCESS.
Callisto (to Julius Caesar): She will come to you.
(Callisto catches Xena's chakram before it hits Julius Caesar.)
AN ALL NEW XENA!

THE RESURRECTION OF XENA'S GREATEST TORMENT.
(Callisto catches Xena's chakram before it hits Julius Caesar.)
Callisto: Brings back memories, doesn't it, Xena?
(Callisto growls.)
CALLISTO RETURNS--
(Julius Caesar pulls a dagger on Callisto.)
Callisto (to Julius Caesar): It's through me you'll finally fulfill your destiny.
(Julius Caesar puts on a crown of golden laurel leaves.)
TO ENSURE THE CROWNING OF AN EMPEROR--
Julius Caesar (to Senators): True patriots of Rome--
Brutus (to Senator): He thinks he's a god.
AND TO SEAL THE FATE OF THE WARRIOR PRINCESS.
Callisto (to Julius Caesar): She will come to you.
Xena (to Gabrielle and Amarise): I'm going to kill him.
AN ALL NEW XENA!


TV GUIDE PROMO
Callisto returns from hell with a double mission: corrupt Xena and make Julius Caesar emperor.

To get her ticket out of damnation, Callisto takes on the task of corrupting Xena and aiding Caesar in his rise to become emperor. Brutus kidnaps Gabrielle and new Amazon sidekick Amarice, and Caesar reveals his true plans. This episode ends on a doozy of a cliff-hanger, but we'll only hint that it involves not one, but two crucifixions! [From mania.com]

Callisto returns to tempt Xena; Caesar plans to declare himself emperor.

In an episode fans won't want to miss, Xena: Warrior Princess heads for Rome, Chakram in hand, to confront Caesar. She also contends with her old nemesis, Callisto.

When Xena learns that Caesar has put a six-million-dinar price on her head, she decides to go to Rome and kill him. Meanwhile, Caesar sends Brutus to capture Gabrielle and Amarice.


AIRING AND RATING INFORMATION
1st RELEASE: 05-10-99
An AA average of 4.1
Competition from Syndicated Action Dramas:
(1) (09) X-Files 5.5
(2) (12) Star Trek Deep Space Nine 4.4
(3) (14) Xena 4.1
(4) (17) ER 4.0
(5) (19) Hercules 3.9

2nd RELEASE: 09-20-99
An AA average of 2.7
Competition from Syndicated Action Dramas:
(1) (12) X-Files 4.1
(2) (18) ER 3.5
(3) Hercules 2.8
(4) Xena 2.7
(5) StarGate 2.5
(6) Star Trek Deep Speace 9 2.4
(7) Amazon 2.1
(8) Earth Final Conflict 2.1



SYNOPSIS 1:

This synopsis is by Bluesong.

Callisto exists in oblivion, a very hellish place full of insanity and visions. She makes a bargain with someone, she calls him "Him" (and later Lord). The bargain allows her to go back to living, provided she helps Caesar and gets Xena. However, she can't hurt Xena physically herself, she must corrupt her spiritually by taking her away from The Way of the Warrior. Cut to Caesar in bed, having a wild f*ck with Xena, who pulls a knife on him, and then Caesar wakes up in a sweat. Callisto appears to him and promises to help him fulfill his destiny.

Xena, Gabrielle and Anmerice are a boat, seeking passage to Athens so Gabrielle can find Eli the peace man. Anmerice isn't very happy about this, but Xena tells her that whatever Gabrielle wants, Gabrielle gets. Suddenly a spear hurls at Xena. She catches it, and she and Anmerice do lots of fighting. Anmerice is about to die when Gabrielle throws a rope around the thug's legs, throwing him down and saving the amazon girl. Xena learns, via the Xena Touch, that Caesar has put 6 million dinars on her head. Xena tells her friends that she is going after Caesar, to kill him. It's the Warrior's Way. Xena leaves Gabrielle and Anmerice after making Gabrielle promise not to follow, because of that vision thing from previous episodes.

Callisto tells Caesar that Xena will come to him. Gabrielle and Anmerice find Eli. Eli heals somebody. He greets Gabrielle. Gabrielle asks Eli to teach her to heal. Eli tells her she must be filled with love to do that. While they talk, Anmerice hears something and suddenly they are surrounded by Roman soldiers. Brutus arrives, apologetic, but he takes Gabrielle and everyone else hostage as Caesar's trump card against Xena. Brutus says Caesar told him he wasn't going to kill Gabrielle.

Xena dresses as Roman soldier, and sees Caesar at his desk. She watches a while, then throws the chakram at Caesar's throat. Callisto catches it and keeps it. Xena fights the guards and jumps out the window. Callisto appears and tells Xena about going to oblivion, which Callisto says is "hell" according to her lord, the "one" who runs things. Xena and Callisto talk about Caesar proclaiming himself as emperor of Rome soon. Callisto tells Xena that Gabrielle has been captured by Brutus and is being held prisoner.

Gabrielle and friends, in chains, are forced into a prison where crosses are being constructed. Xena rides like the wind. Anmerice tries to fight her way out of the prison, but she gets conked in the head. Gabrielle flings herself over her prostrate body, and Brutus stops the soldiers from killing Gabrielle and Anmerice. Gabrielle and Brutus discuss the crosses. Xena rides like the wind.

Away from the prison, Brutus steps away from his men to pee. Xena steps out and talks to him (watch his hands play with his fly). In exchange for information about Gabrielle, Xena tells Brutus that Caesar will make himself emperor, and he plans to have Brutus killed in Gaul. Brutus tells Xena where Gabrielle is being held. He says he doesn't believe Xena about Caesar, though. Xena sees her vision about Gabrielle and herself on crosses after asking Brutus if it's snowing at the prison. Xena rides like the wind.

Gabrielle and Eli meditate. Gabrielle achieves a preferred state of mental nothingness. Anmerice is not impressed. Xena arrives at the prison. Callisto appears, and tries to offer Xena serenity and peace in exchange for Gabrielle's life. Xena says that isn't her Way and she's left all her guilt behind her. Callisto snarls. Caesar tells Brutus that the crosses are for Xena and Gabrielle. Caesar tells Brutus he has an announcement to make later.

Callisto tries to talk to Xena again while the Warrior Princess sneaks into the prison. Xena pretty much ignores her, and Callisto lets out a Xena yell, alerting the soldiers. Xena opens the jail door and hugs Gabrielle, saying her vision isn't going to happen. Everyone runs away. Xen and Anmerice fight soldiers while Gabrielle ushers the people out of the prison. Callisto watches. It looks like Xena's mopped everyone up when Callisto throws Xena's chakram. The chakram hits Xena in the back and breaks in two. Xena falls to the ground as Gabrielle watches.

A soldier moves to attack the fallen warrior. Gabrielle grabs a spear and throws it through the soldier, killing him. She grabs a sword and starts whacking away, and she kills a lot of soldiers defending Xena. She keeps calling for Xena to go, but Xena is paralyzed from where the chakram apparently broke her spine or something. She cries out for Gabrielle to stop. Gabrielle puts a dagger in somebody and pauses when she sees the knife in her own hand, dripping blood, and other soldiers come and surround the two women.

Xena, her face battered, looks up at Gabrielle, who holds her, and tells Gabrielle not to cry. Gabrielle kisses Xena.

Eli and the others run. Anmerice looks back. Brutus talks to his friends. Xena and Gabrielle talk about Gabrielle losing her way. Gabrielle said it was a choice she made. Xena apologizes to Gabrielle for not treating her right. Gabrielle tells Xena that the warrior saved her a long time ago. Xena says she wishes she had read Gabrielle's scrolls.

Xena, being dragged, and Gabrielle are taken to the crosses. Callisto watches. As Xena and Gabrielle are being tied to the crosses, the show cuts in and out with Caesar announcing his new title and a change in government. Xena tells Gabrielle she's the best thing in her life. Gabrielle tells Xena she loves her. The nails are pounded into their bodies. The men by Caesar all take knives from their togas and stab him repeatedly. Brutus goes to Caesar and makes the final, fatal stab wound.

Xena and Gabrielle hang on their crosses, side by side, in the snow. Xena's spirit leaves her body. She calls for Gabrielle, and her spirit comes out. They clutch hands. Fade out, watching the bodies hang on the crosses.

Note: There was nothing that said "to be continued."



COMMENTARIES:

COMMENTARY AREA
COMMENTARY 1 by Beth Gaynor
COMMENTARY 2 by Diane Silver
COMMENTARY 3 by Xorys
COMMENTARY 4 by JoJo
COMMENTARY 5 by Videntur
COMMENTARY 6 by Beboman
COMMENTARY 7 by Philip Teo




WHERE HAVE I SEEN YOU BEFORE?

By Xorys.

So who was who in Ides Of March?

* Callisto was played once more by Hudson Leick. Apart from playing Callisto in various eps of XWP and HTLJ, Hudson has also played Liz Friedman, the Renpics staffer (now sadly no longer working on our shows) in the HTLJ eps Yes Virginia There Is A Hercules and For Those Of You Just Joining Us.

Hudson has played semi-regular roles in several TV shows - Shelly Hanson in Melrose Place, Tracy Stone in University Hospital, and Hannah in Knight Rider 2010. She also appeared in the TV movie Hijacked: Flight 285 in 1996, and has guested on eps of 7th Heaven (playing Ms. Hunter in Homecoming), Touched By An Angel (playing Celeste in Labor Of Love and The Angel Of Death), and Law & Order (playing Kathy Rogers in Black Tie).

It's a little harder to see Hudson at the movies. She was apparently in a 1997 film called After The Game, but I can't find out much about that one. She appeared in the comedy Denial, with Angie Everhart and Adam Rifkin. All I've seen of that one was a brief video clip - *not* quite the way we're accustomed to seeing Hudson. I believe it was made for US cable, and apparently it's now been released to video under the title Something About Sex.

Hudson has two movies currently somewhere in the production process, and hence, presumably to be released soon - Blood Type, a comedy, and Chill Factor, a thriller, in which she stars with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Skeet= Ulrich.

* Brutus, that honourable man, was played again, as in Endgame, by David Franklin. Previously Brutus was played by Grant Triplow in Destiny and When In Rome, and Dusen Young in A Good Day, thereby, I would suggest, winning him the prize as the most confusing character in the Xenaverse.

David had not played any other roles in the Xenaverse before appearing as Brutus in Endgame, but I have now been able to confirm, with the assistance of various helpful Xenites, that this *is* the same David Franklin who appeared in The Flood: Who Will Save Our Children? with Reneé O'Connor (which, alas, I haven't seen), and also in the Australian TV movie Fable with Monroe Reimers (the ill-fated priest Vikram in Devi).

* Caesar, Julius Caesar, was played as usual, but presumably for the last time, by Karl Urban, whose other Xenaverse roles are Cupid (in For Him The Bell Tolls and A Comedy Of Eros, and the HTLJ ep The Green-Eyed Monster), and Maell in Altared States.

At the movies, Karl (who is a Kiwi, born in Wellington in 1972) can be seen in the 1998 thriller Heaven, which also features Clint Sharplin (Opakas in Sky High, Kenickus in Regrets I've Had A Few, and a Celtic Villager in Resurrection), and in the NZ war movie Chunuk Bair, with Geoff Dolan (who headed the Fashion Police in Greece Is Burning and who was also the chief goon in And Fancy Free, and Orenth in The Lady and the Dragon) and Norman Forsey (King Lias in W.P and W.P.T1, Casca in BTDT, Megas the old prisoner in Key To The Kingdom, Tiresias in The Road to Calydon, The Festival of Dionysus and The Outcast, Old Merlin in Once Upon A Future King).

* The feisty but immature young Amazon Amarice, first seen in Endgame, was played by Jennifer Sky, who is new to the Xenaverse. If you recognised her, it was most likely from her stint on General Hospital, playing Sarah Webber, from 1997-98. She was also in the TV series Emerald Cove, and the TV feature Our Son, The Matchmaker. Or perhaps you recognised her from the Buffy The Vampire Slayer episode The Pack, in which she guested as Heidi. She has also appeared in episodes of Sins Of The City and Out Of The Blue.

* Timothy Omundson, who reprised his role as Eli the avatar in this ep, can be seen in Starship Troopers (a dreadful movie, I thought - the sort of thing that gets Science Fiction a bad name...), playing a Psychic. He also appeared in the Frasier ep Good Grief as the Director (he didn't direct the ep - he played a director in it). Timothy is an American, born in Missouri and raised in Seattle. He was featured in a Fox series called Medicine Ball (I mistakenly identified this as forthcoming previously, based on an undated release, but apparently it has been and gone). He played the recurring role of Dr. Joshua Levin on Seaquest, and has also done guest spots on Seinfeld (don't know which ep) and Legacy (in the ep Search Party).

* John Leigh was credited as "Nabcot" according to the best of my ability in reading those darned scrunched-up end credits. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe, basically by process of elimination, that this must have been the guy talking to Callisto in hell. John has never appeared in a credited role in the Xenaverse before, but he has some fairly typical credits for a NZ actor. He did a stint on the NZ soap Shortland Street (as Lionel Skeggins 1995-) He appeared in the movie The Frighteners, which starred Michael J. Fox, and also featured Stuart Devenie (Asterius the Magistrate in And Fancy Free, Count Von Verminhaven in Greece Is Burning, and Kernunnos in Resurrection and Render Unto Caesar), Danny Lineham (Drinker #2 in The Warrior Princess, Grathios in The Reckoning, Lycus in The Sword of Veracity, Johe in Prodigal Sister, and the School Teacher in Let There Be Light), George Port (the First Critic in The Play's The Thing), and Jim McLarty (Myles in Eye of the Beholder, Pankos in Armageddon Now part 2, the Teacher in Reunions, the eye popping Fish Merchant in Love On The Rocks).

John also appeared in the 1996 NZ movie Chicken, in which Hori Ahipene, the zany thug leader Brutus in Love On The Rocks, can also be seen. And John was also in the 1992 NZ war movie Chunuk Bair along with quite a few other actors we know (see under Karl Urban above).

* The jailer was played by Sean Ashton-Peach (quite a name to go through life with - at least his credits are distinctive). Sean was previously seen as Zealot #1 in Altared States.

* Did you think that the burly warlord who came in and plonked what he claimed was Xena's head in front of Caesar looked at all familiar? You might well have... he was played by Jim Ngaata, who previously took a very big role in the Xenaverse - Gareth, the giant, in A Day in the Life! Jim also played a guard in the HTLJ ep Under The Broken Sky.

* The guy who got the pinch put on him after Xena was attacked near the beginning of the ep probably looked familiar too. He was played by Rodney Cooke (or "Cook" - they just don't seem to be able to make up their minds about that final "e") who has previously been seen as "Man #1" in Been There Done That, and, over on HTLJ, as a "Worried Villager" in Armageddon Now Part 1 and as a farmer in Stranger And Stranger.

* For the other two credited actors, Jane Fullerton-Smith as "Woman in hell" and Alan Poppleton as "Hanged man", I was able to find no prior credits.

* The writer was R.J. Stewart, who still holds the record as the most credited writer for XWP... he wrote The Titans, Prometheus, ACAOTPB, AFOD, MB, Callisto, RoC, Warrior...Princess...Tramp, ADITL, Ulysses, The Furies, Gabrielle's Hope, Forgiven, Crusader, and The Way, plus being credited as Teleplay Writer for SOTP, Destiny, The Debt 1 & 2, and AITST 1 & 2, and as Story Writer for The Quest, both Debts and both parts of AITST.

* The ep was directed by Ken Girotti, who is new to the Xenaverse, but who appears to be a *very* busy and successful TV director, having directed for Total Recall 2070, Earth: Final Conflict, Fast Track, Stargate SG-1, La Femme Nikita, Dead Man's Gun, Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal, Poltergeist: The Legacy, Black Harbour, Two, Mysterious Island, The Outer Limits, Hawkeye, Side Effects, TekWar, Beyond Reality, Catwalk, Top Cops, Inside Stories, E.N.G., Captain Power: The Beginning, T. and T., The Campbells, My Secret Identity, Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future, The Littlest Hobo, and Nightstick.



WHIMPERS, MURMURS, AND A LOVE GONE TOO FAR

03-13-00. Not everything that gets shot ends up in the final cut. There was another scene (scene 46 from Act Four) that didn't make it but is interesting nonetheless. This scene was supposed to be sandwiched between the scene where Xena and Gabrielle say goodbye to one another (Scene 45) and the scene where their spirits float above the crosses (Scene 47).

46 EXT. HELL - DAY

Callisto suddenly appears back in Hell, naked once more. Nailscot is grinning at her.
NAILSCOT
You failed at both missions, Callisto. He's most displeased.
Suddenly NAILSCOT MORPHS INTO XENA.
NAILSCOT
He's added something special to your punishment.
Nailscot (now played by Lucy Lawless) darts a look behind Callisto.

ON TWENTY XENAS

approaching Callisto, all wearing gloating smiles.

ON CALLISTO

as she SHRIEKS IN HORROR.

03-13-00. In the Starlog 2000 Magazine #271 (12/99), R.J. Stewart stated that IDES is "probably my favorite [episode] of the fourth season. I liked it quite a bit. I don't always like just my episodes as favorites; as a matter of fact, there are a couple that Steve (Sears) and Chris (Manheim) wrote that are my favorites of other seasons, but 'Ides' was my fourth season favorite."

06-13-99. The opening "sex" scene of Julius Caesar's dream of sharing Xena's charms was cut in part in some airings of the episode.

05-11-99. On May 3, 1999, Sharon Delaney posted on the Xenaverse mailing list (among others) the following commentary about IDES: "I suggest no one watch this episode alone. And heaps of people better go watch it with Clayton As soon as I have some feeling back in my body, I'm going to bed. Although closing my eyes is going to be very difficult. I don't think I blinked once during the fourth act. This is the show you've all been waiting for. Question is, can you live through it!" [The Clayton she refers to is a prominent internet fan who goes by the name of Lord Nelson. He is known for his passionate reactions to and reviews of XWP.

04-21-99. The character Alti (Claire Stansfield) was cut from this episode in favor of Callisto (Hudson Leick).

03-26-99. Paul Robert Coyle discussed this episode a bit at the NYC Xena Convention (02-22-99). He mentioned that Callisto would be in it (he was amused that he was told to kill her off only to be told to bring her back), that it would be a season-ender cliff-hanger, and that he was writing it and another HERCULES episode with Callisto. Feeling bad about his faux pas with Callisto's sister, he assured the audience that he would remedy his error in season-opener of Xena's 5th season where we will discover that Callisto's sister survived and we get to meet her.



EDITS AND CUTS

09-02-00. From Benoclesczar

Xenites of Australia would have too be the worst off, in terms of the screening of their favourite Warrior Princess and problems that come with it. Having already suffered editing of up to 5 minutes of every episode too fit it into an hour time-slot, it all went down hill at the end of Season 4. On and off, episodes were shown and finally Xena was cancelled with ENDGAME being the last episode. Days became Weeks, Months went into Years.

Finally, after several emails, petitions and other forms of voicing yourself, the Channel who screened Xena decided too bring her back for one more time. This would be the road to life or death for the show, and it all relied on the ratings. It was going too be two shows stuck together, IDES OF MARCH and FALLEN ANGEL. For those who had already watched, or read about these episodes, the odds for success were high because these were two of the greatest episodes ever. And it would surely pull in some new watchers of the show. Or so we thought.

Like I stated, we were use to editing, but what was too occur that night was an act of disgrace, butchery and morally wrong. I will now tell you what was edited in IOM as I have a copy of the original from America in my own collection, along with all of Season 5. I will try to point out as much as I can, and will cover as much of what was edited. And I can tell you, some scenes were "Cut, Copy and Pasted" so badly, an infant could do better.

IDES OF MARCH-

One. We open the scene with a shot of Callisto's back. Straight away, we have missed the brief introduction of the inhabitants of Hell and their individual punishments (e.g. A man hanging, dogs attacking another guy, and so on).

Two. After Callisto talks to Nailscot (aka Nabcot) about getting back at Xena, and aiding Ceaser...we cut too Caeser waking up instantly and seeing Callisto next to him. She says "That Xena can really mess with dream, can't she?" Rather amusing considering that we never saw Caesar's dream. They had edited out the scene were Caesar was having a pleasant dream of having sex with Xena when she suddenly pulls a dagger on him and is about to stab him...THEN he wakes up.

Three. Open too the arrival of Gabrielle, Armarice, Eli and his followers (as well as Brutus and his Roman Gaurds) at the foot of Mount Amaro. We see Gab look straight up at a crucified body. In fact, we have missed the group walk up the road, and pass each crucified body, one by one.

Four. Xena frees Gabrielle, Eli, Amarice and so on, and they escape. Xena and Armarice fight the Roman Gaurds. We miss a small punch and kick scene. Halfway through the battle (and cleverly done) we miss a long-ish scene of Xena 'heavily' hacking into gaurds and her sword piercing a man's chest, while she runs down with him AND the sword still in him. Also, we miss Armarice doing a twirly-wirly flip into some gaurds, as well as a slicing and clubbing one Roman soldier pretty heavily.

Five. Upon Xena's Chakram breaking her spine, Gabrielle picks up a spear too through at a Roman Gaurd who is about to stab Xena with a sword. We Do Not see the spear enter the soldier, just a 'flash' of light and a dead body.

Six. Gabrielle picks up Xena's sword and attacks the first soldier and kills him. She says, "Go! Let's go!". Xena says "No-o-o!" Gab says, "Get up!" Xena replies "I can't Gabrielle. It's my spine. I can't move." Then we cut to Gabrielle and Xena surrounded by Roman Gaurds, with a whole lot of dead Romans on the floor. I kid you not. Cut out, was Xena's continuos cries of "Uh-- uh. Uh-h-h! No, Gabrelle, no!". We miss Gabrielle stab, gut, slash, head-butt and piercing Roman Soldiers, left right and centre. We miss every single death of the soldiers that attacked them both. No blood, no gory scenes, no realisation of what she has done. Nothing.

Seven. Small cut scene of Callisto standing up after saying her last line to Xena..."So, while you lie here helpless, he's declaring himself emperor".

Eight. The Roman Soldier is places the first nail on Gabrielle's feet, and lifts his hammer then...Cut to Caeser being stabbed over and over again. Then he says "And you, Brutus?". I kid you not (again). We have just missed the first nail driven into Gabrielle, as well as EVERY nail after that. We do not see the actual crucification scene AT ALL. We do not even see them being raised on the crosses. The next scene of X and G, is of them on the crosses in the snow, already raised.

Nine. We do not actually 'see' Caeser fall onto the floor and twitch. We just saw Brutus stabbing him, and then suddenly him lying dead on the floor.

Ten. OVERALL short cuttings in and out of commercial breaks. Most notably, close-up of Xena when she encounters Callisto for the first time, after trying to assassinate Caeser. Also, the closing scene of Brutus and Xena talking about if it was snowing at the foot of Mount Amaro.

And that was it. Overall editing time? We missed about...7 minutes I would say. Full emotional effect was lost, and Swiss-cheese holes made a messy story to understand. As I said to a friend..."What a great Promo. I can't wait too see the Episode!" Insert SARCASM. It was a disgrace, and insult to Xenites Australia wide.



THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR

These things are by Beth Gaynor.

Teeny camera blooper: When Xena asks Gabrielle to promise she won't follow her, Xena puts her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder. When the camera angle changes to Gabrielle's promise that she won't, the hand is gone.

Who the heck was that horse that Xena rode to save Gabrielle? Where's Argo?

A couple Shakespeare notes:

  • - "Beware the Ides of March" does get spoken, but as a warning to Brutus instead of a warning to Caesar.

  • - Caesar meets the same death that Shakespeare gave him, with a round of stabbings from his own people, ended with "And you, Brutus?" (Et tu, Brute?) and Brutus striking the final, killing blow.
  • When Xena leads the group out of the prison, she throws her sword back, we hear the sound of it being sheathed... but she missed the scabbard. You can see the sword bounce off her back as she moves off-camera.



    MORE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR

    11-08-01. From Gonzalo Viola. In the Ides of march, when Gabrielle goes crazy and begins killing the soldiers(after Callisto throws the chakram at Xena's back). Gabrielle kills the soldiers with a sword, but we never see the blood in the sword. We just see the blood when Gabrielle stabs a soldier with a knife. When Xena and Gabrielle are hanging in the crosses the scene is motionless. The soldiers are montionless and the snow stops falling.

    07-18-00. Andrew Shaughnessy. Someone at RenPics did his or her research for that episode. The remains of a crucifixion victim from the Holy Land confirm the use of large wooden 'washers' to prevent the nails tearing free. These were accurately represented in IOM. Nice work!

    03-13-00. Robert Thomas. In the episode "Ides Of March", at the very end, right as xena is about to be nailed to the cross, they get a close-up of the hand holding the hammer. The hand is Xena's. In a previous episode "Paradise Found" , Xena has a vision of herself nailing Gabby to the cross. They recycled that scene into the "Ides of March"

    03-13-00. Robert Thomas. In the xena episode "Ides Of March" Gabby is missing her tatoo around her neck for the whole episode.

    Xero. Did anyone else notice this? Xena is standing outside Caesar's office(?) with another guard. She knocks him unconscious, and then peaks in to see what Caesar is up to. She hears movement, and turns in time to see several Roman guards walk down her hallway and right past her. Gee, do you think the lead guy in the group of guards might have noticed something? Like, "There's always two centurians outside Caesar's office. There's one...oh, the other one is out cold on the floor. No problems here. I'm sure Caesar can take care of himself with the help of his remaining guard, that looks like a woman." Then again, she might have been able to hide the guy real fast beneath the curtains... Either way, its quite a trick.



    TRANSCRIPT

    Click here to read a transcript of IDES OF MARCH .



    DISCLAIMER:

    Xena and Gabrielle were killed during the production of this motion picture.




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