In the 90s, Xena: Warrior Princess, was a staple of afternoon TV. The stars – Lucy Lawless (Xena) and Renee O’Connor (Gabrielle) – were simultaneously heroes and catalysts of sexual awakening for a generation of young viewers. Since the show ended in 2001 after a six year run, many of those aforementioned fans have held out a quiet but unwavering hope that it would one day return, like Xena herself, and save us from a world free of that unique breast plate/bangs combo.
We want a #XenaRevival please! Just give the fans what they want, with Lucy & Renee!! @NBCUniversal @UniversalTV pic.twitter.com/6BTBiygJcE
— XenaRevival (@KrizRozmiarek) December 4, 2015
Viewers were left in TV purgatory for over a decade as rumours swirled and they were forced to witness lesser-quality shows receive revivals. But with producers obviously awakening to the strength of quality 90s programming this year (hello Twin Peaks, X-Files, and Full House) it appeared our feminist, possibly erotic, dreams may come true. Earlier this year, it was reported that NBC was working on a reboot of Xena: Warrior Princess. There was just one problem, Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor’s names were noticeably absent from the cast and crew tied to the project.
@NBCUniversal @Universal_Spain We want #XenaRevival with @RealLucyLawless #ReneeOConnor the original cast pic.twitter.com/GrM1ttHpXJ
— Althea (@Altheaxenagab) December 9, 2015
It’s since been confirmed that while Lucy has publicly supported the reboot, she won’t be returning as the title character. NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt explained the decision as part of the new approach production is taking. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter he said, “We’d love to have Lucy be a part of it—if we felt that her presence didn’t overshadow the direction we take with it”.
But fans aren’t buying his reasoning. And while Lucy Lawless herself has said she’s too old to play Xena, the Twitterers are respectfully disagreeing.
Many have added that while Lucy feels she’s past her action prime, Harrison Ford is still pitching up to work as Han Solo at 73 (and came back as Indiana Jones at 61), Arnold Schwarzenegger is the Terminator at 68, Liam Neeson rebranded himself as an action star in his 50s, and pretty much every bankable male lead is approaching pension age.
For reference, Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor are in their 40s.
Xena Warrior Princess changed my life! Give us a #XenaRevival with @RealLucyLawless & Renee O’Connor! @NBCUniversal pic.twitter.com/qMylaNzHwO
— XenaRevival (@KrizRozmiarek) December 6, 2015
Despite the internet’s protests that Lucy isn’t too old, and the show will suffer with out her presence, chances are she is legitimately too busy with a successful career that now involves considerably less stunts. But we can still hold out hope she’ll hear the calls and return to fulfil her birth right. And until then, we’ll comfort ourselves with YouTube holes of old Xena clips, and try work Gabrielle’s lace up crop tops into our 2016 summer look.
Credits
Text Wendy Syfret
Image via Twitter