Paradise Found Ep
Posted by vaillacinnamon@reddit | xena | View on Reddit | 26 comments
Forgive all my posts. First rewatch in 20 years and want to discuss it somehow! Lol
This ep seems like it’s a giant homage to ROCs physique. All the panning shots of her in yoga poses and the nude back shots.
I feel like at this point in the series ROC and fans were tired of her being #2 and wanted some Gabby love.
Also, boy does Gabby have a thing for joining every cult she stumbles across lol
cestlavie_69@reddit
This is one of my top 5 favorite episodes. Gabrielle looked amazing. She always looks great but every shot in this episode was incredibly flattering to ROC. The hair, the clothes, the physique was all perfect.
The colors, the mood, the scenery, everything, showed the yin and Yang of Xena and Gabrielle. The scene where Xena loses it in the bath and squeezes Gabs’ hand is chilling. The bloody nose massage was awesome. It’s got some great lines, too. X saying G has hands like a sailor, hilarious.
The only thing that felt off to me was the actor who played Aidan. I wanted someone else in that role.
vaillacinnamon@reddit (OP)
Oh yeah, it was absolutely beautifully shot. I agree everything was gorgeous. The more I watched it though the more I was like damn how many shots do we need of her body lol
cestlavie_69@reddit
It was definitely a Gabrielle episode. Rob Tapert wrote and directed this ep and he wanted to tell a specific story about Gabrielle’s journey. It was a sensual episode for sure. Most sensual episodes feature Xena’s looks in some way, whether it’s a tight-fitting dress that shows cleavage and leg or closeups of her eyes. ROC had an incredible physique and the producers and writers loved to showcase her physicality. I wonder if that’s why the camera was so focused on her body and movements.
I read an interview with her around S5 where she said they told her to tone down the muscles. Because they didn’t want Gabrielle looking stronger than Xena.
Agent8699@reddit
Do you have a link to that interview? I’ve never read it before and it seems unlike Tapert to try and control ROC’s physique.
cestlavie_69@reddit
I think I read it on Whoosh. Or the Jackson Cupperco blog. It was probably a note from the studio and not the producers.
mtnmichelle@reddit
I feel like on rewatch that Gabrielle’s journey is more compelling than Xena’s and I loved it when she starting kicking ass more as the seasons progressed, and ROC gets increasingly ripped and better with stunt fighting as the series went on. She was obviously training really hard and I always wish comic super hero ladies would look that awesome, it’s hard to believe Wonder Woman has been training as a warrior her whole life when she has zero muscles.
Owl_Queen101@reddit
I don’t like her but I will say her character arch is pretty great. Probably the best I’ve seen. It felt so organic and natural without being super forceful and obvious. They did her character so well
DaniDoesnt@reddit
I know! That whole season is Xena letting Gabs do whatever she wants and then rescuing her. That episode shows for sure how much she loves Gabrielle
Icy-Sir-8414@reddit
Haha 😂😆 my favorite part about the whole episode is while Gabby found inner peace Xena found insanity we all saw how much she was losing it tell me you didn't find that hilarious This reminds me in one of the Hercules episode when iolaus and autalycus went nuts after what Ares did to them hilarious 😂😆 it was hysterical so Xena going bat crap crazy in a beautiful peaceful place like that going tremendously crazy 🤣 was so funny I pissed myself laughing
TangledUpPuppeteer@reddit
Every time Gabrielle found even the remotest level of peace, Xena went crazy. Whenever Xena was calm and at peace, Gabrielle was miserable. They were perfect in the real world together, but if it leaned too much on either direction, the balance of the force got wobbly.
Icy-Sir-8414@reddit
Haha 😂 I know that is why it's so funny 🤣
TangledUpPuppeteer@reddit
🤣😂
vaillacinnamon@reddit (OP)
When she rolls across the floor and screams Gabrielle in her face 😂
Icy-Sir-8414@reddit
But you know what episode I was comparing it to right the one when Ares is pissed off at iolaus and autalycus is punished because what happened to discord
vaillacinnamon@reddit (OP)
I honestly haven’t rewatched Herc in 20 years either lol he’s next on my list
Icy-Sir-8414@reddit
But still didn't you feel bad for those two guys
vaillacinnamon@reddit (OP)
If I remembered that ep I’m sure I would! Lol
Icy-Sir-8414@reddit
Yeah totally so funny
FirebirdWriter@reddit
I watched that a week ago. The one with the PT Barnabus guy
Icy-Sir-8414@reddit
I know even that was even more funny 🤣
OrangeClyde@reddit
THIS ALWAYS CRACKS ME UP SO MUCH
Icy-Sir-8414@reddit
I know that was so messed up and laughable at the same time
Livid_Reader@reddit
Hey, Gabby did join a well known cult: the cult of Jesus Christ
Critical_Leave_2574@reddit
She def joined almost every cult she came across haha
I think that reinforces her open-mindedness and how she saw the “good” in everyone.
Agent8699@reddit
Also, her quest for inner peace as she struggled with many competing desires - travel with Xena, be a warrior like Xena, be an Amazon, be a bard, be a healer, be a diplomat, etc.
After all, in Gabrielle’s words, the meaning of life is to find peace within yourself and share it with others.
OrangeClyde@reddit
Holy moly, I never even thought about that - Gabrielle really DID fall for and join every single cult she came across 😂😂😂 Gullible Gabrielle