My heart actually pounded when I heard Xena would be coming back to our screens via NBC network.

I crushed on her so much it was incredible! Along with the fact I was convinced she was getting down and dirty with Gabrielle I would listen to every word exchanged between them, convinced I was correct.

Oh, if only there had been such a thing as Fan Edits back then. I’d have died and gone to heaven creating skits for Xena and Gabrielle.

According to the Executive Producer of the reboot, Javier Grillo-Marxauch, this time around Xena and Gabrielle will be in a full-on relationship. Liz Friedman, the out writer of the original series told AfterEllen this was something the network didn’t want to come across. She said:

The studio was very worried about it, and I was the one saying to them ‘Guys, no one’s ever gonna think they’re gay.”

She reflects back to her own relationship with her then girlfriend who is now her wife and continued:

 We would go to the supermarket and I am a white Jew, she’s Creole and people would look at us, and it was clear that we were connected in some way, and they’d go ‘Are you two sisters?’ That fuck each other! What was bizarre to me that lesbians were so invisible in the real world, but then something just happened and I just assumed no one would ever think that about Xena and Gabrielle.”

Never think it? Girl, I KNEW it. Liz is not so sure what she thinks about a remake of this cult classic though. She seems to have a few mixed reactions about the whole concept.

I don’t know that it calls for a remake and yet I do think the idea of making what was subtext text is interesting and what you can add to it.  But I think the biggest thing we did was show this profound personal connection between two women and we never walled it off and said ‘But they’re straight, but they’re straight, but they’re straight.’ And I do think that, in its own way, is incredibly subversive.”

Javier Grillo-Marxuach cited the changing social views of the public when it comes to same-sex relationships as fuelling the decision to let them both become a couple. That’s cool, don’t get me wrong, but imagine what a difference it could’ve made to lez’s 15 years ago if they had had an out gay couple to drool over and look up to?

Lucy Lawless who played the original Xena also seems to have some reservations of her own about a reboot. Lucy seems to think that if they are taking Xena and Gabrielle to the next level then they could go a step further. She suggested:

Now they need to make them an inter-racial couple, Black Xena!”

Now there’s an idea NBC. Are you listening? An inter-racial lez couple would be amazing for queer diversity. Xena will hit our screens later this year and I will just have to tune in and see what it’s like.

In my opinion remakes are either complete rubbish or really good. There is no middle ground.  So I shall be waiting in anticipation to see what Xena and Gabrielle will be getting up to together in this new edition.

No more than what I imagined back in the late 90’s I’m sure.