It’s kind of amusing that some fans would think that there’s some huge conspiracy to keep certain shows from being rebooted or making their way to the big screen for a movie adaptation, especially when the truth is that there’s really not much to it. NBC wasn’t interested in a reboot, either because they didn’t feel that Xena could pull down the same numbers, or because it simply wasn’t a popular idea any longer. That might sound blasphemous to fans, but let’s look at it this way, Hercules even had a point when things weren’t exactly going the way they needed to, and the story of the demigod, for better or worse, has been one that people have enjoyed for far longer than Xena. The idea that she brought something new to the table is accurate and it’s true that she was loved by many upon many fans, but for their own reasons, NBC said no. Whether anyone would think of picking it up at this point or not is hard to say, though there’s always some hope that someone will see that there’s something there and move on it.
One of the big problems though is whether or not Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor would come back. Lucy has already stated that she would love to come back, even if it were to pass the torch to the next Xena character since like it or not, she is starting to age out of this role in a way since Xena was pictured as a younger, very strong individual that Lucy wouldn’t necessarily be able to play for much longer. But it does feel as though the entire show would have to be retooled in a way to bring it up to the idea that a lot of fans would like to see. Plus, it is very likely that a new cast would be selected for a reboot or a movie, and one can only imagine how fans would react to this, being that some folks are extremely fickle when it comes to their favorite shows and movies.
Looking back at the history of the character and the number of fans she gained over the years it’s not hard to see why people would want her back, but looking at things from a different angle, Xena might still be popular, but she’s not exactly unique any longer if she was, to begin with. As much as fans might not want to debate this, she wasn’t the first strong woman set in ancient times, as Red Sonja was one of those that came well before Xena, as was Wonder Woman, and several female superheroes who essentially paved the way for characters such as Xena. Seeing as how there’s an idea to bring Red Sonja back into focus, and many other female characters are getting their due now, it’s easy to think that there’s simply no time, at the moment, for this character to be brought back into the spotlight. Some might want to argue with that, and it’s understandable since there should be room for Xena to come back, but when there’s a serious lack of interest on the part of those that can make it happen, then it might be time to recognize that the show just won’t be happening.
It’s not a hard no or never that was given, to be honest, but instead, it sounds as though it’s just not the right time. Perhaps Xena will come back eventually, but it simply won’t be now. That’s likely not good enough for a lot of fans that want to see the idea return sooner rather than later. Thinking that there isn’t enough content out there to make up for the loss of one show is kind of mind-boggling, but that’s kind of how things go, and how they’ve gone for a while now. Some people latch onto a show and won’t let it go for anything, no matter when it’s been over and off the air for a while. That does show a lot of loyalty and dedication, which is a positive thing really, but wondering why the show won’t be brought back continually is the kind of fandom that becomes more of a bother than a boon.
Again, it might be that Xena will come back eventually, but if Lawless and O’Connor are brought back it’s fair to say that a lot of fans might have every reason to expect that it will be to pass the torch to the next female badass that wants to take on the title. At this point, it’s fair to say that it won’t happen for a while since there are plenty of female warriors out there, and there are plenty more still set to arrive. But perhaps one day it will happen.
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