Chris Manheim Movies

Death Row inmate Ray Kaspo (David Meunier) is poisoned to death--45 minutes before his execution. While investigating this curious turn of events, Monk (Tony Shalhoub) is approached by another inmate, former billionaire Dale "The Whale" Biederbeck, whom Monk sent away for murder in the series' fourth episode (formerly played by Adam Arkin, Dale the Whale is now portrayed by Tim Curry). This time out, Dale is suspected of killing Ray, but insists that he's innocent and wants Monk to prove it. This requires our hero to suppress his million-and-one phobias and go undercover as a convict--whereupon he is immediately befriended by the dangerously sociopathic Spyder Rudner (Danny Trejo). This final episode of Monk's second season ends on a cliffhanger, with Monk seemingly poised to solve the long-ago murder of his beloved wife Trudy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Thawed out from the block of ice that has imprisoned them for 25 years, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) embark upon a search for Xena's daughter, Eve. Alas, the world that Xena and Gabrielle once knew has changed, and not for the better. For one thing, the land is in the thrall of war god Ares (Kevin Smith) and his current lover -- warrior princess Livia (Adrienne Wilkinson), the Bitch of Rome. William Gregory Lee makes his first series appearance as Virgil, the son of wannabe warrior Joxer (Ted Raimi) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Kevin Sorbo makes a guest appearance in his familiar role as legendary muscleman Hercules. Teaming up with old friends Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), Hercules tries to prevent Zeus (Charles Keating) from killing Xena's unborn child -- a move borne of Zeus' fear that the baby will fulfill the prophecy that the Olympian gods will be destroyed by "a child not begotten of man." Meanwhile, Xena heads down to the Underworld in search of the Helmet of Invisibility -- and in the course of her nether travels, she is reunited with her deceased son, Solan (Nicko Vella). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

It sure looked like curtains for Xena: Warrior Princess at the end of the series' fourth season, what with both Xena (Lucy Lawless) and her traveling companion, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), being crucified by the Romans, the fulfillment of a prophecy by the evil shamaness Alti (Claire Stansfield). But given the amazing recuperative power of our heroines, both of whom had spectacularly arisen from the dead on previous occasions, it came as no surprise during season five that reports of their permanent demise were highly exaggerated. But though Xena and Gabrielle are eventually restored to the land of the living, they still have their share of trials and tribulations. Impregnated under mysterious circumstances, Xena gives birth to a daughter named Eve, an "immaculate conception" tied in with Gabrielle's devotion to the martyred prophet Eli (Tim Omundson). It soon develops that Eve has been targeted for extermination by the Olympian Gods, the result of a prophecy that the girl's birth would be the beginning of the end of the Gods' rule over Earth. As for Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), she is afforded the opportunity to ascend to the throne of Queen of the Amazons -- but this honor may require her to inflict heavy and horrible punishment upon her old friend Joxer (Ted Raimi). Joxer truly becomes "old" rather suddenly two-thirds of the way through the fifth season -- in fact, in one fell swoop 25 years pass by, during which both Xena and Gabrielle are in a state of suspended animation, frozen in a block of ice. Upon thawing out, the ladies discover that their old adversary Ares (Kevin Smith), God of War, has a powerful new ally: Fierce female warrior Livia, "The Bitch of Rome." Xena is disheartened to learn that Livia is none other than her own, grown-up daughter Eve (Adrienne Wilkinson), with whom she may be forced into mortal combat for the good of humankind. As in past years, season five bade goodbye to some familiar characters while introducing new ones. The most significant farewell was that of Joxer, who dies at Livia/Eve's hands. But the spirit of Joxer lives on, figuratively speaking, in the form of his stalwart son, Virgil (William Gregory Lee). Also in the tradition of previous seasons, the fifth-year run of Xena: Warrior Princess ended with a cliffhanger. This time around, Xena engaged in hand-to-hand combat against the Olympian Gods, with the fate of all the combatants remaining in the balance until the beginning of season six. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the first of several Xena episodes set in India, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) are forced to seek shelter from bad weather in a mountain cave. Here they meet the mysterious mystic Aidan (Jeremy Roberts), who teaches the pliable Gabrielle the art of serene meditation. Although Gabrielle quickly succumbs to Aidan's message, Xena realizes that their new acquaintance is a false guru who is siphoning Gabby's essential goodness for his own wicked purposes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Still journeying through India, Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) find themselves in a city overflowing with street entertainers and mystics. Incredibly, Gabrielle suddenly takes on profound healing powers, and is promptly proclaimed a Devi -- but Xena thinks that Gabrielle's skills are all smoke and mirrors. And what of the ladies' new acquaintance, Eli (Timothy Omundson in his first series appearance), who may or may not be the magician he appears to be? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

It's The Sting, warrior-princess style, when Xena (Lucy Lawless) teams up with a pair of slick con artists. The reason? Xena's friend Joxer (Ted Raimi) has been cheated out of a huge sum of money by the father-son owners of a gambling house -- and has been beaten to a pulp for good measure. Now it is Xena's turn to cheat the cheaters, and it will require a myriad of clever guises and dextrous plot twists to do so. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When Autolycus (Bruce Campbell) is captured, Xena (Lucy Lawless) sneaks aboard a prison ship to rescue him. Likewise on the ship is Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), albeit for different reasons. The eruption of Mt. Aetna creates a huge tidal wave, or tsunami, which sweeps everyone overboard. Xena and Gabrielle are saved by a convenient air pocket -- only to be tormented by a treacherous outlaw (Todd Rippon). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season three of Xena: Warrior Princess ended on a tragic note, with Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), friend and chronicler of reformed warrior Xena (Lucy Lawless), sacrificing her life so that her daughter, Hope -- the incarnation of pure evil -- would not be resurrected. Given the series' mythological zeitgeist, however, viewers could take comfort in the fact that Gabrielle would ultimately be restored to life thanks to the diligence of the faithful Xena, thereby launching a fourth season of fanciful sword-and-sorcery adventures. As usual, quite a lot was packed into the season's 22 hour-long episodes. The death of Amazon Queen Ephiny placed the wide-eyed Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) on her predecessor's throne, thereby introducing a new character: rebellious teenaged Amazon Amarice (Jennifer Sky), whose relationship with Gabrielle was nearly a carbon copy of Gabrielle's relationship with Xena. Also seen for the first time during season four is Eli (Timothy Omundson), a Messianic shaman whom the ladies met during a journey to India. Eli will ultimately emerge as Gabrielle's spiritual mentor -- not to mention the figurehead in a pacifistic, monotheistic cult that will in later seasons bring down the literal wrath of the Gods. And just as Amarice and Eli were making themselves at home, the series bade farewell to Bruce Campbell as Autolycus, self-proclaimed King of Thieves. The more suspenseful and terrifying episodes of season four were offset with excursions into pure comedy. One of the more noteworthy lighter installments was the season's final episode, in which we were introduced to mixed-up modern-day incarnations of Xena, Gabrielle, and warrior wannabe Joxer (Ted Raimi). Withal, however, an ominous pall hung over the entire season, thanks to the grim prognostications of Xena's old nemesis, the evil shamaness Alti (Claire Stansfield). With her dying breath, Alti conjured up a horrific vision of Xena and Gabrielle's grisly execution and the hands of the hated Romans -- a prediction that not only came true, but also provided the "cliffhanger" which assured that loyal (and very worried) Xena fans would return for season five. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of a two-part story, the dying Xena (Lucy Lawless) asks Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) to return her body to her home village of Amphipolous. Sadly, Gabrielle grants this wish, and upon her arrival in the village, Xena's lifeless body is prepared for the traditional Amazon funeral. Before long, Gabrielle has been crowned Amazon Queen, and in this capacity, must stop a war. Meanwhile, self-styled "King of Thieves" Autolycus (Bruce Campbell) is possessed by the spirit of Xena, who wants to retrieve her body before it is burned on the funeral pyre. Threatening both Xena's "new life" and Gabrielle's present one is the bloodthirsty Amazon warrior Velasca (Melinda Clarke). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Bliss (Cameron Russel), the mischievous son of Cupid (Karl Urban), grabs his dad's bow and arrows and sets out to spread a little love all around. As a result of Bliss' -- er -- cupidity, Xena (Lucy Lawless) falls madly in love with her enemy, the warlord Draco (Jay Laga'aia); Draco is smitten by Xena's traveling companion, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor); and Gabrielle goes gaga over the klutzy wannabe warrior Joxer (Ted Raimi). This was the final episode of Xena: Warrior Princess' second season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Winter Solstice won't be coming this year thanks to cranky old King Sylvius (Peter Vere-Jones), who has not only outlawed the holiday, but is poised to evict the local orphans. Xena (Lucy Lawless) is all for punching out Sylvius, but Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), exhibiting the true Solstice Spirit, suggests another method of setting things right. All this leads to a dickens of a denouement, with the help of a local toy maker named Senticles (say all the syllables out loud) and the "timely" arrival of the Three Fates at the King's bedside. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Out of gratitude for saving their temple, the Three Fates offer Xena (Lucy Lawless) anything she wants. She asks that the Fates alter history so that her brother Lyceas will not be killed -- and that she will never become the evil Warrior Princess she once was. The wish is granted, with one condition: Should Xena kill anyone in her "new life," all things will return to what they were before. But what of Xena's friend and traveling companion Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), who has likewise been altered in this Alternate Reality? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide