The Haunting of Amphipolis
"The Haunting of Amphipolis" | |
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Xena: Warrior Princess episode | |
Episode no. | Season 6 Episode 2 |
Directed by | Mark Beesley |
Written by | Edithe Swensen Joel Metzger |
Teleplay by | Joel Metzger |
Production code | V1401 |
Original air date | October 9, 2000 |
Guest appearances | |
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"The Haunting of Amphipolis" is the second episode of the
In the episode, Xena, her daughter
"The Haunting of Amphipolis" was originally written by an unnamed writer who was replaced by Metzger because the dialogue he wrote was unsuitable. When Metzger was hired, the writing staff requested numerous changes to the original script, which featured a murdered man and his daughter. The changes included the addition of Mephistopheles as the main antagonist. According to Metzger, besides focusing on the haunting of Xena's childhood home, the final product bears no resemblance to the original script.
Many of the scenes in this episode required the use of special effects and CGI. A scene involving Gabrielle being dragged underwater by ghouls was filmed using only practical effects and stunt performers. Upon airing, the episode received positive reviews from critics who praised its horror elements and dark tone. Multiple scenes involving Gabrielle's demonic encounters, and Eve being confronted by illusions of her victims were also commended.
Plot
Looking down from the heavens, archangels
While eating, Eve tells Gabrielle that she feels something terrible is about to occur. Gabrielle's food becomes instantly infested with maggots. Maggots then begin to emerge from Gabrielle's hands and her flesh rots. When Eve prays to
Mephistopheles possesses Gabrielle as she takes a shower. He tells Xena he has kidnapped Cyrene's soul and will not release it unless Eve's blood is spilled because the blood of the Messenger of Eli is necessary for him to escape Hell. Xena refuses and Eve exorcises him. Mephistopheles then torments Eve, reminding her of her bloody past before her redemption. He also joins Xena and Gabrielle's bodies every time they touch. Once Eve separates them, Xena uses the pinch—a skill that allows her to stop blood from flowing—on herself. She visits the spirit realm to defeat Mephistopheles, who tells her whoever kills him must assume his reign over Hell.
After Gabrielle revives Xena, Eve says she is ready to sacrifice herself to stop Mephistopheles. Xena decides to fight him instead, so Eve cuts her palm and spills a few drops of blood. Mephistopheles emerges from a Hellmouth and battles Xena until she kills him. This releases Cyrene's soul, who tells Xena she will always be in her heart.
While pondering the consequences of Mephistopheles' death, the trio notice the Hellmouth is starting to release steam.
Production
Development and writing
The 44-minute, 23-second episode[3] was written by Edithe Swenson and Joel Metzger, and was directed by Garth Maxwell.[4] According to Metzger, the episode was originally written by an unidentified writer whom he replaced because the producers felt the original writer had not "captured the Xena voices at all".[2] After handing in his first draft of the episode, Metzger—who was a freelancer—was offered a job on the writing staff.[2] The idea of featuring an episode about a haunting at Xena's childhood home came from the writing staff. The original plot of the episode featured a murdered man who had a daughter.[2] At the request of the staff, Metzer added Mephistopheles as the main villain. He added the subplot about Xena's mother being trapped in Hell to make the story "closer to home and [ensure] Xena had a personal stake in it".[2] By the end of the final draft, most of the original plot and scenes had been changed, with only the core concept of Xena's house being haunted remaining.[2]
Filming and effects
According to Maxwell, the episode is "built around" the use of numerous special effects. He described the experience of directing this episode as challenging, because "things move at their own slightly slower pace".[1] The scene in which Gabrielle is dragged underwater by ghouls does not include any special effects; it was filmed inside a glass water tank on a closed set, enclosed by a curtain for lightning and filming purposes. Inside the water, prop skeletons and "slimy" pieces of fabric were inserted alongside O'Connor and stunt performers portraying the ghouls. The water inside the tank was placed at a level that allowed the actors to stand with their heads above the water, but also allowed the stunt performers to drag O'Connor underwater. The cameras were placed close to the dry side of the glass tank. The water inside the tank was warm to ensure O'Connor and the stunt performers would not get sick. Due to its lack of special effects, Maxwell said this scene was filmed in a very relaxed and spontaneous way.[1]
According to O'Connor, the scene in which Xena and Gabrielle have their arms and legs joined by Mephistopheles, she and Lucy Lawless had a stocking net placed over their arms and the rest was computer-generated. O'Connor described this scene as difficult to film because of the height difference between her and Lawless, and as "quite hilarious" and enjoyable to film.[5]
Broadcast and release
"The Haunting of Amphipolis" was first broadcast on
The episode was first released for home media use on
Reception
Michelle Erica Green, writer for TrekNation, said "The Haunting of Amphipolis" would have made "an excellent Halloween episode" due to its content. She described it as a highly effective, horror-themed episode, praising Eve's encounter with one of her victims and the dragging of Gabrielle underwater by ghouls. Green also considered many scenes in the episode to "pack real power", including those in which Xena hallucinates about her mother blaming her for her brother's death and Eve is confronted by the spirits of children she had killed.[14] Xenaville gave the episode 8/10 stars, describing it as a "very enjoyable and fast paced adventure", giving praise to the use of special effects, the flashback sequences, and Eve's encounters with her victims and Livia.[15] In the book Killing Off the Lesbians: A Symbolic Annihilation on Film and Television, writers Liz Millward, Janice G. Dodd, and Irene Fubara-Manuel single out this episode—specifically, Xena almost replacing Mephistopheles as the ruler of Hell—as one of many examples in the sixth season displaying the show darkening in tone.[16]
References
- ^ Titan Magazines. November 2000. pp. 8–9.
- ^ Titan Magazines. September 2001.
- ^ a b "Xena: Warrior Princess, Season 6". iTunes. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
- ^ Maxwell, Garth (director); Swenson, Edith (writer); Metzger, Joel (writer) (October 9, 2000). "The Haunting of Amphipolis". Xena: Warrior Princess. Season 6. Episode 2.
- ^ "Dancing In the Aisles". The Chakram Newsletter. Vol. 1, no. 14. Creation Entertainment. 2000.
- ^ "Xena: Warrior Princess Season 6 Episode 2: The Haunting of Amphipolis". TV Guide. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
- ^ a b "Whoosh! XWP Episode Guide: The Haunting of Amphipolis". Whoosh!. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
- ^ "Whoosh! XWP Episode Guide: Coming Home". Whoosh!. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
- ^ "Xena Warrior Princess - Series 6: Episodes 113-115 (Coming Home/The Haunting of Amphipolis/Heart of Darkness) [VHS]". Amazon. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
- ^ "Xena Warrior Princess - Season Six". Amazon. 8 March 2005. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
- CBS Interactive. Archivedfrom the original on April 8, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
- Amazon Video. Archivedfrom the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
- ^ "Xena: Warrior Princess Season 06 Episode 02". Hulu. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
- ^ Green, Michelle Erica. "The Haunting of Amphipolis on Xena". Get Critical. Archived from the original on February 15, 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
- ^ "The Haunting of Amphipolis Reviewed". Xenaville. Archived from the original on February 19, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
- ISBN 978-1476668161.
External links
- "The Haunting of Amphipolis" at IMDb