View Full Version : Why does "Hercules" have less of a cultural footprint than "Xena"


TMC
05-26-2023, 04:45 AM
Save for maybe, one meme:
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In comparison, Xena: Warrior Princess has a very strong cult following among fantasy fans and the LGBTQ community (https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/68156/11-fierce-facts-about-xena-warrior-princess), it's easily available on streaming and for years after it ended it was a staple on cable channels like Oxygen, Logo, and Syfy. While not a regular part of its line-up, marathons of Xena still show up on Syfy.

It also, often gets referenced as an example of third wave feminism (along with Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Spice Girls, and even to a lesser extent Chyna). Lucy Lawless still finds work off the back of the show and her look is usually the go-to when it comes to warrior women (https://movieweb.com/xena-warrior-princess-90s-greek-goddess/) in modern media. Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman costume is practically a star-spangled Xena cosplay.

Is the main issue with Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/hmm096/why_has_hercules_the_legendary_journeys_been/), the fact that main actor (Kevin Sorbo (https://www.reddit.com/r/xena/comments/124f5ld/hercules_vs_kevin_sorbo_nothing_sorbo_does_can/)) tarnished his own legacy or what little of it there was? Still, even while both were on the air (https://burrunjor.com/2016/11/20/hercules-the-legendary-journeys-review/), Xena (https://www.douxreviews.com/2015/09/hercules-legendary-journeys-series.html) left it (https://screenrant.com/xena-warrior-princess-facts-trivia-secrets/) in the dust.