All right, you guys, "Intimate Stranger" is like a mishmash of Freaky Friday (either version applies) and Nightmare on Elm Street (any installment will work here). I love this episode, mainly because Lucy Lawless and Hudson Leick are so good at playing each others characters. After a while, you really believe that, what the writer and director want us to believe is happening, is actually happening.
This episode, along with “Callisto” and “Return of Callisto,” was one that I had on VHS for the longest time. To think of all the work I had to go through to get the trilogy on one VHS. Man! How did I ever do it? Did I read the TV guide to find out when these eps would come on, wait for them to air on TV, and then record them with the VHS player? That sounds like insanity. Now, I could easily watch these episodes instantly, if I desired (on Netflix, of course).
As a teenager, I didn't really understand about Callisto’s death being guilt-inducing for Xena. I still don’t really get it. I mean, Xena kills people all the time. Ares says to Xena, “Didn’t you serve as judge, jury, and executioner?” She did, but isn’t that how she serves everyone she kills? Since when did she ever give a shit? But then again, if she didn't feel guilty, we wouldn’t have this awesome episode.
One of my favorite scenes is the one where Callisto in Xena's Body (CIXB) tutors Gabrielle on killing with a blade on her staff. When CIXB gets overzealous and tells Gabrielle to lunge at the tree with her whole body, Gabrielle turns around to look at Xena, like, “girl, what the hell has gotten into you?” At this exact moment, you can see how green Gabrielle's eyes are. They match her top and the green forest behind her. She’s beautiful. Then, a moment after that, Xena examines the breast dagger that she’s just tied to the staff. The blue sky glares off the metal and CIXB flares her eyes really big, as crazy Callisto often does. The blade color matches her eyeballs. Awesome shots; love 'em.
Now. Let's get this party started.
SPOILERS: My reviews are full of them! I'll try to note when I'm about to spoil the series by posting [SERIES SPOILER] before said item and [END SPOILER] after. Please don't read the review, unless you've seen the episode under discussion or don't care if I spoil it.
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Jennifer falls asleep in Nightmare On Elm Street: Dream Warriors and look what happens to her:
The body swap from Freaky Friday (1976):
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