selected from
Cult Times #75

Week One: 1st – 7th December
Farscape • Star Trek: Voyager

Week Two: 8th – 14th December
Farscape • Millennium • Stargate SG-1

Week Three: 15th – 21st December
The Others • Buffy • LEXX

Week Four: 22nd – 28th December
Stargate SG-1 • The Simpsons

For highlights and our unique day-by-day listings for all UK
TV channels, see the December issue (#75) plus updated listings for a fortnight of festivities in the Cult Times Christmas Special (#CS20)

Informed of trouble in a village she has past ties to over in Japan, Xena hot-foots it to the East to take on a soul-eating demon who is forcing the souls of many victims of violence to endure pain and suffering beyond death. Xena's own victims, in fact, and because of this the warrior princess embarks on her final mission to set things to rights.

Although not a story to everyone's taste, A Friend in Need is the conclusion to six years of adventuring with Xena and Gabrielle and as such one of this year's televisual events. On the one hand, it's unlikely to please long-term fans of the show with the way it leaves things, however writer RJ Stewart and writer/director Rob Tapert have crafted a dazzling finale so that Xena goes out on a high.

From an incredible show of acrobatics near the start as Xena and Gabrielle attempt to put out a fire raging across the village right through to Gabrielle showing her qualities as a warrior, a friend and a force to be reckoned with and Xena taking on the soul eater one on one, you can see where the budget has gone. So farewell Xena, you shall not be forgotten. (PS)

Photo © Renaissance TV; Xena: Warrior Princess can be seen in the UK on Sky One