Episode 15
A Day In The Life
Written by: R.J. Stewart
Directed by: Michael Hurst
Edited by: Robert Field

Regular Cast
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle

Guest Cast:
Alison Wall as Minya
Murray Keane as Hower
Willy De Wit as Zagreus
Jim Ngaata as Gareth
Tony Billy as Largo

Synopsis:
We see a typical day in the life of Xena and Gabrielle as they fight to save one village from a warlord and his army and another from a vicious giant. They encounter two villagers, Minya and Hower. Minya is a Xena wannabe whilst Hower is totally smitten by Xena, much to Minya's annoyance. The last straw comes for Xena when Gabrielle trades her whip to Minya for a saucepan. In the end though, all's well that ends well as Xena defeats the warlord, kills the giant and rekindles Minya and Hower's relationship.

Episode 16
For Him The Bell Tolls
Written by: Adam Armus and Nora Kay Foster
Directed by: Josh Becker
Edited by: Jim Prior

Regular Cast
Lucy Lawless as Xena
Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle

Guest Cast:
Ted Raimi as Joxer
Alexandra Tydings as Aphrodite
Karl Urban as Cupid
Craig Parker as Sarpedon
Mandie Gillette as Ileandra
Craig Walsh-Wrightson as King Lynaeus
Ross Jolly as King Barus
Rachale Davies as Aria
Tai Hadfield as Guard
Mark Jones as Messenger

Synopsis by Don MacLeod:
King Lynaeus has requested Xena's urgent attendance at an important ceremony to ensure security. Gabrielle is left behind, feeling every inch the sidekick. She meets up with Joxer who adopts her as his sidekick.

Aphrodite is furious with Cupid at the relationship engendered between the Princess Ileandra and Prince Sarpedon. If the wedding proceeds then their kingdoms will merge and the temples to Aphrodite on the present border will be demolished. To remove this threat to her status she intends to deploy a charmed hero to split up the happy couple. In response to a challenge from Cupid she enchants Joxer to prove that any schmuck will do to serve her purpose since she is so powerful. Her spell will transform Joxer into a glamorous hero at the sound of a bell and back again at the next ring.

Aphrodite appears to Joxer and asks for a favour. He is to deliver a wedding present to Princess Ileandra - a golden bell on a necklace. He accepts.

A bemused Gabrielle watches Joxer singlehandedly drive off a gang of ruffians intent on carrying off Ileandra and her companions. His newfound fighting skills being triggered by Aphrodite ringing a bell. With honeyed words Joxer hangs Aphrodite's gift around Ileandra's neck. The bell tinkles and the old Joxer surfaces just as Gabrielle gets his attention. He seems to have no memory of fighting or what he has just been saying.

Kings Barus and Lynaeus, fathers of Ileandra and Sarpedon respectively, meet to discuss the alliance, with Aphrodite and Cupid watching. Aphrodite is aghast as they agree to demolish her temples. She is cheered however when a lady of the court arrives to inform Lynaeus that Princess Ileandra has been seen in the arms of another man and the pending nuptials are cancelled until an explanation can be found.

Ileandra and Sarpedon are eloping when Aphrodite reawakens Joxer's glamour with a ring of her bell and sends him off, ostensibly to guard the couple en route but really to charm Ileandra away from her true love and prevent the marriage altogether. The princess throws herself at Joxer when he catches up with their party. Sarpedon engages Joxer in swordplay but is easily held off until he snatches the bell from Ileandra's neck and tosses it to Joxer. The bell rings and Joxer is a klutz once more - but only for a few seconds of confusion until he throws the tinkling bell back to Sarpedon and his magical suaveness takes over again. He disarms Sarpedon and spares his life. Sarpedon returns to his father's court where he explains that Ileandra is no longer his. King Lynaeus is not pleased and despatches men in search of the warrior Joxer.

Gabrielle has noticed the bell/transformation link and tries to explain it to a passionate Joxer and Ileandra during an uncomfortable night in a cave. In the morning however, heedless of her cautions, Joxer strides out to confront the search party and challenges them. As Lynaeus' men advance on him, Ileandra's bell rings, he faints and is taken away captive for execution. In their prison hut Gabrielle again tries to explain his situation to Joxer. When she discovers that Aphrodite appeared to him the day before she concludes it is her magic at work. She breaks out of the hut and leaves Joxer tied up and singing his song.

King Barus hears that his daughter is at Lynaeus' court and decides to fetch her back. Gabrielle visits one of Aphrodite's temples to ask for the removal of the spell on Joxer. Aphrodite refuses. Gabrielle is assured by Cupid that if Aphrodite can be made to break the spell he can set everything right again.

Just before Joxer is executed Gabrielle rings a bell. With one bound he is free to fight his way through Lynaeus' soldiers. Barus arrives and joins Sarpedon watching in disgust as Ileandra adoringly watches Joxer's every move. His soldiers trounced, Lynaeus - the greatest swordsman in the land - takes on Joxer himself. They fight, evenly matched. One of the king's soldiers joins in. At Gabrielle's urging Joxer moves the combat into Aphrodite's temple. As Aphrodite's precious art objects are smashed, Gabrielle works on her to break the spell as the only possible way to end the destruction. In the end she acquiesces. All ends happily, except...

When Joxer returns to his usual condition for good he is afflicted by a painful bout of self-awareness and descends into misery at his failure to make it as a sidekick even, let alone a hero. Xena pops up and delivers a pep talk that has him on his feet and singing again in no time.

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