Xena: Warrior Princess Season One (2003)

It would be easy to dismiss ''Xena: Warrior Princess'' as a campy spin-off of an even campier syndicated series (namely, ''Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'') because, well, it was. But there was more to ''Xena'' than just the bitchin' battle cry. Star Lucy Lawless ushered in a new era of TV action heroine, one who was strong, smart, and -- of course -- sexy. But what set ''Xena'' apart from copycats like ''Queen of Swords,'' ''Relic Hunter,'' and, perhaps most regrettably, ''Sheena,'' was its mix of well-choreographed stunts and absurd ancient-era fun (a formula first concocted by ''Xena'' exec producers Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi on ''Army of Darkness''). Xena: Warrior Princess Season One remains the finest: The newly reformed Xena still has the capacity to turn evil, making the character more than just a one-dimensional do-gooder. Plus, the first seeds of her sapphic relationship with Gabrielle are oh-so-subtly planted. Throw in such colorful characters as the thieving Autolycus, Ares God of War, and she-villain Callisto, and you have a show for the ages. Of course, I'm probably overanalyzing. If you just wanna see a fatal-Frisbee-packin' mama repeatedly kick bad guys in their family jewels, look no further.