Entertainment
How Xena: Warrior Princess Turned An Overused Trope Into Its Funniest Episode Ever
By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
At the height of 90s syndication, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess dominated the airwaves, proving that there was a massive need for campy, light shows that didn’t take themselves seriously. Both shows would adapt movies, other shows, and legends throughout their runs, but none were as fun as Xena Season 3, Episode 2 “Been There, Done That.” It’s a time loop episode, it’s also Romeo and Juliet, but more importantly, Xena murders Joxer, and it’s played for laughs.
Another Time Loop Episode
“Been There, Done That” starts off as any other episode, with Xena (Lucy Lawless), Gabrielle (Renee O’Conner), and Joxer (Ted Raimi) heading into town when a fight breaks out between feuding families. Joxer is tragically killed in the scuffle and honored with a warrior’s funeral that night as Xena and Gabrielle comfort each other. Then the day starts over again, and quickly, Xena realizes she’s the only one aware that they are reliving the same day over and over and over and over again.
Over the next few loops, Xena tries to prevent as many deaths as she can by getting Joxer out of the fight, but then her horse ends up being burned alive. Stopping an elder of one family from being run over by a wagon causes Gabrielle to be killed in the ensuing melee. Frustrated, Xena kills Joxer with her chakram the next morning, and while Gabrielle is screaming, she rolls over and goes back to bed. She’ll rise, but she refuses to shine.
No one plays annoyed quite like Lucy Lawless. “Been There, Done That” lets her portray a grumpy, frustrated Xena who can’t help trying to do the right thing, even if it never quite works out. Finally, she discovers the source of the time loop and spends an entire day doing nothing but measuring every angle, nook, and cranny of the village while the massive brawl goes on around her. With the greatest chakram throw of her life, Xena breaks the loop, and honestly, it’s a bit surprising she only murdered Joxer once.
Two Overdone Tropes In One Episode
If a show is on the air long enough, it’s going to have a time loop episode. Stargate SG-1 did it (“Window of Opportunity”), Star Trek: The Next Generation had one (“Cause and Effect”), and after the success of Happy Death Day, Edge of Tomorrow, and Palm Springs, we’re due for another Groundhog Day movie any day now. When “Been There, Done That” aired in 1997, the trope wasn’t as well-worn as it is today, but it was already so cliche that the writing team knew exactly what the audience expected the moment the loop began.
Adding the Romeo and Juliet plot to a time loop combines two overdone stories into one overstuffed episode that, against the odds, works. Adapting Shakespeare’s tragic love story of two teenagers who end up causing widespread murder and mayhem is another plot that every show has done, including the Super Mario Bros. Super Show and every single procedural you can think of. Xena’s encounter with the story puts more of the focus on the feuding family part of the story and less on the star-crossed lovers, but her reaction, a frustrated sigh, matches how most viewers react to yet another retelling.
Xena: Warrior Princess is filled with references to other movies, shows, and stories, including an entire episode that adapts Footloose. Pay attention, and you’ll catch shots lifted straight from John Wayne movies, lines from Dumb & Dumber, and, since it’s a Sam Raimi production, there are more than a few Evil Dead allusions. 30 years later, the cheesy series that gave us an action icon is still as popular as ever, and it’s in large part thanks to episodes like “Been There, Done That” that aren’t afraid to wink at the audience, throw out any expectations this will be a serious story, and lets viewers sit back, relax, and have mindless fun.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 22, 2026
Today’s Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love to garnish your meals.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
An herb.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter B.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
BASIL
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
Entertainment
Hurdle hints and answers for March 22, 2026
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it’ll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
If you find yourself stuck at any step of today’s Hurdle, don’t worry! We have you covered.
Hurdle Word 1 hint
Parasite.
Hurdle Word 1 answer
LEECH
Hurdle Word 2 hint
A memorial.
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Hurdle Word 2 Answer
VIGIL
Hurdle Word 3 hint
To fret.
Hurdle Word 3 answer
PANIC
Hurdle Word 4 hint
Came to life.
Hurdle Word 4 answer
AWOKE
Final Hurdle hint
The source.
Hurdle Word 5 answer
CAUSE
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Entertainment
Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on March 22
After several nights of near darkness, the Moon is finally illuminated enough that keen sky gazers can start to spot some features on the surface again. Keep reading to find out what you may be able to see tonight.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Sunday, March 22, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. According to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide, 14% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.
Tonight marks the return of enough of the Moon’s surface to see some exciting features. For example, without any visual aids NASA tells us you can spot the Mare Fecunditatis and the Mare Crisium. These are situated on the middle right of the moon, or middle left if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere.
With binoculars or a telescope, you’ll see these and also the Edymion Crater, positioned at the top right, or bottom left.
When is the next Full Moon?
In North America, the next Full Moon is predicted to take place on April 1.
What are Moon phases?
NASA says the Moon takes about 29.5 days to orbit Earth, going through eight different phases. We always see the same side, but the Sun lights up different portions as it moves, which is why it can look full, half, or just a thin sliver. These changing shapes are called the lunar phases, and there are eight in total:
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New Moon – The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it’s invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon – The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous – The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 22, 2026
Flyers take down Sharks as road win streak hits 8
