Favourite character:  Gabrielle
Why:  She's so Gabrielle! I've always held a special affinity for the sidekick, though - any show, movie, book with a sidekick, they're invariably my favourite character (and typically speaking, I dislike the main character, so it's a true testiment to the show that Xena runs a close second). She's a smooth talker and hilariously funny with a soul so deep sometimes it hurts. What's not to like about a girl like this? Well, when she isn't a dust-spitting pacifist, anyway.
Least favourite character:  Amarice. I was never happier than when she turned out to be a colossal fraud and liar.
Favourite season:  I've yet to see all the episodes from it, but I think Season 3 would have to top the list. I'm a big fan of dark stuff.
Favourite episode:  It's hard narrowing it down, but it would be a toss up between Sacrifice II and A Family Affair (I have to watch them together for that special dose of punishment) and the ever-popular A Day in the Life.
Favourite quote:  "I got my butt whipped didn't I? Well it serves me right for trusting someone who talks about being good all the time." (Crusader) and "No more living for you." (Sacrifice Part II - literally gave me chills when I first heard it)
First episode:  I never managed to find a set time and channel for Xena, but when I was surfing in the wee hours of the morning some years back, I stumbled on what I now realize was A Day in the Life, specifically the scene where Gabby tries to nail Xena (again), but makes the mistake of screaming before leaping. That plus the kite scene afterwards had me on the floor. Then I lost track, and tuned in again some time later to the last half of The Quest. I find it ironic that I saw nothing but the fan favourites initially. Of course, I had no idea what was going on in the episode, but it interested me, and I'm glad I watched what I did, because I haven't seen the episode since. :\ Finally, I caught Xena at work, as I previously stated, and what should it be but "Ides of March." I've never missed it on any channel since.
Least favourite episode:  Married with Fishsticks, followed by Eternal Bonds
Hooked by:  Easily the characters, specifically the bond between Xena and Gabrielle. There's none more lovingly crafted that I've been able to find.
Why Xena/Ares for icons:  The 'tudes, mainly. Watch Xena in the first and second season, particularly around Gabrielle, slap a red wig on her, and that's me. As for Ares, I'm not quite the bitch to his bastard, but he has a sneering contempt for humanity as a general rule that I wholeheartedly share. I also aspire to his smooth talking manipulative ability, but don't tell the other two on this page.
Wants readers to know:  I'm definitely subtext friendly, but do not personally read it into every little gesture and comment that I see and hear, so don't expect gushing pages of two women lovers. Instead, I view them as two women who love each other more than anything else and my comments and reviews will reflect that.

Favourite character:  Autolycus
Why:  Which reason should I list? The suave debonaire? The stunning wit and humor? The fact that just knowing he's in an episode makes me watch it sooner than actually possible?
Least favourite character:  Amarice, if you can even count her worthlessness as a character.
Favourite season:  Tough Call. Probably Season 3. That had plenty of good Callisto and Ares bits, with a smattering of Autolocus thrown in, IIRC. also, Amarice hadn't shown up yet.
Favourite episode:  Royal Couple of Thieves
Favourite quote:  Autolycus (posing as Sinteres, master assassin): Of course, the trick in killing someone with an apricot is really in the wrist. The drawback is it kills instantly so there's no time to gather information. So for situations like that, well, I use a muffin.
First episode:  (partially seen) A Day in the Life. (Full) Between the Lines
Least favourite episode:  Married with Fishsticks
Hooked by:  The cool regulars: Ares, Callisto, Autolocus, Alti, even Joxer.
Why Joxer/Autolycus for icons:  I fancy myself as an Autolycus type, however as those around me point out, I'm much more Joxer-ish. Nowhere near as incompitant, but things often don't go quite as well as planned. My heart's in the right place, though, and like Joxer, I don't give up.
Wants readers to know:  I watch an episode for the little things. A few well-delivered lines or an amazing fight scene can make an entire episode worth plodding through.

Favourite character:  Gabrielle.
Why:  No, despite my SD-piccy prevalence on these pages, that doesn't mean I droolingly agree with everything Nikki says. Nikki got me onto Xena (forcing me to watch the first 4 seasons in the space of a week) because she had already picked my emotional resemblance to Gabby and was just dying to show me. As the series went on...I realised that dammit, she was right 9_9  She's eternally sweet, forgiving, compassionate, pacifistic, deeply loving, a- <notices a red cocked eyebrow in my direction>...ALRIGHT, she's a wuss, I admit it! Happy?!  The close seconds are of course the other two in the trio - Xena and Joxer.
Least favourite character:  I would have to say Amarice, definitely. Like Mike, I find her a whiney, sulky little bitch and the fact that she'll happily fight and kill while Gabrielle is still in her dust-blowing ultra-wuss phase is no excuse for even *temporarily* taking the sickekick position. Hmph. >:/
Favourite season:  At this point in time, not applicable...I simply haven't seen enough of the episodes to tell. I remember more story arcs than series, seeing as Nikki and Mike were only picking 'the best bits' to show me.
Favourite episode:  Again...hmm, have to think on that one. I still can't put names to episodes yet, so I shall get back on that one when I've done some more research.
Favourite quote:  I'll have to look it up, but there was a line from somewhere in series 2, I think, where Gabrielle goes into an angelic loving moment and it rang so true with how I am with Nikki that it brough tears to my eyes....something Nikki and Mike found *vastly* amusing, lemme tell you ;p I couldn't wipe the smug 'Tooooold you so' grin from Nikki's face for hours.

Nikki notes -- She's referring the following exchange from the first season episode Callisto, I'm not sure which line inparticular:
Gabrielle: No, look, you promise me, if something happens to me, you will not become a monster. There's only one way to end this cycle of hatred, and it's through love and forgiveness.
Xena: Don't you go changing Gabrielle, I like you just the way you are. Go get some sleep.
Gabrielle: No. No, you PROMISE me.
Xena: I promise.
And it WAS great to watch her get upset, and I DID tell you so, so nyah.

First episode:  Argh! Again, my knowledge of ep. names lets me down....
The first one she mentioned seeing to me was Takes One to Know One, but during our week-long Xena Fest, we began at the beginning, with Sins of the Past.
Least favourite episode:  It's very hard to tell, because Nikki and Mike only showed me their pick of the best eps for character development and plot. And I discovered a long time ago that their taste is pretty spot on.  Oh, there was that frigging annoying episode which was non-continuity and read like a game of Cluedo. Token assasin killed, Xena has to solve the crime before goth-queen Death shows up to claim a soul.
Hooked by:  The realtionship between Xena and Gabrielle...moreover, the fact that with the additon of Joxer, a love triangle exists without me disliking Joxer for 'intruding'. He's just too sweet and goofily endearing.
Why Gabrielle/Callisto for icons:  Gabby: Why do YOU think? She's wussy and blonde, she's ME!  Callisto: Evil blonde....I love Callisto and Xena's love/hate relationship over the series...for a while, until Callisto was sent to hell and started helping out Caesar, you got the feeling Xena and Callisto kind of *needed* each other, despite Callisto's unbridled hatred of Xena. Plus she just kicks SUCH ass ^_^ And yes, I really can do 'Callisto eyes' >:)
Wants readers to know:  Despite the lack of knowledge about episode facts or any mistakes I may have made in these comments, I AM a Xena fan...really! ^_^