Season 4 Premiere | Epic 90s Challenge: Xena vs Buffy TV Showdown

Season 4 Premiere | Epic 90s Challenge: Xena vs Buffy TV Showdown

Author: 134 West | Susan Lambert Hatem & Sharon Johnson September 10, 2025 Duration: 32:03
"Listeners, what would be the answer for you? Is it Buffy or Xena?”

Welcome to Season Four of 80s TV Ladies with hosts Sharon Johnson and Susan Lambert Hatem. In this episode, we dive into a nostalgic showdown between two iconic 90s TV heroines: Xena, the Warrior Princess, and Buffy, the Vampire Slayer.

Susan and Sharon discuss the origins, cultural impact, and strengths of both shows, debating who would win in a head-to-head fight, which show was more influential, and which had the best musical episode! They also speculate on which heroine iconic Wonder Woman iterations (70s WW played by Linda Carter and 2017's WW, played by Gal Gadot) would prefer.

Stay tuned for exciting details about our next guest, RJ Stewart, co-creator of Xena, and some engaging audio recommendations and show notes. This episode promises a delightful mix of history, pop culture analysis, and fanfare for these beloved series.

00:00 Welcome to 80s TV Ladies Season Four!
00:58 Introducing RJ Stewart and the Xena vs. Buffy Debate
01:35 History of Xena: Warrior Princess
02:50 History of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
04:45 Buffy vs. Xena: Who Would Win in a Fight?
07:17 Best 90s TV Ladies Superhero Show
12:25 Musical Episodes: Xena vs. Buffy
17:46 Buffy vs. Xena: The Ultimate Showdown
18:03 Wonder Woman's Preference: Xena or Buffy?
19:43 Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman: A New Perspective
24:18 90s TV Heroines: Beyond Buffy and Xena
26:00 Final Tally: Buffy vs. Xena
27:37 Upcoming Episodes and recommendations
30:07 Sign off and Farewell

AUDIOOGRAPHY

Xena: Warrior Princess
Streaming: Amazon Prime Video
Purchase: eBay

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Streaming: Tubi (free), Hulu, Disney+
Purchase: eBay

Crazy Hawk by RJ Stewart (Book)Purchase: Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble
Audiobook read by Katie Hagaman: Audible.

Guess What? We’re nominated!
For TWO People’s Choice PODCAST AWARDS!: Podcastawards.com

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Remember those iconic women from television who defined an era? 80s TV Ladies revisits the groundbreaking, often delightfully campy, female-driven series that filled our living rooms with big hair and even bigger personalities. Hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson, under the 134 West banner, aren't just offering nostalgic recaps. They dig into the fascinating stories behind how shows like "Murder, She Wrote," "Kate & Allie," or "Designing Women" were actually made, examining the creative forces and network battles that brought them to air. Each episode explores how the politics and social climate of the 1980s shaped these narratives, and conversely, how the characters and stories themselves pushed cultural conversations forward, often in a complex dance of progress and tradition. This podcast celebrates the legacy of these programs while honestly assessing their place in history through that "two-steps forward, one-step-back" lens. It's a deep, engaging listen for anyone who loves television history, cultural analysis, and the powerful, complicated women who made the decade's TV so memorable. The show's quality is underscored by its recognition as a 4-time Podcast Awards winner and a Webby nominee for Best Indie Podcast. Tune in for thoughtful, well-researched discussions that go far beyond the opening credits.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

80s TV Ladies
Podcast Episodes
SUMMER RERUN: The First Time with Scarecrow and Mrs. King [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:10
In this special summer rerun reminiscent of those hot and fabulous days of 1980s television, hosts Sharon Johnson and Susan Lambert Hatem take listeners back to the very first episode of our own 80s TV Ladies. Originally…
Jon Cryer, Part 2 | 80s television, Two and a Half Men and Lex Luthor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:22
Welcome to our final Season Three episode of 80s TV Ladies! Hosts Sharon Jonson and Susan Lambert Hatem continue their in-depth conversation with actor Jon Cryer. In this second part, Jon shares behind-the-scenes stories…
Jon Cryer, Part 1 | The Facts of Life, Pretty in Pink and Annie Potts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:22
Susan and Sharon are thrilled to welcome director, writer and actor Jon Cryer to 80s TV Ladies!Jon Cryer is an Emmy-winning film and television icon, known for starring as “Duckie” in the 1986 John Hughes teen classic Pr…
The Facts of Life with the 90s TV Babies! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:23
“This show makes me feel like I have a blanket around me and I’m eating mac & cheese.” -- Megan Ruble, 90s TV Baby, about The Facts of Life.Susan and Sharon welcome back the notorious “90s TV Babies” to find out what the…
The Facts of Life with Director Asaad Kelada | Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:06
“There was a sense of discovery about what this series was going to be about. It was going to be about young people -- with all of their shenanigans, and the maneuvering, and all the silliness that takes place with that.…