Ah, I hadn't realized you'd watched S5! I think S6 is a definite improvement over S5 on many fronts. I mean, they dealt with Lawless's pregnancy better than some shows (I'm looking at you, Angel writers), but the end of S5 is a major pet peeve of mine. And the season as a whole just has a lot more emphasis on Xena and Gabrielle's relationship, which I ate up.

I'd say if you've made it this far and enjoyed it at least in some ways, I'd definitely recommend finishing the show.