Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

"This is the story of a time long ago, a time of myth and legend, when the ancient gods were petty and cruel, and they plagued mankind with suffering. Only one man dared to challenge their power: Hercules! Hercules possessed a strength the world had never seen, a strength surpassed only by the power of his heart. He journeyed the earth, battling the minions of his wicked stepmother Hera, the all-powerful queen of the gods.

" — Opening narration. The series is set in a fantasy version of ancient Greece not precisely located in historical time. The show also has a mixture of Oriental , Egyptian and Medieval elements in various episodes. The series stars Kevin Sorbo as Hercules and regularly features Michael Hurst as his sidekick Iolaus .

Rotating as Hercules' other regular companion, particularly in earlier seasons, is Salmoneus ( Robert Trebor ), a wheeler-dealer ever looking to make a quick drachma. Typical plot lines involve Hercules and Iolaus saving rustic villagers from monsters, evil warlords, or the often selfish whims of the gods. There was also comedy and episodes often had "in-jokes" about modern themes. In the earlier episodes as mentioned in the show's opening title, Hercules' main nemesis is his evil stepmother Hera , the powerful queen of the gods who seeks to destroy Hercules using various monsters and helping her various followers because he is a reminder of her husband Zeus' infidelity.

As the series progressed, a wider range of enemies was used; notably Hercules' half-brother, the malicious god of war Ares , replaced Hera as the show's primary antagonist . Towards the end of the series, Ares is himself replaced by the evil god Dahak who is the main villain in the show's fifth season and sets off a story arc that has Hercules traveling to Sumeria , Norseland and Éire . Although Zeus , Hercules' father, is frequently cited by Hercules as a neglectful father, Zeus' love for Hercules is well documented in the show. Indeed, Hercules is often referred to as "the favorite son of Zeus".

Zeus makes several appearances on the show, even saving his son's life and restoring his superhuman strength on one occasion when he needs it the most. Hercules, for his own part, is always there for Zeus when his father needs him, and in the end, Hercules reconciles with his father and buries whatever issues he has with the father he has come to understand and love.