

21 minSeason 1 • Episode 50
LatestHercules, Iolaus, and Theseus follow the advice of a mysterious old man and go hunting in an area rich with game. What they don't know, however, is that the area is Hera's Valley, which is protected by a dangerous monster. Another fact that they're unaware of is that the strange old man is really Zeus, King of the Gods and Hercules's father, and that he is testing his son with this challenge.
Acting
Gosling's proto-Mickey Mouse Club earnestness meets teen angst.
Costume
Leather miniskirts and bicep cuffs: the male gaze inverted.
Practical Effects
Chaotic New Zealand locations disguised as ancient Greece.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ryan Gosling was cast after producers saw him in Mickey Mouse Club; he had zero swordfighting experience and learned on set between dance numbers in his head.
This series exists because Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena were printing money for Universal; it was designed as direct-to-syndication content farm before streaming perfected the model.