Young Hercules
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Young Hercules was a spin-off from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and aired on FOX Kids Network from September 12, 1998 to May 12, 1999. It lasted only one season with 50 episodes (51 episodes were actually written, but 50 were produced and aired), and starred Ryan Gosling, replacing Ian Bohen from the pilot movie as the title character. Ian Bohen was offered the part, but turned it down opting not to spend an entire year in New Zealand where the series would shoot principal photography.
Although ratings on the Fox Kids Network were strong for the season (2nd top rated live-action series next to Power Rangers), the show was not renewed to the disappointment of millions of fans. Unlike Power Rangers which was owned by Fox Kids Network, Young Hercules was owned by Studios USA (division of Universal Studios), resulting in television politics coming before television ratings. Save Young Hercules campaigns began among fan groups and persisted for several years following the end of the series.
The show featured the efforts of Ares, God of War, played by the late Kevin Smith as he attempts to destroy his younger half-brother to win over Zeus' good graces. Among his group is his cousin Strife (Joel Tobeck), whom is the rather wimp of the team. Strife's partner being the goddess Discord, Goddess of Retrobution (Meighan Desmond), whom acts more level-headed and power hungry than her counterpart on more than one occasion.
The storyline follows Hercules (Ryan Gosling) as he attends Cheiron's Academy to train in the arts of the warrior under the wise headmaster Cheiron the Centaur (Nathaniel Lees). He makes friends with the future king of Corinth, Prince Jason (Chris Conrad) and a thieving former member of a bandit group Iolaus (Dean O'Gorman) who was sentenced to the training academy as an alternative to prison for his crimes. Hercules also meets the academy's first female cadet, Lilith (Jodie Rimmer}.
The overall plot of the show was to fill in any of the gaps that may exist between the version of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and the episodes that transpire from his young adult life.
The series was Executive Produced by Rob Tapert (husband to Lucy Lawless of Xena fame) and Spiderman Director, Sam Raimi. Liz Freedman and Eric Gruenderman Co-Executive Produced and former MTV Producer, Cynthia Hsiung was Producer of Young Hercules.
The show has been known to play on the WAM! channel from time to time.
It was known to be only superficially faithful to Greek mythology.
