![]() Written by Robert Bielak | Directed by George Mendeluk | Production No. 876802 ![]() The abduction of a goddess’s daughter leads Hercules to the underworld– and a family reunion. ![]() It’s unique, it’s intelligent, it’s one of the best. And as an episode, its look and sound is unlike anything else seen from this series. Additionally, we are introduced to Morrigan, a good match for Hercules, whose quiet intensity is gripping. Principally, it’s the moment in which Hercules is emotionally reborn - coming from an ugly depression and loss of purpose to a spiritual peace and a resolve to continue his crusade for justice. This installment, the third in the arc, has always been my personal favorite for several reasons. Fortunately, the idea was eventually put to use here in Season Five, during which the show relished in darkness and finally succeeded in presenting a protagonist whose emotional flaws, predicated by his unconfined grief at the death of Iolaus in the premiere (and the eventual trauma of having to defeat his possessed body), made him a character with a depth that matched the heretofore superiorly complex Xena. Much has been written, by people like myself, regarding the strength of the first half of Hercules‘ fifth season, which took the Dahak arc that was supposed to pick up in the middle of the fourth season (right after Xena’s “The Bitter Suite” put a temporary capper on the storyline over there) but was shelved due to a catastrophic illness sustained by star Kevin Sorbo. Written by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci | Directed by Philip Sgriccia | Production No. Hercules faces the evil female demigod Morrigan, an assassin sent to destroy the Druids. Although I wouldn’t recommend for new fans to start here, this will be a reward for those who finally reach the end. But it is the last episode of the series, so the fact that the script resolves itself so perfectly is even more special. If it wasn’t the finale, it would be EVERYTHING that a marvelous Hercules episode should be. Well, the finale brings it back in full force, incorporating Hercules’ past with Nemesis, his fractured relationship with his half-brother Ares, the mythology of Zeus and the Titans, and the incomparable chemistry between Herc and Iolaus. With the apparent end of Hera in the important (but not stellar) fourth season finale, the above angle, which I still maintain is the series’ most important construct, seemed to dissolve. The first three years of Hercules dealt almost exclusively with Hercules delivering humanity from the wrath of the vengeful Gods, including his estranged father and vengeful stepmother. This installment is the series finale, and surprisingly, it manages to be a near perfect episode of the series. Series premieres and finales are so difficult to appreciate on the terms with which we would adjudicate a normal episode, because they have a mission - either set up the premise or conclude it. Written by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman | Directed by Bruce Campbell | Production No. The fate of the world rests with Hercules when Zeus releases Hera from the Abyss of Tartarus and inadvertently lets loose the Titans. (Unlike the last six entries, we’ll be counting backwards in today’s post, starting with #3. While Xena is far and away my preference, this series has such a lot to offer, and I’m certain that if you want to find it, you will. Instead, these seven entries can serve as a reference for both hardcore fans, curious Xenites, and anyone interested in partaking in the fun that is Hercules. In other words, all the MVEs (and some non-MVEs) from early Season Two may be listed before any of the MVEs from the second half of Season Five, and because all of those choices were designed to represent only their specific season/half-season, the accompanying posts cannot properly reflect the true determination of qualitative preference and strength. While each of my initial posts on every Herc episode listed a few MVEs, you’ll notice that some seasons are much better than others - they’re not of equal quality. Welcome to a new Xena Thursday! As a result of the popularity of my Hercules reviews and some requests I’ve personally received, today’s entry, echoing our initial Xena offerings, is the final in a series of posts counting down my picks for the fifty best episodes of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (which also celebrated its 20th anniversary this year).
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