Plot: What’s it about?
By now, we all know of Hercules. Even if you’ve never seen a movie, book or television show about the legendary god; odds are you’ve heard it in the vernacular. This legend has become associated with physical power all around the world, he’s even an adjective (i.e. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a man of Herculean strength.). With that being said, we can all reasonably say that we know who the guy was. Son of Zeus (king of the gods, no less), Hercules was changed somewhat for the television show that aired over ten years ago. Kevin Sorbo, a man who once auditioned for the role of Superman, played the God and made a great career out of it. Sorbo’s tongue-in-cheek performance was one of the key factors that led Hercules along for seven seasons. Playing him as a “nicer” man who didn’t rape and pillage like the legend says. We can say that “he used his powers for good”, so to speak. The show proved the critics wrong and went onto become the most-watched television show in the world in 1996 (yes, surpassing even “Baywatch”). It seemed that people got tired of slow-motion shots of women in swimsuits after all…
The third season of “Hercules” was a bit of a change. The first season guest-starred Lucy Lawless (who later went onto her own spin-off series, “Xena: Warrior Princess”) and was much darker. The cast and crew (and the writers, obviously) figured out that the show would play much better if it had an element of humor in it. Hercules didn’t take himself too seriously and neither did we and that’s what made it so fun to watch. Michael Hurst took his hand at directing and it was a success and this led to some rather “interesting” adventures, such as: Hercules and his battle with a very jealous Cupid (yes, that one); The 18th Century French also got a taste of the God and let’s not forget the battle with the Ancient Eqyptian mummy! Those alone will tell you how the structure of the show is and I can say that after one episode, you’ll probably be hooked. For those looking for a more dark turn to something like this, well there’s Xena. Xena was the Aeon Flux of her time, killing anyone who blinked the wrong way. But Hercules, he remains an honorable strong man and one who’s kicked Xena’s tail a few times, too! For fans of the show, this is a no-brainer to add to your collection, for everyone else; this might make a good starting point.
Video: How does it look?
The shows are shown in their original aspect ratio, full-frame, as was how they were presented on television. I’d have to say that I was fairly impressed with the way these look. After seeing countless movies and, lately, more and more TV on DVD – these are above average. There was a bit of dirt on the prints for some of the episodes and generally those that take place outside tend to look better. Flesh tones are on par and I noticed no hint of edge enhancement on any of the episodes. It’s hard to believe, but this season is now eight years old. While the transfers aren’t reference material, they do stand out as good and certainly better than when they appeared on TV. A nice effort here and it shows.
Audio: How does it sound?
The episodes have been re-mixed for Dolby Digital 5.1 and like the video, these are good but not great. The dialogue is what’s used the most and the center channel has no problem reproducing the sound. Most of the action does take place in the front speakers, but the surrounds do make their presence known from time to time. Naturally, we can’t expect this to blow the roof off the house, but it’s another good effort nonetheless. Again, this sounds much better than when the episodes first aired and on par with the other seasons.
Supplements: What are the extras?
While this nine disc set is rather impressive, the commentary with Kevin Sorbo and Michael Hurst is pretty good too. The two, both actors (and Hurst turned director this season), seem to have a pretty good time looking at the episodes. Plenty of laughs persist and it adds a good element to an already great set. I actually enjoyed as some of the other tracks I’ve listened to tend to take themselves way too seriously. There are some “Making Of…” featurettes included as well and these don’t really cover any new ground. We have the obligatory interviews and a few behind the scenes productions, but for the most part it’s more of what we’re used to. This certainly isn’t bad, though. There is also “Hercules: Chronicles and Mythology” which is a more detailed look at who Hercules actually was (well, in theory). This is a rather interesting piece and will make you appreciate the show even more when you see how likeable Sorbo makes his version of Hercules. A photo gallery is also included as are some trivia questions about the show. “Hercules” is an immensely popular show and they have given the fans more of what they want to see. How cool is that?
