Round 1 Strangers: Hercules, The Incredible Journeys (original) (raw)

In case you missed it, make sure you go back to the Doctor Who post from earlier today!

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

Vids Used

"Holding Out For a Hero" by marycrawford (marycrawford@squidge.org)
http://www.squidge.org/~marycrawford/vids/index.html
recommended by floriatosca and marycrawford

"Trapped in a Web of Love" by brynspikess (brynspikess@hotmail.com)
http://spn.deabryn.com/Vids/
recommended by brynspikess

Grokker Synopsis

Note: Our Grokker never sent in the synopsis, so this is straight off of wikipedia.org.

Set in a fantasy version of ancient Greece not precisely located in historical time, the show stars Kevin Sorbo as Hercules and regularly features Michael Hurst as his sidekick Iolaus. Typical plot lines involve Hercules and Iolaus saving rustic villagers from monsters, evil warlords or the often selfish whims of the gods. In the earlier episodes, as mentioned in the show's opening title, Hercules' main nemesis is his evil stepmother Hera, who seeks to destroy Hercules using various monsters, because he is a reminder of her husband Zeus' infidelity. Later in the series, the malicious god of war, Ares replaces 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.

Stranger Synopses

Stranger 1

All I knew about this fandom was:

Not much. A Xena spin-off starring the delectable Kevin Sorbo. Fanfic full of him getting it on with a sidekick called Iolaus.

Here's what this fandom is really about:

Despite the title, the star of the show is a crossdressing singer in a nightclub, Widow Twanky, who is also a time-traveller because if vaudeville was better in the past, surely it only gets better far, far into the past. Hercules is her protege, a newbie to herodom at this point (and who better to create a legend than an entertainer) who gets himself entangled in various and sundry plots, from which Twanky often has to rescue him. This ensures that they stick together, while the sinister truth is that Twanky is actually the eminence grise behind the dangerous situations Hercules finds himself in. Why? Watch the show! The other two notable characters are an amorous, adventurous couple who have far more interest in each other than in helping Hercules or indeed figuring out that they should remove him from the influence of the dancing transvestite. There are some hints that Hercules and Nebula, the more able half of the sidekick duo, do not get along too well, and this Stranger's inner slasher gathers this is because there is - or should be - something between Hercules and Nebula's supposed lover Iolaus. There seems to be little chance of Hercules abandoning his secret life of a model/dancer to pursuit heroics, because he sure does like to show off his physique, supposely in hope of securing an advertising deal in mythical Ancient Greece.

Stranger 2

All I knew about this fandom was:

(Did not specify.)

Here's what this fandom is really about:

So I can recognize Hercules and Iolaus, but that's about it. From "Trapped in a Web of Love," I can determine that this show is apparently about poorly-choreographed fight scenes with unlikely part-human part-animal mythical creatures and showing off people's boobies, and hey, that's Zoe from Firefly! Presumably from before Firefly, but hi, Zoe! You're hot! Please show off your boobies some more! Oh, yes, nice bow, bend over a little further! Yay boobies.

Alas Hercules does not seem to think much of Iolaus's ass-kicking, ass-grabbing, Zoe-from-Firefly girlfriend. I am not sure which pisses him off more, Zoe blithely killing people or Zoe grabbing Iolaus's ass. Possibly he is jealous? Iolaus seems to think that Hercules just doesn't want him to get any. Poor Iolaus.

"Holding out for a Hero" leads me to amend my previous conclusion slightly: it is not just girl-boobies we are showing off here. Apparently this show is also for showing off man-boobies. And other bits of male anatomy. There went Hercules's throat, his chest with pouring of water, his groin with covering of grapes, his ass with covering of nothing...

Oh, also, crossdressers. But Iolaus has no need to be jealous as Hercules is just not that interested!

I am amazed at how nice the dance choreography is, considering how eh the fight choreography is. Maybe it's just hard for the lady monsters to do fights when they are half-nude, half wrapped in rubber monster suits.

Stranger 3

All I knew about this fandom was:

I think I've only ever watched two minutes of Hercules: the Legendary Journeys in my life, so my memories are vague as to what this show was actually about. I'm pretty sure it's about a guy named Hercules who is strong, knows manly kung fu and likes to save people who are in trouble. There was also some magic involved I think, but the reason for it eludes me. So yay, here we go.

Here's what this fandom is really about:

Hercules is a strong manly man. A very strong manly man with manly muscles and a somewhat hairy chest. He likes to go shirtless often, and as a result, gets chased by insane hormonal hordes of women who want nothing more than to ravish that manly body and bear all his little muscle men children. Hercules on the other hand doesn't sit so well with this and runs like hell whenever this happens. This also explains why he is in such good shape. He pretty much runs away from the scary women all day.

Poor Hercules. He really does appear pretty frightened when that happens.

I am unsure as to when this is actually set, because I'm sure I saw Hercules break dancing at one point. Is there anything he can't do? But I'm going to assume this is set waaay back when, like when people still caught the plague and stuff. But this is more of a fantasy setting, I think, because it has random insertion of magic. And by magic I mean Hercules appearing out of thin air in a flash of light. Or wielding light orbs in the palm of his hand. Not sure what that is used for other than heaving them at people and making them hurt. Maybe just to play with?

As for sidekicks or friends, they might possibly come in the form of a short blond man and a tall black woman with boobs of steel. Short Man and Boobs of steel also appear to be madly in love. Short Man will gleefully jump Boobs of Steel any chance he gets. Because he is madly in love, you see. And while Boobs of Steel appreciates such manhandling most of the time, don't doubt she won't ram those boobs of steel into Short Man's face and knock out a few teeth. They're in love though, so it's all good.

Hercules goes on many adventures and gets caught up in many perils. He also likes to dance manfully with cross-dressers when he gets the chance. While wary at first, he eventually warms up to such people. His shirt is often ripped off or destroyed during these adventures. Not to worry though, because Hercules can bite into a burlap sack and make a new shirt just by chewing on it and biting at the right places. How manly!

Hercules also has issues with snake creatures trying to kill him. From the common garden to the giant sea monster. Never to fear though, because even if he's swallowed by a giant sea monster, he can just slice his way out with his manly sword and be free. No one messes with Hercules! Except maybe hordes of hormonal women.

In conclusion, this fandom appears to be about Hercules and his manly adventures with things that try to kill him. He wins of course, because he is the hero, but often loses his shirt. This fandom must enjoy very strong doses of crack, because there is just no other way to describe most of the events that happen in this show. Hilarious, but definitely smokin' somethin'!

Stranger 4

All I knew about this fandom was:

Hercules is standard-issue demi-god: egotistical, hubristic, vain, lustful, etc. The force that tempers him is Iolaus, who, if I recall correctly, is so married to him and their love is tragic and star-crossed. (Or maybe that was in the actual mythology.)

Here's what this fandom is really about:

Herc has a beautiful torso, and he shows it off as much as possible. Wearing clothes is a joke; even when he is, his shirt is cut down to his navel, so there's not much point in covering up. He plays his assets well, and it's effective, because women are always chasing after him.

Iolaus likes to dress up in drag and sing in piano bars. He wonders where all the heroes are, and the back-up dancers and singers support this concern. When Herc is around and Iolaus isn't in drag, Iolaus acts like a buffoon for Herc's amusement.

The big point is that Hercules is a hero, and Iolaus-in-drag needs a hero around, and wants to make this point emphatically. Hercules enjoys the attention and he will continue to be a hero as long as it suits him.

In an alternate reality, Iolaus--in male clothing, although his shirt is even less effective than Hercules's, being only a vest--is attacked by Zoe/Gina Torres, but he and Herc trap her before she can get away, and Iolaus attempts to seduce her. He's also captured by a giant female spider (man, how many fandoms have those??), but Gina cuts him loose. Gina kills some other guy, shocking Iolaus and Hercules, but there's not much they do about it. In the end Gina flirts with him a bit, but it doesn't go anywhere.