Everything Action Theater: Young Hercules

Before he was Ken, Ryan Gosling was Young Hercules in the prequel series to the 90s Kevin Sorbo Hercules.  Airing daily and on Saturday mornings for one season on Fox Kids from September 1998 to May 1999, Young Hercules followed Herc as he attended Cheiron Academy, a school that trains warriors.  He befriends his fellow academy mates Iolaus (Dean O’Gorman), Jason (Chris Conrad), Lilith (Jodie Rimmer) along with Kora (Angela Marie Dotchin), who runs the local inn.  Along with training, Hercules has to thwart the constant attempts of his older half-brother Ares (Kevin Tod Smith) to destroy him to prove himself the more worthy son to their father Zeus.  Ares gets help from his nephew Strife (Joel Tobeck) and his aunt Discord (Meighan Desmond).  Robert Tapert and Sam Raimi, the producers of Hercules and Xena, were the producers of Young Hercules as well and the show kept the goofy, campy tone of the main series and was shot on location in New Zealand.  The show ran for 50 episodes and was the second best-rated live-action series for Fox Kids behind Power Rangers but they chose not to renew the series for a second season.  You can watch the first episode of the show below.