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Hercules

Hercules

1998–1999Ended2 seasons65 episodes~30 min/epTV-Y7Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

Follow Herc's many labors during the years he spent training on how to be a hero under the tutelage of satyr Phil. Many of the Olympian Gods and Goddesses pay visit to the young hero-to-be and help or hinder him in his new adventures.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Hercules?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Hercules streaming on Disney+.

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Highlights

What stands out about Hercules?

Hercules earns 2 badges, led by Fun and Broadly Agreed.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Hercules worth watching?

Hercules' Midcredits score is the 30th percentile of all shows, from 12K ratings across 2 sources. 59% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

30th percentile

Better received than 30% of shows

36th percentile among Animation20th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)33rd
Approval (how many liked it)30th

Acclaim

Broadly Agreed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

67 /100

33rd percentile of all shows

38th percentile among Animation20th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

59% liked it

30th percentile of all shows

36th percentile among Animation19th percentile among 1990s
59% rated it 7–1041% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

90th percentile

12K ratings across platforms

89th percentile among Animation81st percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 3% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show is a loose, humorous take on Greek mythology with a stellar celebrity voice cast.

Fans praised

  • Clever, witty humor with modern in-jokes for adults
  • Amazing voice cast including James Woods and countless guest stars
  • Educational value in Greek mythology references

Detractors panned

  • Poor animation quality and weak drawing
  • Lame, cheesy, and unfunny overall

What stands out

HumorDivisive70

Clever jokes, modern in-jokes for adults, witty writing

Characters65

Likable Hercules, hilarious Hades, fun supporting cast

OriginalityDivisive55

Loose, anachronistic take on Greek myths, not faithful

Plot and story55

Mix of teenage issues and mythological adventures

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users even
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 1998 · 65 episodes

  • S1E1

    Hercules and the Apollo Mission

    Aug 31, 199823 min
  • S1E2

    Hercules and the King of Thessaly

    Sep 1, 199823 min
  • S1E3

    Hercules and the Secret Weapon

    Sep 2, 199823 min
  • S1E4

    Hercules and the Assassin

    Sep 3, 199823 min
  • S1E5

    Hercules and the Big Kiss

    Sep 4, 199823 min
  • S1E6

    Hercules and the River Styx

    Sep 7, 199823 min

Watch experience

What is Hercules like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
JoyfulWarmThrilling
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmPlayful
Told as
Case of the week plus an arcOne continuous story
ToneThe series plays its mythological adventures and teenage dilemmas with warm-hearted sincerity, never winking at its premise.
The rideThe series maintains a consistently light, fun, and adventurous mood with occasional thrilling action.
StructureEpisodes are told in a straightforward three-act order with no unusual structural devices.
Episode formatEach episode features a self-contained adventure (a 'labor' or challenge) that contributes to Hercules' overall growth as a hero.
Season formatBoth seasons continue the same story of Hercules' training and adventures with the same core cast.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe show leaves you entertained and smiling, with a light, happy feeling.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

18% of shows fit this archetype

with Comedy underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeEach episode follows Hercules facing a mostly standalone monster or scheme from Hades or other mythological foes, fitting overcoming_the_monster/tyrant for the typical episode; the overall series also has a comedic tone.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfComingof age
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% (this title) · Loyalty 7% (this title)
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% (this title) · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Self

Coming of age · 9% of showsFriendshipLoyalty · 7% of shows
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series follows Hercules' training and adventures as he grows into a hero, learning about friendship and loyalty along the way.
StanceThe series celebrates Hercules' coming-of-age journey with humor and optimism, affirming the value of heroism and friendship.

The world

TimelessWildernessInstitutionalFantasy
Orchestral classicalPopSupportive music · original score
SettingAncient Greece with gods, monsters, and heroes

Content guide

Is Hercules okay for kids?

Not Rated

Hercules is not rated.

Ratings in 13 other countries
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany0
  • IrelandPG
  • South KoreaALL
  • BrazilL
  • Denmark7
  • IndiaU
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoAA
  • Russia12+
  • Spain7
  • SwedenFrån 7 år
  • TürkiyeGenel İzleyici

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Hercules have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Hercules?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Tate Donovan
as Hercules
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
French Stewart
as Icarus
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Sandra Bernhard
as Cassandra
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Robert Costanzo
as Philoctetes
Robert Stack
as Bob the Narrator
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
James Woods
as Hades
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Diedrich Bader
as Adonis
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Bobcat Goldthwait
as Pain
Roz Ryan
as Thalia
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Matt Frewer
as Panic
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.

More like this

What are shows like Hercules?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Hercules include I Am Groot (2022), Back at the Barnyard (2007) and The Secret Saturdays (2008).

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