TV Is Art

Your personal TV recommendation engine

Young Hercules

Young Hercules

Now Showing

Young Hercules

5.8

Yr 1998

Rt 21m

Status Canceled

Action & Adventure Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Series Brief

Overview

The adventures of the ancient hero in his youth.

Why fans love it

Young Hercules strips back the legendary strongman to his days as an uncertain student. Set within a grueling training camp, the show frames Greek mythology as a gritty backdrop for an origin story rather than a polished epic. Ryan Gosling anchors the series as a teenager grappling with divine expectations and the immediate pressures of survival.

The tone shifts between high-stakes action and the typical frictions of a character navigating brotherhood. By positioning familiar figures in a dark fantasy setting, the show prioritizes the internal development of a mythic hero before his reputation is fully formed. It turns the grand scale of ancient legends into a focused, personal challenge of discipline and growth.

Featured Players

Cast 75

Jay Ryan

as Cadet

1 episode

Ryan Gosling

as Hercules

50 episodes

as Iolaus

50 episodes

Chris Conrad

as Jason

50 episodes

Peta Rutter

as Iambe

2 episodes

Mfundo Morrison

3 episodes

Erik Thomson

as Hades

1 episode

James Gaylyn

as Theban Envoy

1 episode

Andrew Kovacevich

as Hunter #3

1 episode

Rodney Cook

as Thug #2

1 episode

as Young Woman

1 episode

Sonia Gray

as Mila

1 episode

Asa Lindh

as Nymph

1 episode

Marek Sumich

as Neolun

1 episode

Toi Iti

as Cratus

1 episode

Terry Batchelor

as Soldier #2

1 episode

as Maximus

1 episode

John Dybvig

as Thug

1 episode

Ray Woolf

as Barker

1 episode

Janine Burchett

as Fake Erytheia

1 episode

Show all 75 cast

Chris Ryan

as Ogre

1 episode

Irene Wood

as Pemphredo

1 episode

Stephanie Wilkin

as Lea

1 episode

as Cadet

1 episode

Jo-Anna Crichton

as Neina

1 episode

Angela Marie Dotchin

as Kora

11 episodes

as Cheiron

14 episodes

Meighan Desmond

as Discord

5 episodes

Jason Hoyte

as Hephaestus

5 episodes

as Cyane

4 episodes

as Alcmene

3 episodes

as Arges

1 episode

John Carr Watson

as Merchant

1 episode

Tony Billy

as Shepherd

1 episode

Elizabeth Hawthorne

as Hera (voice)

2 episodes

Jodie Rimmer

as Lilith

27 episodes

Ross Duncan

as Fiducius

4 episodes

Benjamin Crellin

as Nezzas

1 episode

Jason Lees

as Eager Cadet

1 episode

Jason Tahu

as Crewman

1 episode

Alison Bruce

as Simula

4 episodes

Paul Willis

as Zared

1 episode

Kevin Smith

as Ares

16 episodes

as Traitor

1 episode

Joel Tobeck

as Strife

8 episodes

Peter Mason

as Shepherd

1 episode

as Leonidas

2 episodes

Mariska Backhouse

as Shepherd #3

1 episode

Ewen Gilmour

as Shepherd #1

1 episode

as Silenus

1 episode

Liam Vincent

as Shepherd #2

1 episode

as Midicus

1 episode

Daniel Meade

as Melotheum

1 episode

as Theseus

1 episode

Alice Rockcliff

as Tyra

1 episode

as Penelope

1 episode

Timothy Lee

as Cavil

2 episodes

as Amazon Scout

2 episodes

Verne Troyer

as Baby Ruff

1 episode

as Ophistus

3 episodes

John Manning

as Farmer #1

2 episodes

as Farmer #2

1 episode

Michael Langley

as Little Boy

1 episode

John Palmer

as Launderer

1 episode

Mark Webley

as Guard

2 episodes

Campbell Rousselle

as Thug #1

2 episodes

Jeremy Callaghan

as Pollux

2 episodes

Grae Burton

as Castor

1 episode

as Vendor

1 episode

Michael Daly

as Tarsus

3 episodes

Morgan Reese Fairhead

as Eurydice

4 episodes

Kieren Hutchison

as Orpheus

3 episodes

Sacha Handsaker-Cath

as Woman

2 episodes

as Male Traveller

2 episodes

Craig Parker

as Lucius

2 episodes

Production Board

Crew

Writer

Bob Forward Jessica Scott Jan Strnad John Loy Jim Fisher Brooks Wachtel Paul Sauer Jim Staahl Carter Crocker Mark Edward Edens Mike Wollaeger Vanessa Place Michael Edens Brian Herskowitz Len Uhley Nora Kay Foster

Production Consultant

David Pollison

Director

Christopher Graves Andrew Merrifield Charlie Haskell

Producer

Cynthia Hsiung

Creator

Andrew Dettmann Robert Tapert

Co-Executive Producer

Eric Gruendemann

Original Music Composer

Joseph LoDuca

Art Direction

Nick Bassett

Production Manager

Sally Campbell

Stunts

Ben Cooke

Executive Producer

Robert Tapert

Story

Robert Tapert

Signal Match

Cast Similarity

Shortland Street

4 shared cast members

Shared Stephanie Wilkin, Angela Marie Dotchin, Kieren Hutchison +1 more

3 shared cast members

Shared Craig Parker, Janine Burchett, Barry Duffield

The Brokenwood Mysteries

2 shared cast members

Shared Jason Hoyte, Jodie Rimmer

1 shared cast member

Shared Jay Ryan

1 shared cast member

Shared Chris Conrad

1 shared cast member

Shared Erik Thomson

Spartacus: House of Ashur

1 shared cast member

Shared Joel Tobeck

1 shared cast member

Shared Kieren Hutchison

1 shared cast member

Shared James Gaylyn

1 shared cast member

Shared Craig Parker

Signal Match

Crew Similarity

8 shared crew members

Shared Jan Strnad, Brooks Wachtel, Mark Edward Edens +5 more

Roles: Story Editor, Writer

4 shared crew members

Shared Joseph LoDuca, Nick Bassett, Robert Tapert +1 more

Roles: Executive Producer, Original Music Composer, Supervising Art Director

3 shared crew members

Shared Mark Edward Edens, Eric Lewald, Michael Reaves

Roles: Teleplay, Writer

The Librarians: The Next Chapter

1 shared crew member

Shared Joseph LoDuca

Roles: Original Music Composer

Spartacus: House of Ashur

1 shared crew member

Shared Joseph LoDuca

Roles: Original Music Composer

Shortland Street

1 shared crew member

Shared Ben Cooke

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

1 shared crew member

Shared Steven Melching

Roles: Additional Writing, Writer

1 shared crew member

Shared Liz Friedman

1 shared crew member

Shared Ben Cooke

Roles: Stunt Coordinator

1 shared crew member

Shared Daniel Truly

Topic Overlay

Topic Keyword Similarity

Sentenced to Be a Hero

3 shared keywords

Topics hero, god, dark fantasy

Agatha All Along

2 shared keywords

Topics dark fantasy, spin off

2 shared keywords

Topics dark fantasy, martial arts

Hell's Paradise

2 shared keywords

Topics dark fantasy, martial arts

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

2 shared keywords

Topics greek mythology, demigod

Hero Without a Class: Who Even Needs Skills?!

2 shared keywords

Topics hero, martial arts

Alchemy of Souls

2 shared keywords

Topics hero, martial arts

2 shared keywords

Topics god, greek mythology

Tomo-chan Is a Girl!

1 shared keyword

Topics martial arts

Bee and PuppyCat

1 shared keyword

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

martial arts hero greek mythology training camp god spin off ares adventurer dark fantasy demigod hercules mythological action hero

Next Signal

Similar Shows

MacGyver

Shared keywords: 1

Pokémon: The Arceus Chronicles

Pokémon: The Arceus Chronicles

Shared keywords: 1

An Adventurer's Daily Grind at Age 29

An Adventurer's Daily Grind at Age 29

Shared keywords: 1

A Nobody's Way Up to an Exploration Hero

A Nobody's Way Up to an Exploration Hero

Shared keywords: 1

The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself

The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself

Yoroi-Shinden Samurai Troopers

Yoroi-Shinden Samurai Troopers

The Sarah Jane Adventures

The Sarah Jane Adventures

Shared keywords: 1

The Strongest Sage with the Weakest Crest

The Strongest Sage with the Weakest Crest

See all similar shows →

Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired: September 12, 1998
Status: Canceled
Episode Runtime: 21 minutes
Origin: US
TMDB Votes: 50