Some fans consider this episode to be a series classic. I'm not sure that personally I'd rate it quite that high; In my view, it is good but not quite that outstanding.
Kevin Sorbo only appears as Hercules at the very beginning and very end of this story, as Sorbo was away in the United States promoting the show during filming (Likewise, the next 'Xena: Warrior Princess' episode, 'The Prodigal', revolves around Gabrielle).
It is great that Michael Hurst gets the episode to himself, and he carries it more than ably. It is easy to forget that Iolaus and Prince Orestes are actually played by the same actor.
This episode is the first of the series to be directed by Anson Williams, best remembered as Warren 'Potsie' Webber in the long-running US sit-com 'Happy Days'. Williams would go on to direct several further episodes of both 'Hercules' and 'Xena'.
There are some good moments, but this is in many ways a more subtle comedy that the out-and-out riots that would come later on in the show's life.
The 'swapping-places-with-a-royal-person' theme seems to have been prominent in the writers' minds at this point just several weeks previous, Xena had traded places with a Princess that looked exactly like her too, in the episode 'Warrior... Princess'.
A nice episode, but not one of the series classics in my personal view.moreless
Episode Summary
EDIT
Iolaus agrees to stand in for his royal look-alike Prince Orestes on the day of the prince's coronation and marriage to the beautiful Niobe in order to prevent Orestes' brother Minos from usurping the throne.
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GUEST STAR
Michael Hurst O.N.Z.M.Orestes
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GUEST STAR
Matt ElliotWhimpering Flunkie
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GUEST STAR
Johanna ElmsDaughter
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Kevin Sorbo
Hercules
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Michael Hurst O.N.Z.M.
Iolaus
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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions
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TRIVIA (0)
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QUOTES (5)
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Harried Man: Wait a minute. Who are you? Iolaus: I'm Iolaus. You know, Hercules' best friend, companion, comrade in arms, renowned in song and st... I don't know why I bother. Have you really never heard of me? Harried Man: No. This is a delicate family matter, and my daughter's a flower, a gem, a goddess. You'd only scare her. Iolaus: She got a sister?
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Queen Niobe: If you wouldn't mind, I'd be pleased if you'd go walking with me. Iolaus: I thought I was a drunken, degenerate, womanizing... Queen Niobe: Don't believe everything you hear.
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Queen Niobe: You know, several of the stories claim you're a terrible kisser. Iolaus: Well you know, uh, last time we kissed we almost lost the chance of a royal heir. But I've been practising.
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General Archaeus: There's only one way the two of you are getting out of here, and that's dead. Iolaus: Are you always that melodramatic?
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Queen Niobe: It's strange saying goodbye to the man I thought I'd married.
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NOTES (3)
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This episode is the first of the series to be directed by Anson Williams, best remembered as Warren 'Potsie' Webber in the long-running US sit-com Happy Days. Williams would go on to direct several further episodes of both Hercules and Xena.
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Patricia Manney wrote the episode as Kevin-lite because he was busy attending NATPE (The National Association of Television Programming Executives).
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Disclaimer: No slightly soused kings-to-be who finally pull themselves up by their bootstraps and realize the true meaning of leadership were harmed during the production of this motion picture.
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ALLUSIONS (3)
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The actor playing General Archaeus was dressed and groomed to look like the famous classic movie star Errol Flynn, and dueled with Iolaus using a fencing foil, just as Errol did in many of his movies (such as Captain Blood and Don Juan), rather than the typical heavy swords used regularly on Hercules.
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Xenophobius, Agoraphobius, and Arachnophobius These three kings are named after three common phobias, or fears. Xenophobia is fear or hatred of strangers, agoraphobia is fear of wide open spaces (the opposite of claustrophobia), and most common of all, arachnophobia, fear of spiders.
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This episode is a take-off of the novel (later made into a movie) The Prisoner of Zenda.
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