This Hercules-free episode sees Iolaus and his companion Moira who is obsessed with theories about extra terrestrials - discover an underground cult that has brainwashed Salmoneus and Iolaus' missing cousin Regina.
This is a rare episode where both Iolaus and Salmoneus appear together. The only other instance that this has happened thus far was in the first season finale 'Unchained Heart' (and a very brief cameo from Salmoneus in the second season's 'The Wedding of Alcmene').
The story was originally written to feature Hercules, but was adapted to have Iolaus as the hero instead. This is quite apparent when watching it, as Iolaus takes Hercules' place and sidekick Moira (more of her in a moment) seemingly takes most of Iolaus' lines.
The tale is heavily interior set-based, with only the very first and last scenes shot in the open air.
I found Moira, who is obsessed with theories about extra-terrestrials - to be rather annoying. She is presented as if we should already know her from a previous episode, but this is the first (and only) time we have seen her in the series.
The cult are heavily based upon 1960s hippie communes, another example of how the series is taking more and more modern-day influences and putting them into the stories.
The story is so-so, and I didn't find to it feature any real surprises. Kind of one that you'd probably watch once but maybe skip on repeat viewings.moreless
Episode Summary
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Searching for his missing cousin Regina, Iolaus and his companion, Moira, found Salmoneus instead. The crafty friend to Hercules and Iolaus had stumbled upon an underground city that appeared to be a Utopia. But the city's ruler, Kamaros, was brain-washing his subjects with opiate-laced food. Salmoneus and Regina had fallen under Kamaros' spell, as had the beautiful Aurora and her 10-year old sister Lorel, whom Kamaros exalted as a supreme goddess. Before he could be "programmed," Iolaus fostered a revolt. Kamaros, who was actually Karkis the Butcher of Thessaly, was slain and the commune dwellers escaped.moreless
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GUEST STAR
Jeremy CurryAssistant
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GUEST STAR
Andrew KovacevichBystander
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GUEST STAR
Hannah MallochLorel
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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 (1)
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Salmoneus takes a canary in a cage with him when he shows Iolaus the mine. This was an ancient practice still used into modern days by miners to assure that they have sufficient fresh air while underground. The bird would be effected by a lack of oxygen more quickly than a man, so if the bird shows signs of distress, the men would know that they had to leave.
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QUOTES (5)
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Moria: (when told everything in the city is communally owned) But nobody ever wants more? Salmoneus: More?! That's a negative concept!
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Iolaus: Moria, my cousin did not run away! Moria: (Pulling a crystal out of her bag) Then my guess is that they were abducted by Visitors. Iolaus: (Reacting with disgust) Oh! Moria: From other continents! You can't believe we're the only civilization!
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Moria: (as Kamaros threatens her with a crossbow) Watch out. That goes off, it'll ruin your reputation as a man of peace. Kamaros: And put an untidy hole in your blouse. Moria: Good point. I'll just be going... (Kamaros points it at her) ...anywhere you want me to.
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Iolaus: (as the ceiling collapses) Salmoneus, what's more important, the gold or your life?! Salmoneus! Salmoneus: I'm thinking!
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Iolaus: (after the city is destroyed) It's a pity, they had some good ideas. Salmoneus: All that free love. (they groan in unison)
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NOTES (2)
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This episode was originally written to feature Hercules, but was later adapted to feature Iolaus as the hero instead. Kevin Sorbo is listed in the opening credits, but does not appear in the episode itself.
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Disclaimer: Disclaimer No Hippy-dippy, substance-abusing, 60's reject love children were harmed during the production of this motion picture.
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ALLUSIONS (3)
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Iolaus: I don't think Hercules wants to see his name in the Star Globus. 'Hero gives birth to two-headed dog' is not really his kind of thing. This is an allusion to the supermarket tabloids Star and The Globe, which frequently publishes stories involving celebrity scandals and sensational stories about such things as alien abductions and freaks of nature.
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Iolaus: (feigning he's been brainwashed) It's like sitting in a cave. What we see before us are but shadows and what is behind us is the truth. This is a paraphrase of "The Allegory of the Cave" from the Greek philosopher Plato's Republic.
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The story of the Lotus Eaters comes from Homer's epic The Odyssey. Odysseus (Ulysses) arrives in that land with his crew and they are invited to share the lotus of the inhabitants. When his crew does they all want to stay there, forgetting about their home in their drug haze. Odysseus eventually escapes with most of his men and they continue their quest to get home.
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