The Other Side

Season 2, Episode 8, Aired
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Episode Summary

Hercules didn't think he'd see his wife and children again - not in this life, anyway. But he was reunited with his deceased family when he went into the netherworld to rescue young Persephone from Hades. If Hercules did not bring Persephone back, the girl's mother - the goddess Demeter - would devastate the land with sleet and snow. To Hercules' amazement, Persephone was in love with Hades. In the end, she did return to her mother, but Demeter had to compromise with Hades, allowing her daughter to spend six months of every year on the other side.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (2)

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  • Hercules gets caught in the middle of a star-crossed romance between his uncle Hades and the daughter of the Goddess Demeter.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By rhondaweasley, Dec 08, 2008 Report Abuse
    This is my Hades! After being quite disappointed by Hades in the "Hercules and the Underworld" movie, it's nice to see MY Hades back again (Erik Thompson). I always felt he was an underused character and I think this is one of the few storylines he gets to really sink his teeth into during his time as Hades. He initially looks the villian, but it turns out Persophone is in love with the underworld God. Despite there love being true, Hercules has to think of the greater good and take her back to the earth to pacify her mother. I think all the characters were well played here, from the romance to the fights. It wasn't a story with clear cut good guys or bad guys or easy answers. The hardest part of it, for Hercules, was seeing his wife again and having to choose the greater good over having her back in his life. Kevin Sorbo was really great in those scenes and my heart broke for him during the course of the story. I still find it hard to believe demi-god Hercules could have an equal standing with Uncle Hades in a fight. This is Zues' brother (it should be his older brother, but whatever) that we're talking about. and he's in his domain. But the story (overall) is good enough for me to forgive it. Excellent "gray area" story very rarely seen on Hercules. Bravo!moreless

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  • In this interesting, enjoyable tale, when Hades kidnaps Persephone and takes her back to the underworld, her mother, goddess Demeter, threatens terrible weather unless Hercules goes to retrieve her. Once there, he is reunited with his deceased family...moreless

    9.1
    "Superb"
    By Jay-Spacedust, Oct 21, 2007 Report Abuse
    I hadn't seen this episode for quite a while until I re-watched it recently before reviewing it. Coming to re-watch it, I found it really enjoyable.

    At the start of the episode, we meet fast food salesman Falafel in the series for the first time. This is his first of a number of recurring appearances.

    Andrea Croton is good as the sweet and innocent Persephone, and this is the first time wee see Hades as played by Erik Thompson, with a very different look to the Hades previously seen in the movie 'Hercules in the Underworld'.

    Although Iolaus does not feature in this story, Michael Hurst returns to the role of Charon, boatman across the river Styx, first seen in 'Hercules in the Underworld'. The way he plays him, for some reason he reminds me of Danny DeVito as The Penguin in 'Batman Returns' (1992). It is good to see Tawny Kitaen return as Deianeira. After the character was awkwardly killed off without being seen in the first regular episode, 'The Wrong Path', it is nice to see her making a return appearance here.

    The story is intriguing, as you wonder how Hercules will tear himself from his family and resolve the situation with Persephone, who has fallen in love with Hades.

    To note about this story is that there is no real villain, a first for the series. Hades kidnaps Persephone out of love, and Demeter is angry simply over the loss of her daughter. Hades sends out his men to try and stop Hercules, but that's about it. There are a couple of soap-y scenes, especially towards the end as Hercules explains to Deianeira, but they are but bearable.

    All-in-all, a nice episode; I had forgotten how watchable it is.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Goof: When Hercules chases after the pig outside his 'home' in Hades, after he crashes to the ground and gets up the ground moves around, revealing a crash mat buried under the dirt. Edit

  • Notes

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    • The fake snow in the beginning of the episode was made out of soap, and it had a really strong smell. Edit
    • This is the first appearance of the recurring character Falafel on Hercules. Edit
    • Disclaimer: Neither Phil nor Sal nor any of the other Piglet Brethern were harmed during the production of this motion picture. Edit

  • Quotes

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    • Persephone: How's my mom?
      Hercules: How do you think? Maker of thunderstorms and tornadoes.
      Persephone: Oh, she's so sensitive. Any little thing goes wrong and she has these giant mood swings.
      Hercules: I've noticed.
      Persephone: I keep telling her, 'Take some herbs or something, help even it out.'

      Edit
    • Hercules: (referring to Hades) You like him?! Persephone: I think he's wonderful. Well, if he's been cruel to anyone in Tartarus it's because they deserve it. Besides, he's kind of sexy. Edit
    • Hades: (after he and Hercules fight each other to a standstill) That's a heck of a right you have. Hercules: You took it pretty well. Hades: You took most of my best shots, too. Hercules: Sure we can't talk this out? We can keep this up all day but eventually I am going to beat you. Hades: I doubt it. But let's talk. I've got to catch my breath. Edit

  • Allusions

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    • Tantalus:
      The man who is forever doomed to try to eat the apple is Tantalus. This King invited the Gods to eat at his home, and when they came he served them his own son for their meal, polluting them, not to mention spoiling their appetite for mortal food. Doomed to forever starve and thirst for food just out of his reach, not even Hercules could save him from his fate.

      Edit
    • Cerberus: Cerberus is the multi-headed dog that guards the gates of Hades. While most versions depict him as having three heads, some versions say two, and some say 50. He was a child of Echidna and Typhon. When Hercules refers to his previous encounter with Cerberus, he's referring to their meeting in the Hercules movie "Hercules in the Underworld". Hercules also has a connection to Cerberus from the final of his 12 Labors for King Eurystheus. He was ordered by the king to capture Cerberus alive without using weapons. Hercules was able to overpower Cerberus and slung the beast over his back, dragging it out of Hades through a cavern entrance and presenting it to Erystheus, who was so frightened of the dog he begged Hercules to return it and released him from performing any more Labors. Edit
    • Women in Tartarus: (emptying leaking buckets into a well) We cannot rest until we fill the well. These women are the Danaides, fifty sisters who were married against their wills by their fifty cousins. 49 of them murdered their husbands on their wedding night at the instruction of their father, Danaus, while only one, Hypermnestra (or Amymone, the "blameless" Danaid) refused because her husband, Lynceus, honored her wish to remain a virgin and helped her husband escape. As punishment they spend eternity trying to carry water in leaking buckets only to have the water all run out before they can get to the well. Edit

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