You probably remember the movie. Megara’s sass, James Woods’ frantic energy as Hades, and those gospel muses that somehow made Greek mythology feel like a Broadway show. But for a specific generation of kids, the 1997 film was just the prologue. The real meat of the story happened on Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons. I’m talking about Disney’s Hercules: The Series, a show that completely threw the "Disney sequel" rulebook out the window and decided to go weirdly meta before that was even a thing.
It was a prequel. Kind of.
The show focused on Herc’s "zero to hero" training years. He’s a gawky teenager at the Prometheus Academy, trying to navigate social hierarchies while also, you know, fighting hydras. It shouldn't have worked. The continuity makes absolutely no sense if you try to line it up with the movie. In the film, Hades didn't even know Hercules was alive until he was an adult. In the show? They’re practically roommates with how often they cross paths. But honestly, nobody cared. The show was too busy being funny to worry about a timeline.
The Prometheus Academy and Why We Loved the Chaos
The setting was genius. Instead of just wandering the desert, Hercules went to high school. But it was ancient Greece, so the "jocks" were led by Prince Adonis of Ithaca, and the "nerds" were Herc’s best friends, Icarus and Cassandra.
Icarus is probably one of the most unhinged characters in Disney animation history. Voiced by French Stewart, he was a kid who had already flown too close to the sun, and the "wax-melted brain" excuse was used to explain his hyperactive, borderline psychotic personality. He was obsessed with Cassandra, the antisocial seer who could see the future but was perpetually annoyed that no one believed her. It was a classic sitcom trio dynamic, but with gods and monsters.
The show succeeded because it leaned into the absurdity of its own premise. It didn't try to be an epic poem. It was a parody of 90s teenage life. You had the "Homecoming" dance, but it was involving actual centaurs. You had school rivalries, but they were with the students of the Trojan Academy.
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Voice Acting Gold
Most shows like this would have cheaped out on the voices. Not this one. They got the heavy hitters back. James Woods returned as Hades, bringing that same fast-talking, car-salesman energy that made the character iconic. Danny DeVito came back as Phil. Even Susan Egan returned as Meg in a few episodes.
But then they added guest stars. It’s wild to look back at the credits. You had Sandra Bernhard as Cassandra. Diedrich Bader as Adonis. Even icons like Regis Philbin and Merv Griffin popped up as "Greek-ified" versions of themselves. It gave the show a weirdly sophisticated vibe. It felt like the writers were writing for themselves as much as they were for the kids.
Why the Disney Hercules TV Show Ignored the Movie’s Logic
If you’re a stickler for lore, this show is a nightmare. In the original 1997 film, the entire plot hinges on the fact that Hades thinks Hercules is dead. He spends eighteen years chilling in the Underworld, convinced his plan worked.
Then the TV show happened.
In the series, Hercules and Hades interact constantly. Hades even tries to recruit him for stuff. It’s a total continuity wipe. But here is the thing: it didn't matter. The creators realized that Hades was the best part of the franchise. To keep him out of the show for the sake of "canon" would have been a death sentence for the ratings.
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The show operated on "animated sitcom logic." Each episode was its own thing. One week, Herc is dealing with a curse; the next, he’s trying to get a driver’s license for his chariot. It was episodic in the purest sense. This allowed for some of the best crossover moments in Disney history.
The Aladdin Crossover: A Core Memory
Remember "Hercules and the Arabian Night"? This was the peak of 90s Disney Television Animation. Jafar and Hades team up in the afterlife. It was the first time we saw two major Disney villains from different universes actually interact.
Seeing Hercules fight Aladdin was a playground debate come to life. The episode worked because it respected both characters. Aladdin won with his wits; Hercules won with his strength. It’s arguably the best episode of the entire run because it showed how expansive this world could be. It made us feel like all these Disney movies were happening on the same map.
The Technical Side of the Myth
Let’s be real for a second—the animation quality wasn't the movie. It was produced by Disney Television Animation, which meant the lines were thicker and the movements were a bit more "staccato" than the fluid, high-budget theatrical version. But the character designs by Gerald Scarfe (who did the original movie’s unique, curly-cue style) translated surprisingly well to the small screen.
The show ran for 65 episodes. That was the magic number for syndication back then. It meant Disney could run the show every day for weeks without repeating an episode too quickly. This volume of content is why people remember it so vividly—it was everywhere.
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Is It Still Worth Watching?
Honestly? Yes. A lot of 90s cartoons are hard to sit through as an adult because they’re too loud or too simple. Hercules: The Series is different because the dialogue is genuinely sharp. It’s snarky. It’s cynical.
It also handles Greek mythology better than you’d expect. Sure, it takes massive liberties, but it introduces kids to names like Galatea, Orpheus, and Bellerophon. It was a gateway drug to actual history and mythology, even if that history was wrapped in a layer of neon colors and pop-culture references.
The show dealt with some surprisingly heavy themes for a Disney afternoon slot. Cassandra’s isolation and Icarus’s broken home life were touched on with a light hand, but they were there. It gave the characters more depth than your average "monster of the week" protagonist.
How to Revisit the Series Today
If you’re looking to dive back into the chaos of the Prometheus Academy, here is the best way to do it without getting overwhelmed by the sheer volume of 90s cheese:
- Start with the "Pilot" (Hercules: Zero to Hero): This was actually released as a direct-to-video movie, but it’s basically just four episodes of the show stitched together. It sets the tone perfectly.
- Don't skip the "Arabian Night" episode: Even if you aren't a fan of the show, the Aladdin crossover is a masterclass in how to do a crossover right.
- Watch for the Hades-heavy episodes: James Woods’ performance is the highlight of the series. Any episode where he’s the primary antagonist is going to be a win. "Hercules and the Underworld Takeover" is a classic for a reason.
- Check Disney+: Most of the series is currently streaming there. It’s one of those rare instances where the entire catalog is actually available in decent quality.
- Pay attention to the background gags: Much like The Simpsons or Animaniacs, a lot of the best humor in this show is hidden in the signs, the background characters, and the quick throwaway lines about Greek life.
The show stands as a testament to a time when Disney was willing to be a little bit weird with their properties. It wasn't about building a "cinematic universe" or protecting a brand's prestige; it was about making a funny show that kids would want to watch after school. It succeeded by being unapologetically itself—messy continuity and all.