Hercules helps out his friend King Midas whose gambling palace has gotten out of control with sadistic entertainment.
Summary[]
The story opens with Hercules--sans shirt since he is working in a forge--making a horse shoe for some reason. Salmoneus arrives just in time to pick up the hot horse shoe as a lucky charm. Apparently Hercules' gifts include the ability to pick up really hot things without burning himself.
Wrapping the greedy King Midas around her little finger, the beautiful but treacherous Voluptua uses Midas' vast wealth to establish the Touch of Gold gambling palace. Poor Midas sits out front greeting guests while his daughter, Flaxen, obviously named for her golden hair, works inside as a stripper. She is also being forced into marriage or possibly slavery by Segallus.
While all the main plot is taking place, Salmoneus is being chased by bearded woman. When Hercules ends up needing a knife, Salmoneus gets a small one that the woman used to shave off her beard.
Voluptua is also a big Hera worshipper and prays for a weapon to kill Hercules. She is granted a very fat knife.
Eventually realizing that the palace is actually a shrine to corruption and evil and he and his subjects are being treated shabbily, Midas demands that the casino be destroyed, only to be locked up by Voluptua's minions.
It is up to Hercules to free the repentant Midas and foil Voluptua -- but first he is forced into a boxing match with the fearsome Segallus in order to rescue Midas and Flaxen, who have been strapped to a booby trap designed around an arrow. If she relaxes, he dies.
There are some preliminary rounds to the match, including one with a boxer who boasts he "floats like an butterfly and stings like a bee."
The big fight scene involves everyone ganging up on Voluptua and her minions. The happy ending has Voluptua and Segallus plowing a field. The peasants--of whom there appear to be about eight--have happily gone back to farming while the former casino burns in the background.
Disclaimer[]
"No Stuffed Elephants were harmed during the production of this motion picture."
Gallery[]
Background Information[]
- Jennifer Ward-Lealand is Michael Hurst's wife.
- The helmets worn by the guards or "Ironheads" in this episode were originally worn by the Trojan soldiers in Hercules and the Lost Kingdom. They were modified for this episode and later, would become the trademark helmet for Joxer on Xena: Warrior Princess."
- This episode's title derives from the proverb "all that glitters is not gold."
- Segallus is a reference to Steven Segal.
Links and References[]
Guest Stars[]
- Robert Trebor as Salmoneus
- Tracy Lindsey as Flaxen
- Jennifer Ward-Lealand as Voluptua
- Noel Trevarthen as King Midas
Other Cast[]
- Terry Batchelor as Segallus
- Margaret-Mary Hollins as Hispides
- Max Cryer as Barker
- Alexander Gandar as Zacharias
- Joseph Greer as Romanus
- David Scott as Pawnicles
- Peter Rowley as Comic
- Dale Corlett as Thaddeus
- James O'Farrell as Ironhead
- Ray Sefo as Alee
- Uncredited as Dealer
References[]
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| << Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 >> | ||||||
| #01 | The King of Thieves | #09 | The Fire Down Below | #17 | The Apple | |||
| #02 | All That Glitters | #10 | Cast a Giant Shadow | #18 | Promises | |||
| #03 | What's in a Name? | #11 | Highway to Hades | #19 | King For A Day | |||
| #04 | Siege at Naxos | #12 | The Sword of Veracity | #20 | Protean Challenge | |||
| #05 | Outcast | #13 | The Enforcer | #21 | The Wedding of Alcmene | |||
| #06 | Under the Broken Sky | #14 | Once a Hero | #22 | The Power | |||
| #07 | The Mother of All Monsters | #15 | Heedless Hearts | #23 | Centaur Mentor Journey | |||
| #08 | The Other Side | #16 | Let the Games Begin | #24 | The Cave of Echoes | |||