Summary[]
Hercules has been summoned to help a man find his daughter, who he says was taken into a cave by a monster, but gives little other detail in the summons. Accompanied by Iolaus, along the way they encounter a group of merchants about to hang a writer for giving them bad press. Saved by the duo, Parenthesis wishes to accompany them on their next adventure to write about it, being a fan of their past exploits. Reluctantly Hercules and Iolaus let him come along.
Arriving at they cave they meet Elopius, who says his daughter must be in the cave with a vicious monster, whose roars can be heard from the outside. Hercules recognizes the place as the Cave of Echoes. Leaving Parenthesis with Elopius, they go in looking for Melina, the lost daughter.
In the cave, its name becomes apparent when a shout echoes back as a thunderous roar. Iolaus leaves a trail of string behind so they can find their way out, but soon Parenthesis appears with ball of string in hand, wishing to witness the rescue. Not wishing to lose time by taking back out, again he accompanies the heroes. As they travel, Hercules and Iolaus relate past adventures to Parenthesis, who is eager to hear all about them. Often the story relates to the conversation the trio are having. Also, Parenthesis is shown to be a bit of a coward, and afraid of the dark after he also causes a thunderous echo that blows out their torch. Once the torch is lit, however, he shows initiative to get to the rescue.
Finally, they come upon Melina, who is trapped in a crevace and held there by an unknown force. Deciding to help Parenthesis gain confidence, and make him out as the hero, Hercules lowers him down to save Melina. Cutting the branch that was holding her, they help her up, and she gives her gratitude to Parenthesis for helping her. Instead of leaving though, Melina heads towards the still roaring monster. Following her, the heroes find the fearsome roar was actually the meow of her pet kitten, Zeus.
Reuniting Melina with her father, Elopius, and properly introducing Parenthesis, Hercules and Iolaus have little time to rest as a woman runs up and calls for help to save her village from a warlord. The heroes head of to the rescue once again.
Disclaimer[]
- No Vicious Tabby Cats were harmed during the production of this motion picture. However, the Pre-Hellenic Litter Box is in dire need of a change.
Gallery[]
Background Information[]
- Melina's kitten is named Zeus, which is probably meant to be ironic. It's no laughing matter in Greek mythology, though: an adorable animal is exactly the sort of form Zeus would take to seduce a mortal woman – or even a goddess, given that he first wooed Hera herself in the form of a cuckoo.
- Not strictly the series' first clip show, the tv-movie Hercules and the Maze of the Minotaur came first. Although panned for its generally uninteresting frame story, it uniquely features clips from three of the TV-Movies. These weren't as regularly re-run as episodes, so some viewers were treated to less familiar material.
- Clips from:
- Hercules and the Circle of Fire
- Hercules and the Amazon Women
- Hercules and the Lost Kingdom
- HTLJ "The Wrong Path"
- HTLJ "The King of Thieves"
- HTLJ "Pride Comes Before a Brawl"
- HTLJ "As Darkness Falls"
- HTLJ "Unchained Heart"
- HTLJ "What's in a Name?"
- HTLJ "Siege at Naxos"
- HTLJ "The Mother of All Monsters"
- HTLJ "The Other Side"
- HTLJ "Cast a Giant Shadow"
- HTLJ "Protean Challenge"
- Clip shows can be done as a "recap" or to save money and time, though are rarely used as a season finale. They can wind up being good episodes in their own right, such as "The Xena Scrolls." Producer Rob Tapert admits this clip show was a particularly lame episode of the series and has referred to it as being an embarrassment.
Links and References[]
Guest Starring[]
- Michael Hurst as Iolaus
- Owen Black as Parentheses
Co-Starring[]
- Mandie Gillette as Melina
- Mark Perry as Elopius
- Grant McFarland as Scoundrel #1
- UNCREDITED as Woman
References[]
- Hera
- Deianeira of Thebes
- Anteus
- Hydra
- Blue Serpent
- Typhon
- Gargan
- Salmoneus
- Echidna
- Alcmene
- Zeus the Cat
- Attilus
[]
| << 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 | |||