The Herculoids

Infobox Television
show_name = The Herculoids


caption = "The Herculoids" title card.
genre = Animated series
camera =
picture_format =
runtime = 22 min.: two 11 min. segments (1967–1969)
6 min. segments of "Space Stars" (1981–1982)
creator = Alex Toth
developer =
executive_producer =
voices = Mike Road
Virginia Gregg
Ted Eccles
Don Messick
narrated =
country = USA
network = CBS
first_aired = September 9, 1967
last_aired = January 6, 1968
num_episodes = 18 (36 segments, 1967–1969)
11 (1981–1982)
related = "Space Stars"
list_episodes =
website =
imdb_id = 0061262
tv_com_id = 4924

"The Herculoids" is a Saturday morning animated television series that was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The show debuted on September 9, 1967 on CBS. Hanna-Barbera produced one season for the original incarnation of the show, although the original 18 episodes were rerun during the 1968–69 television season, with "The Herculoids" ending its run on September 6, 1969. Eleven new episodes were produced in 1981 as part of the "Space Stars" show. The plotlines were rooted in science fiction, and had story direction and content similar to "Jonny Quest" and "Space Ghost". This series takes place on a far-away planet named Quasar in the land of Amzot (it should be noted that the planet was originally unnamed; it was only called Quasar in the "Space Stars" episodes; and, Amzot was first mentioned in the "Time Creatures" episode of the original series).

Characters

There were eight regular characters:

Humanoids

* Three Humanoids:
**Zandor, (voiced by Mike Road), the protector of Amzot/Quasar. Leader of The Herculoids.
**Tarra, (voiced by Virginia Gregg), Zandor's wife.
**Dorno, (voiced by Ted Eccles, then by Sparky Marcus in 1981), son of Zandor and Tarra.

Creatures

* Five Creatures of The Herculoids:
**Zok, (voiced by Mike Road), a flying dragon. He emits laser beams from his eyes and tail. His eyes also produced a "nega-beam" that could neutralize certain energy attacks. Zok could survive in space unaided, was capable of interstellar travel, and could breathe fire.
** Igoo, (voiced by Mike Road), a rock ape. An extremely large and powerful simian, he had extremely dense skin and was nearly invulnerable to harm. Igoo has a great fondness and devotion for Tarra, and will do anything for her. He will go to any lengths to defend Tarra.
** Tundro, (voiced by Mike Road), a ten-legged rhino-triceratops. He shoots explosive energy rocks from his cannon-horn (Zandor, Tarra, and Dorno also occasionally shot similar rocks with slingshots). His natural armor-plating was exceptionally strong, similar to Igoo's rock skin. His legs had the ability to extend to a remarkable length, somewhat like stilts. He could also spin his head at blinding speed, allowing him to drill through solid rock.
** Gloop & Gleep, (both voiced by Don Messick), two protoplastic creatures. They could assume any shape or form that they chose; for instance, if they spot an allied human falling, they can leap towards them to make physical contact and spread out their mass to become a crude parachute to allow the human to land safely. They could also subdivide themselves into multiple smaller units (each having eyes), which moved more or less in unison. Gloop was the larger of the two, while Gleep seemed to be a juvenile and was often paired off with young Dorno. Their unique physical makeup apparently provided even more protection from physical or energy-based attacks than Igoo's stony hide. They seemed to be able to absorb energy blasts and laser beams that are directed towards them.

aju

In the "Space Stars" episodes from 1981, there was also a sixth creature in close association: Saju, an enormous Godzilla-like animal whose size was matched only by her enormous strength.

ynopsis

Together, the Herculoids battled to defend their planet from menaces on Quasar and from Outer Space. All of the Herculoids displayed Human-level intelligence, and Zandor & Tarra displayed a working knowledge of complex alien technologies as well as the ability to pilot interstellar spacecraft. Although the "speech" of their companions was limited and repetitive, Zandor, Tarra and Dorno (c.f.The Mutoids: "Gleep says that the aliens who landed are attacking Dorno and Tundro.") demonstrated that Gloop & Gleep, at least, had a comprehensive mode of communication, and that they could at least understand and interpret the "language". In reality, the voices were brief tracks supplied by two actors and reused throughout the series, in keeping with Hanna-Barbera's thrifty ethos.

A number of episodes featured alien invaders who came to Quasar to seek revenge against Zandor for some unspecified battle or adventure from the past.

Continuity with "Space Stars"

The "Space Stars" series included the Herculoids in its canon to show that Zandor and his family and friends were well-known throughout the galaxy, and good friends of Space Ghost and the Teen Force. This suggests, though the series never stated, that Zandor and Tarra may have been civilized, technologically capable people who escaped to Quasar to hide or retire after previous intergalactic adventures.

Appearances on other shows

Gloop is mentioned by name and features prominently in the "Sealab 2021" episode "Hail, Squishface".

Gloop makes several guest appearances on "", as well, Gleep is mentioned at one point, and Zok makes an appearance in one episode (Phil Ken Sebben throws a graph chart at him)

"The Herculoids" is mentioned in an episode of "The Venture Bros.", where an old "fan letter" of Dr. Venture to the show is discovered. Upon reading, the letter is revealed to be more akin to hate mail; young Rusty Venture called the Herculoids hippies for not fighting in Vietnam.

Tundro and Gloop appear in an episode of "Family Guy", "8 Simple Rules for Buying My Teenage Daughter". In one scene, Gloop fails to get a babysitting job from Lois. In protest, Tundro shows up and fires his energy rocks at Lois.

"The Herculoids" in other languages

* _it. Gli Erculoidi
* _pt. Os Herculóides
* _es. Los Defensores Intergalácticos or _es. Los Herculoides
* _hu. A Herkuloidák
* _ja. 怪獣王ターガン "Kaijû Ô Tâgan" (Monster King Targan):*The characters' names in Japan were Targan (Zandor), Marmi (Tarra), Kane (Dorno), Maryû (Zok), Rikira (Igoo), Tangurô (Tundro), Hyûhyû (Gloop) and Bôbô (Gleep).

ee also

*"Space Stars"

External links

*imdb title|id=0061262
*tv.com show|id=4924
* [http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Hanna-Barbera_Studios/G-J/The_Herculoids/ "The Herculoids"] at the Big Cartoon DataBase