The Herculoids
By KJ Dell Antonia,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Vintage '60s sci-fi superhero action is only OK.

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What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
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What's the Story?
HERCULOIDS originally ran in the late '60s as a Saturday morning action/sci-fi cartoon. It follows a small family -- a mother, a father, and a son, although they call each other by their first names and act more like a team than a family -- and their odd sidekicks (two dinosaur-like creatures, an ape made of rock, and two amorphous blobs) as they defend their world from dangers like giant ants or attacks from space.
Is It Any Good?
The show's plots are minimal and simplistic at best. Characters are momentarily endangered, then rescued, and the enemy is always defeated. The real value of the show, for parents, lies in the chance to let fairly young kids watch a little action without worrying about any significant violence, gore, or sexual content -- or, if you watch it on Boomerang, commercials. It's a basic comic book-come-to-life-style show that can be very exciting for kids who haven't been exposed to many of today's flashier programs.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the characters solve their problems. Is there ever any other alternative besides fighting? What about in real life? Kids: What should you do if another child hits you or is mean to you? Families can also talk about the story behind the show (or lack thereof)? Is the planet meant to be Earth, or somewhere else? Are viewers meant to know? How can you tell? What are the ghost-like sidekicks?
TV Details
- Premiere date: September 9, 1967
- Cast: Mike Road, Ted Eccles, Virginia Gregg
- Network: Boomerang
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Dinosaurs, Superheroes
- TV rating: TV-Y7
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
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