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Periodically, TPTB at H:TLJ seemed to feel obliged to demonstrate to the TV-viewing public that their show was family entertainment and kid-friendly, possibly in order to deflect criticism for eps featuring a bevy of scantily-clad dancing girls. Cast A Giant Shadow is definitely a wholesome family ep, featuring a jolly giant, a monster who misses hubby, and the usual gaggle of clownish bad guys.

The story is pretty simple - Herc rescues giant Typhon from a trap Hera snared him in, and in gratitude Typhon becomes his bestest buddy. Meanwhile, Iolaus runs afoul of the evil Maceus, brother of the creepy Demetrius who we saw offed in The Mother of All Monsters. Maceus has sworn revenge for his brother and expects Iolaus to tell him where Herc is. Iolaus refuses, and as usual gets the snot pounded out of him. Herc and his new large pal travel to Plinth, and Typhon becomes the buddy of the whole village. Unfortunately, Herc finds out that Typhon is the husband of Echidna, the Mother of All Monsters, making Typhon the daddy of all of the assorted nasties Herc's bumped off over the years. Iolaus gives his captors the slip using an assortment of old hunter's tricks, and shows up in Plinth with Maceus & Co. hot on his heels. Herc and Iolus do their standard number on the bad guys without much help from super-klutz Typhon, whereupon Maceus gets the Hera-inspired notion to pay a visit to Echidna. Hera blows open Echidna's cave and Maceus makes nice with Mom, who gets off the best line of the ep - He [Demetrius] got the looks - I hope you got the brains! While this is going on, Herc tries to explain to Typhon why he had to imprison Echidna, but Typhon doesn't want to hear it and storms away to Echidna's cave, where Maceus tells him about Herc's trapping of Echidna and the killing of his children. Herc and Iolaus show up, but Typhon refuses to fight them and knocks himself out trying to enter the cave. We then get Standard-Issue Herc Fight #2 of the ep, followed by the inevitable Herc-Maceus-Echidna showdown in the cave. Maceus bites the dust (not Herc's doing, of course), then Typhon rushes in, Echidna melts, and we get a reunion scene that is tastefully (and mercifully) left to our imaginations.

It's good to see Stig Eldred yet again, although it's very difficult to believe that he's Martin Kove's brother - guess he was the much older sibling. The gene pool appears to have been scrambled some between them as well. Glenn Shadix was an amiable doofus as Typhon, and Bridget Hoffman did her usual yeoman work in that horrific Echidna makeup. Naturally, we have to have a spunky village maiden attracted to Herc, but settling for Iolaus, and Fiona Mogridge (what a great name!) fits the bill as Brianna. The direction is workmanlike, and special effects are limited to forced-perspective for Typhon, Echidna's flailing about and a Hera lightening bolt (this was probably a very economical ep to shoot). As for the script and story, I'll bet that this was the kind of ep that started the rift between Schulian and RT - the latter wanted edgier stories and a darker feel. They did get away with one risque line, though - when Herc comments to Iolaus after the latter bids farewell to Brianna, At least your lips are working, to which Iolaus replies, That's not all that's working.

My ranking - 6/10 hydraheads. OK action, cutesy premise and juvenile story - not one to watch very often.