An Iolausian Revelation

So, I bet you're wondering, how did this madness begin? In late fall of 1996, in the middle of a biology class in Schuylerville High School, my best friend, Amanda, wrote these words in the margin of my homework:

Ever watch H:TLJ?

Finally I had someone who loved the show as much as I did, and that's how simple fandom can grow. Amanda's favorite on the show became Kevin Smith, as the God Of War, Ares, but not me. No, I was lucky enough to become attached to what has to be the best character ever created for the show - Iolaus. Amanda and I began taping episodes and collecting pictures and memoribilia...but one thing was missing. A place where I could share my mutual obsession with others. Then, the light went on. The internet! And so, The Iolausian Dimension website was born. In April of 1998, my site went online and has continued to grow far beyond my expectations with every new page and idea that develops. That's my story.

Ingrid,
Keeper Of The Iolausian Dimension.

Favorite H:TLJ Episodes:King For A Day, The Apple, and The Sword Of Veracity.
Favorite X:WP Episodes:The Prometheus, The Quill Is Mightier, and The Bitter Suite.

(Iolaus knows there's something fishy going on in "The Lost City.")

A Fan's Discovery of Iolaus

I became an Iolausian sometime last summer....my husband would watch Hercules on Sunday mornings when I'd go to church. I'd caught a couple minutes of it one time and commented on how silly it was....before I'd actually seen Iolaus. Anyway, a while later, USA network moved Highlander to a different place, and Herc/Xena took its place (reruns, of course) I started to watch and the more I saw of Michael Hurst, the more interested I became. My husband and I went to Dragon Con in Atlanta, and I decided that I would've enjoyed the dealers' room much more if H:TLJ was more predominant. So, I purchased my Iolaus picture (now perched atop my computer desk), and couldn't WAIT to watch the next episode! Now, that was September 1998, and mind you, I STILL didn't realize that these were reruns...so I continued watching, and life continued as normal (lol)

One Saturday, about a month or so ago, I saw that it was gonna be on at whatever time and I sat down to watch because, "Iolaus is gonna be evil!" (Then, it's to be continued!) Next week he didn't come back!! :( And me STILL not realizing that even THOSE episodes were reruns already...)Anyway, I like to go through life denying that Season 5 happened...:) My husband thinks I'm silly, but so is he!! Love your site, (The Iolausian Dimension) and I can't wait to explore it more.

Patti
Favorite H:TLJ Episodes:The Warrior Princess, Pride Comes Before A Brawl, and Hero's Heart.
Favorite X:WP Episode:A Fistful Of Dinars.

If Looks Could Kill, Well Then...

How did I become an Iolausian? Well, I am into guys with accents, and of course, Michael Hurst's looks won me over! :-) And as for that, the eyes are the window to the soul...

Sue
Favorite H:TLJ Episodes:King For A Day, The Apple, and Pride Comes Before A Brawl.
Least Favorite H:TLJ Episode:Faith(Which with probably all agree!)

The Xena Triology Leads To Another Iolausian...

To be honest, I'm not quite sure when I became an Iolausian. But if I had to make a guess, it would have to be during the whole Xena Triology. If you remember, Michael Hurst didn't make many appearances in the first season. Infact, he was still listed as a guest-star, so The Warrior Princess was possibly the first real Iolaus-centric plot line. (Please forgive me if that is wrong, but it has been a while since I've seen the movies.) We really got to see a lot of his personality (Not to mention that great body of his!)and his friendship with Herc. It was from then on I was expecting to see the Golden Hunter in all the Herc eps. and was extremly disappointed when I didn't see him.

CCAmazon
Favorite H:TLJ Episode:Stranger In A Strange World
Favorite X:WP Episode:The Prometheus

(Iolaus visits his mom in "Reunions.")

The Personality Gets 'Em Every Time!

I just thought he was good looking at first, and as I watched more episodes, I thought he was gorgeous. It is the personality, and just how he is on the show, that makes him very attractive. What brought it all together was the episode Prometheus, he was so sweet in that. (*Sigh*)

Herc_Xenafan
Favorite H:TLJ Episodes:The Apple and Pride Comes Before A Brawl.
Favorite X:WP Episodes:The Prometheus and The Bitter Suite.

Taping H:TLJ Episodes Lead To This Iolausian...

I began watching H:TLJ in the summer of 1998. My sister, who lives in an out of the way place in North Carolina, could no longer get the episodes, so, she asked me to start taping them for her. When I told her that the reruns were starting on USA, she begged me to tape them for her. Somewhere along the way, while taping, I got hooked...especially on Iolaus. There's just something about those eyes, that smile and that laugh! And need I mention that body???? I can't imagine a Sunday without Iolaus and H:TLJ. (I'll deal with it when it happens, not before). Iolaus makes me laugh, cry, and wish I had a friend like him in this life. What a character and what an actor Michael Hurst is!

Lovonya
Favorite H:TLJ Episodes:King For A Day, Long Live The King, and Prince Hercules.
Favorite X:WP Episodes:The Prometheus, The Quest, and The Lost Mariner.

("The Apple" phenomenon continues to grow! It can't be stopped, lol!)

"The Apple" Is Yet Another's Favorite!

I began watching Xena, season 2, on Sky One in Britain, as I thought it looked like a series that would be good fun to watch. I began to watch it a lot and decided that since it was related to Hercules, that I would watch some episodes of that as well. At first I didn't pay attention to how Michael Hurst looked, I just thought that it was a great character and that the show wasn't as good when Herc was on his own or with Salmoneus. Then I saw "The Apple". I watched it everyday on tape for about two months until I calmed down! I was hooked! Michael had everything. The perfect personality, a great smile, gorgeous blue eyes, an infectious giggle and would you just look at that BODY!!

I've never looked back since and have been trying hard to get friends at school to watch. I think I'm the biggest Michael Hurst fan in the whole of Perth, possibly the whole of Scotland!

Linsey
Favorite H:TLJ Episodes:King for a Day, The Apple, and Web of Desire.
Favorite X:WP Episodes:Prometheus, A Day in the Life, and The Bitter Suite.

The Blonde Guy Always Gets 'Em...

Well, it's kinda hard to say (how I became a fan). During the first season of Hercules, I sorta half-watched it for a while. Then, on came this episode with this funny little blond guy. He made me laugh, and I watched the next few episodes hoping each time that Herc's sidekick would be on. I really can't explain why I like him. Maybe it's because he's funny, brave, loyal, and knows how to take a punch. Or, maybe it's because he keeps Hercules human. After all, what is a hero without someone to talk to, laugh with, cry with, or just plain goof-off with?

Caroline
Favorite H:TLJ Episodes:Cast a Giant Shadow, Not Fade Away, Medea Culpa, and Just Passing Through.
Favorite X:WP Episodes:Prometheus, The Quill is Mightier, and Been There, Done That.
Favorite YH Episodes:Cram-Ped, Ares on Trial, In Your Dreams, Con Ares, and The Prize.

Another Iolausian - hit by HIM! :-)

I watched Hercules first starting with the movies. Then, of course, I picked up on the show... I don't know the exact moment when it hit me that I loved Iolaus, but it was a pretty instantaneous thing. I always liked him, but... suddenly I was madly in love with him. Very strange. But good strange! I suppose it's the sheer force of Michael's personality, his energy--not to mention his rugged good looks--that really cinched it.

Livia Augusta
Favorite H:TLJ Episodes: The Apple, For Those of You Just Joining Us,
Yes, Virginia, There is a Hercules and The Warrior Princess.
Favorite X:WP Episodes:Prometheus, The Bitter Suite, The Way.
Favorite YH Episodes:Ares on Trial, The Prize, Iolaus Goes Stag.

("Look, Joxer, just stop freaking out Gabby, okay?")

One Look And - WHAM!

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys -- The movies!
Watched the first one, thought it was clever -- liked how this Hercules was so removed from the Steve Reeves version. A very 90s type of guy. "Amazon Women" came on around 3pm one Saturday afternoon around 1995 and I watched.

"Hey, who's that little blond guy?"

Mom (over just to nag) : "Kind of cute, hunh?" and she sits to watch with me. The following month another of those HERCULES movies came on...then another...then...

I sort of lost touch then boom - these movies had suddenly become a TV series that I actually pretty well ignored but one boring Friday night I sat down and the episode was "Pride Comes Before a Brawl" and, hey, there's that cute blond guy again! *ziiiiiingg!* This is *good*. My interest might have stayed just that, an interest but I hooked up to the web a few years later and, out of curiosity, checked to see if there were any Iolaus sites out there and "Wow!" were there ever! I suddenly found myself going deeper and deeper into this fandom until I finally found out I was - yes, I admit it! - an Iolausian!

Beckers
Favorite H:TLJ Episodes:Pride Comes Before a Brawl, The Apple, Hero's Heart and (believe it or not) Faith.
Least Favorite H:TLJ Episode:March To Freedom - not enough of him!
Favorite X:WP Episodes:Prometheus, (duh!)Lost Mariner, The Quill is Mightier, The Quest(first 10 minutes!) and A Day in the Life.
Least Favorite X:WP Episodes:The Bitter Suite (I usually like when they try to do something different but...
Over-wrought, over-acted, over-sung [kudos to Kevin Smith though] and a ridiculous way to seal up a rift! Just could NOT get into it like most, obviously!)