In the world of television, it’s not uncommon for shows to get spinoffs or prequels to build on a successful premise. However, some prequels fall through the cracks of pop culture memory, often overshadowed by the more well-known shows that followed.
Two such forgotten gems are Young Hercules, a prequel to Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and Little Monk, a web series that served as a prequel to the hit detective show Monk. Both shows featured unlikely stars in their early careers and provided fans with a glimpse of their beloved characters’ beginnings—yet neither managed to leave a lasting mark on TV history.
Young Hercules: Ryan Gosling’s Surprising Early Role
Before Ryan Gosling became a household name thanks to his roles in La La Land, Drive, and The Notebook, he was starring in a TV prequel that few people today remember. Young Hercules, which aired from 1998 to 1999, was a spin-off of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, the campy, action-packed series starring Kevin Sorbo. Young Hercules was designed to explore the teenage years of the mythical hero, played by a young and unknown Gosling.
At the time, Gosling was still cutting his teeth in Hollywood, and Young Hercules marked one of his earliest significant roles. While many may remember him now for his intense dramas and romantic roles, Gosling’s portrayal of a teenage demigod was a far cry from his future A-lister. His character was a bit naïve, brash, and learning the ropes of being a legendary hero, but with hints of the deeper emotional range that would later define his career. It was clear even back then that Gosling was a rising talent, but few at the time would predict that this TV show would serve as the foundation for his future success.
The show had a brief, one-season run, well, I say brief, 50 episodes were made. Despite its short-lived nature, Young Hercules is a fun curiosity for fans of Gosling and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys/Xena alike.
Little Monk: The Prequel Web Series
While Young Hercules had its fans, another prequel, Little Monk, has somehow managed to stay under the radar despite its connection to a beloved TV character. Little Monk, which was a web series released in 2009, is a prequel to the hit show Monk. The series follows a young Adrian Monk, who would grow up to become the eccentric and obsessive-compulsive detective portrayed by Tony Shalhoub in the main show. Little Monk is a charming, lighthearted glimpse into Monk’s childhood, providing insight into his early development and foreshadowing the complex adult character fans came to love.
The series itself was short, with only a few bite-sized episodes, but it became a curiosity among fans of Monk. While the show never reached the widespread popularity of its parent series, it managed to capture a more innocent side of Monk, showcasing his childhood fascination with solving mysteries and his eventual struggle with the trauma that would shape his adult life. The character’s quirks were already apparent, and fans got to see him in a different light—one that wasn’t bogged down by the weight of adulthood and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
It was only years later, in 2023, when Monk was revived with a TV movie titled Monk: The Final Case, that Little Monk gained a new level of recognition. While the web series itself had been a niche product, it became an interesting Easter egg for fans revisiting the character’s history. The Monk movie served as a poignant conclusion to the detective’s journey, and Little Monk, though brief, was a key part of the character’s backstory that some may have missed.
Both Young Hercules and Little Monk occupy a strange space in television history—prequels to shows that have remained beloved by fans, but which didn’t quite achieve the same level of cultural imprint as their predecessors. Young Hercules offered a young Ryan Gosling a much-needed TV break, and Little Monk provided a quirky, endearing look at the childhood of one of television’s most memorable detectives.
Despite their forgotten status, these shows provide a fascinating glimpse into these characters’ early days.
