IMDb user comments for
"Conan" (1997)

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12 comments in total

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15 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :-
great action and look for television, 7 October 2001
Author: television23 from los angeles, california

I found the series to be very good for television. It has great action sequences and Ralf Moeller is a great Conan. I am sorry it didn't continue because I really liked all the characters, especially TJ Storm as the black warrior. The music also is terrific and very authentic sounding for a fantasy period of time.

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11 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
Conan the series was worthy of another season., 31 July 2000
Author: gabbyshope

Conan the television series was in my opinion every bit as good as the books and the two 1980 movies. Ralph Moeller portrayed a hero that was likable, smart and a natural leader with his friends. The show ended after only one season, but it ended strong with an interesting season finale that would have easily led into a second year. For those who did not get the chance to see the show, Conan was joined by his friends, the axe-weilding Vulkar, the mute staff-fighting Zzeben, the animal-spirit fighter Bayu, the thoughtful and wise dwarf Otli, and the strong and beautiful female theif Karella. Their main goal for the first year was to defeat the evil sorcerer Hissah Zul and the Skull he summoned with red rubies for advice. All of the actors and actresses deserve credit for putting genuine effort into their characters. Jeremy Kemp was good as an evil sorcerer who attacked Conan directly and at times through those who thought to gain his favor. Otli was another character that was developed well.

I think the mark of any good show is if it leaves you wanting more and provides more interesting questions than answers. Conan the series delivered this. The three sorcerers who helped Conan defeat Hissah Zul clearly had their own motives for overthrowing the new king in time. There was the question of why Skull wanted to collect red rubies. A visit to the Black Kingdoms would have been interesting and it would have been interesting to see the details of Karella's army of archers. All things considered, Conan the series is a show that I will miss and would have enjoyed seeing a second season. I am glad to see Ralph Moeller's appearance in the movie Gladiator. I think he did a good job.

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12 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
What was so bad about this show?, 6 March 2002
Author: kszonew from USA

After watching episodes on tape, thanks to a friend who had taped them, I want to know why Conan fans found this tv series so lame? Now, granted it wasn't the novels, or as bloodly and dark as it should have been...but it had monsters, women, warriors, killing, wizards, and Rolf did a great job as Conan the Cimmerian. Plus, unlike many syndie shows, had an actual storyline going through the season. Episodes like "Lair of the Beastmen" and "Al Sohn-Bar" were nicely done fantasy stories, with a bit of everything. Some episodes were not as worthy, but it was a fun series. Face it: Conan on cable or free TV isn't going to be the Conan a hardcore Conan fan wants. Until HBO can aquire a chance to produce a Conan tv series, the 1997/1998 "Conan: Adventurer" tv series is the best you'll get. And unless Threshold produces a new tv series (which they have yet to do, after fighting hard to get the rights, etc) the Keller Conan series is all there will be.

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12 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
I like it too, 9 July 2006

Author: lpaigema from United States

I couldn't agree more with the other poster. I found this show totally enjoyable. The DVDs are well worth having. Unlike shows that started out good and went downhill fast, like Xena, this one kept the tone jaunty and fun throughout, as well as steering clear of silly anachronisms. Conan's mostly exposed body is good eye candy for us ladies, too. I wish there were more episodes.

The only things I got bored with were the talking skull and the somewhat one-dimensional bad guys. However, there were some strong women characters (and what a blast to see Mariette Hartley show up as the Queen in "Heir Apparent," season 1). The sidekicks were a little dull in some ways, I guess, but I give the show credit for using "misfits" (a dwarf, a mute, a chubby coward) in action roles and in giving them some dignity and respectability instead of turning them into comic relief in a degrading way (can you say "Joxer"?).

I also liked the lack of gore--maybe I'm a wimp but the Conan movies, though I love them (and the soundtrack is absolutely the greatest), were a little gory for my taste. I prefer to leave that stuff to the imagination. Speaking of the soundtrack, I bought that CD also and it is pretty good. Not exactly Basil Poledouris, but it's thoroughly listenable.

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9 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
Decent Fantasy Series, 7 May 2006

Author: funkydvd from United States

Let me start off by saying that I am a big Conan fan. I enjoyed both of the original movies, I've read many of the novels and own a decent collection of comics. I didn't expect much from this series. As far as I know, it was shot in Mexico and is, somewhat low budget. There are kind of primitive (by today's standards) computer generated effects and even computer generated establishing shots.

But, as has been said, Ralf Moeller is a good Conan. At 6'6" or so and 280+ lbs. he makes an impressive warrior. He has been in some of my favorite movies and had a very impressive bodybuilding career in the 80s (not as much in titles, but in achieving an impressive and imposing physique on such a large frame!) So, he is fun to watch on screen. Also, the supporting characters are strong in their roles. Also, there are some characters from the Conan novels such as Karela. Many of the stories are pretty good, some are mediocre (as with any series).

The only real complaint I have about this series is its limited shooting locations and generally (too obvious) low budget production values. When every episode takes place in the same forest, it begins to look repetitive. We watch fantasy movies/shows to be taken away to imaginary places and in a series, this means fresh and new places of adventure, not the same ones show after show. The props and sets are another complaint. i.e. many of the weapons used are obviously wood or plastic and have no sharpened edge of any kind. They really made this too obvious. Conan seems to be the only one with any kind of real sword. What? they couldn't get a BudK catalog and order a bunch of $50 swords? And, every village looks like the huts and houses were thrown together in five minutes. I used to make better forts than this as a kid! So, those are the elements that are less than convincing.

The boxed set is reasonably priced and a must have for Conan fanatics like myself. But, the casual fan may get bored quickly with the generic sets and low production values. As a side note, I notice that Teagan Clive has writing credit on this show- she is a long time writer for many muscle magazines and a bodybuilder in her own right. Also, Matthias Hues ( of "I come in Peace" fame) makes a guest role in perhaps the best episode in the collection- mostly because of his great performance. He lends a more authentic "barbarian" quality to the episode and chews the scenery well in this type of role.

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6 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Satisfying action, hilarious comedy and a little personal grudge, 2 August 2006

Author: Cindy Salgado (moontiger5) from Puerto Rico

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Although this series is only loosely based on Robert E. Howard's stories, and when comparing the two it feels as if the Walt Disney Company was somehow involved, I cannot find any great fault with this work. Ralf Moeller's height and musculature make his Conan an imposing figure, TJ Storm and Robert McRay are fantastic as cohorts Bayu and Zzeben (watch out for perfectly intelligible jokes in sign language), Jeremy Kemp is a hoot as ever-brooding Hissah Zul, and when the series reaches its final episode you wish there was more. I was sorry to see The Skull That Talks vanish without getting to at least throw a blast at Hissah--surely he had accumulated enough rubies to earn the power for it?

My little grudge with this series has to do with the character Karella (portrayed by guest actress Aly Dunne). I had a story in the works featuring a character of the same name and similar physical attributes when this series came out. Imagine my dismay at having to chuck it! Still, I'm glad I sat down to watch this series: Dunne's Karella is enchanting, fiery, indomitable and more than a match for Moeller's Conan--on her very first appearance she catches the barbarian off guard, and it's quite believable! I also cheered when Karella is depicted as having chosen to remain independent over queening it beside Conan, despite her obvious crush on the Cimmerian. All in all, a very entertaining and satisfying series.

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2 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
It died too soon, 7 April 2007

Author: lordzedd-3 from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Now I got to admit this Conan series wasn't perfect. But if "Prison Break" and "Battlestar Galactica (2004)" can get a second season, then why not Conan. Which is way better then both those above mention crap fests. I tell you why, the Neilson rating, where minority rules. One person gets to be one million people is just wrong. We need to do away with the Neilson rating system to save good shows like Conan. Back to Conan, I think it is just as good as HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS monster wise. But I do think that Ralf Moeller was just a little harder to understand then Arnold was. Which may have been one of the problems and they should have at least stop Zul at least once before the series was over. But that's a shame. Anyway, Conan is a good series and deserves more then it got and I say 8 STARS.

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4 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
Not for network TV, 14 May 2000
Author: kismit from Canada

If you saw the original movie with Arnold and it's less watchable sequel in the theatre and later on TV you will get an idea as to what this series is missing. The censors made mincemeat of these two bloody movies because of a desire not to show blood and killing in a sword movie. The producers of the TV show decided to make him Conan the bloodless for the TV show with predictable results. Rolf Moeller was a perfect choice as Arnold already had us expecting a German bodybuilder in the role but they made him a kinder gentler Conan along with cutting the violence which simply departs too much from the original character. Throwing in full time sidekicks for no clear reason made this no different than Xena or Hercules. It's not quite as silly as the series Highlander which is about decapitation but refuses to acknowledge it but like Highlander, it is an idea for cable or feature films only.

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6 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
Conan the Barbarian is toned-down for TV as expected, with sidekicks and a moralistic tone that should have been sublimated with erotic and S&M undertones., 15 March 2004
Author: TheVid from Colorado Springs

All the episodes of this sword and sorcery series simply capitalize on the formula that made the HERCULES or BEASTMASTER TV shows successful; but a couple of these in syndication is enough. What was needed here was something more edgy with a fantasy/noir atmosphere. Bodybuilder Ralf Moeller is ideally cast, but his character is decidedly too friendly and heroic to be taken as a barbarian thug, which is the proper way to develop the Conan character. Where is the stimulating eroticism and fetishistic bondage situations that make a loinclothed hero satisfying. Even on TV, you can push the envelop to reasonable limits in these two critical areas. What we don't need are cutesy, self-righteous sidekicks or a little-man buddy (reminiscent of many a schlocky Italian peplum pic). Another thing that keeps this kind of thing interesting is a cool, sadistic villain, and this series fails miserably here, too. The key wizard villain is far from sinister and his bantering interludes with a "potted skull" slow down the proceedings irreparably. Not nearly enough bang for your buck here.

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3 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Need more "Conan" book in "Conan" television, 27 April 1999
Author: Troy Whigham from USA

Seems like ever since "Hercules" and "Xena" became chart toppers in the syndicated tv series market, a lot of imitators have come along. "Conan" the tv series is one of them, which is a shame as it had so much going for it, like instant name recognition.

First off, the producers need to get rid of the mute and the Viking sidekicks. "Conan" always has been his own man. Readers of the original "Conan" novels by Robert E. Howard know this. The books were always about Conan's fights against overwhelming odds by himself. He needs friends, but not these two, and not all the time. Let him keep the dwarf, but let Danny Woodburn provide a bit more comedy relief, and let a tall woman fall in love with the dwarf from time to time so that Danny can have that macho-man look on his face. It'd be a great opportunity for physical comedy. A dwarf Don Juan would be funny.

Second, let the female sidekick get more screen time. And change her costume. Save the leather corset for "Xena". Karella should show a belly button from time to time, instead. She's an ex-"Vogue" model, so let us see some trim tummy. We get to see Ralph's don't we?

Third, give the show more sizzle. Let the women be women. Let the female guest stars slip out of their leather outfits and into something more comfortable, such as Conan's arms, or a cool mountain stream, a field of flowers, a dark forest, or even a cold dungeon. A little titillation can go a long way. If the producers want to know how to pull off this act and get around the American censors, let them watch an episode of "Pacific Blue". The books were always about Conan defeating the evil ruler, saving the town, and bedding a fair maiden. It was formulaic, but it worked. So how about more fair maidens?

As for Ralph Moeller, he does a great job as "Conan": big muscles, big sword, limited vocabulary, just as Robert E. Howard had depicted him. And Danny Woodburn could be great with a format change.

Me, I'm still waiting for them to re-do the first dungeon scene from "Conan And The Sword Of Skelos". "Conan" fans will know what I'm talking about. I think that scene was the inspiration for the two "Barbarian Queen" movies, which reminds me: where is Lana Clarkson when we need her?

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