“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is a new adaptation of the fantasy series published in 2005. The television series was created and produced by Rick Riodan, the author of the original novels.
The first two episodes premiered on Dec. 18, 2023 and the remaining episodes were released weekly. The first season has eight episodes, with the finale airing on Jan. 30. “Percy Jackson” is Disney’s current most popular television series, with 13.3 million people having watched the premier episodes within six days.
Despite “Percy Jackson’s” popularity, reception has been somewhat polarizing. Most critics and fans highly praised it for its casting, worldbuilding, and performances. However criticized the series due to lack of adherence to the source material.
About the Story
The series follows twelve-year-old Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell), a troubled kid who can see mythical beings. After yet another monster encounter and expulsion from school, his mother reveals to him that he is a demigod, or a half-child of a Greek god. Percy is forced to seek refuge at Camp Half-Blood, a demigod safe haven. Jackson quickly finds his home there, making friends and exploring what it means to be a demigod.
However, his life is quickly disrupted after he is accused of stealing the master bolt, or Zeus’ greatest weapon. Percy is sent on a quest to find and retrieve the bolt before the summer solstice to prevent an apocalyptic war between the gods.
Why “Percy Jackson and the Olympians?”
The show had a generous $12-15 million dollar budget per episode, and it was well-spent on its elaborate sets and believably rendered CGI. The age-appropriate cast and the impressive visuals truly brings the show to life. Certain plot points were also better developed compared to the book, which was intentionally done to set up storylines for future seasons.
However, there are some downsides to the show. Most noticeably, the pacing and noticeable lack of urgency contrasts with the characters’ seriousness, which sets a contradictory tone. There were also unnecessary changes made to the storyline which has upset fans of the original series.
Ultimately, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is still a great adaptation of the book and is overall worth watching. The series is exclusively streaming on Disney+.
