Percy Jackson and the Olympians is incredible by the book

By James On Dec 14, 2023

It's been more than a decade since the infamous Percy Jackson & the Olympians movie broke hearts by inexplicably aging the cast and distorting the novel, and fans of Rick Riordan's beloved book series have been eagerly awaiting sweet revenge.

The creators behind the Disney Plus series have made a huge promise: an adaptation for fans of the franchise – of which there are many, who picked up the books when they first came out in 2005 or fell in love with the world. past 18 years – will love it, one supported by the author.

Judging from the first two episodes, Disney Plus' Percy Jackson and the Olympians delivers on that promise of recreating the book's storyline almost beat by beat. With a stellar cast bringing the beloved characters to life, it seems like a dream come true for Percy Jackson fans. It's an adaptation that takes the source material seriously – and that's perhaps its biggest flaw.

(Ed. remark: This review contains some spoilers for Percy Jackson and the Olympians the show, as well as the book series.)

Photo: David Bukach/Disney

Like the first book in the series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians follows Percy Jackson, a troubled high school student who discovers that all the Greek myths he grew up learning are real, and that his mysterious absent father is actually one of those gods. The first two episodes of the show take Percy to Camp Half-Blood, where everything is prepared for the eventual cross-country mission that forms the first part of the book series. Since the central story is strong, following it beat by beat means the show will have a solid foundation. Because the series seems designed to completely trust fans, it feels like some of the exposition is missing, leaving viewers unfamiliar with the nuances of the world trying to put the pieces together.

Fortunately, most of those pieces simply come from the classical canon of Greek mythology, so putting them together isn't that difficult. As for the quest itself, it's familiar in a good way: you can't go wrong with a missing item quest centered around a young hero looking to save his mother while figuring out who he is in this new fantastical world!

What really anchors that story, though, is how great the three young actors are. Walker Scobell captures Percy in all his snarkiness, but also in his unwavering devotion to the people he cares about. Aryan Simhadri does a phenomenal job with Grover, a character who could simply be comic relief, but in this version takes on a deep vulnerability and almost uncomfortable seriousness. We don't see much of Leah Jeffries' Annabeth in the first two episodes, but in those short scenes she already conveys the character's quiet strength. The side characters – like Clarisse (Dior Goodjohn), one of Percy's bullies at camp, and Hermes cabin leader Luke (Charlie Bushnell) – are also dynamic and make the entire camp and its inhabitants feel alive, even in our very short window to them. .

The show is very faithful and takes the story seriously, but perhaps to a fault. If there is one glaring error Percy Jackson and the Olympiansit's that it doesn't feel that way pleasure. If a large part of the books' appeal was its upbeat tone, it feels particularly jarring. The books were told from Percy's first-person perspective, a very funny and crazy narrator with a zest for any situation. TV Percy makes pointed comments, but because what we see on screen is not filtered through his point of view, it loses that specific cheerfulness of his, the wonder that extends to the rest of the world. We are meant to fall in love with this world of gods and monsters, despite all the dangers. But even though the camp is lovingly furnished down to the last floorboard of the hut, that miracle is missing.

At least, it is that way in the first two episodes. With six episodes to go, that could change, especially if Percy and his friends venture outside New York and see more of the world. However, this somber, more serious tone is an advantage for a certain subset of fans. Their beloved series is taken seriously and finally elevated to yet another fantasy adventure story of average quality. The stakes are high and the show emphasizes that danger, especially since the kids are, well, kids and not in their early twenties. I'm sold, but what I miss – at least initially – is the magic that makes the world so inviting, despite all the monsters that want to kill you. Hopefully the next few episodes will build on that, introducing newcomers to what makes the series special, and reminding fans why they fell in love with this world in the first place.

The first two episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians hit Disney Plus on December 20, with new episodes on Wednesdays.