Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is the newest adapted book to hit streaming platforms. This eight-episode series – available to watch on Disney+ as well as Hulu – follows the quest of three young demi-gods: Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and Grover Underwood.
Warning slight spoilers ahead!
Book-to-show adaptations are often hit or miss when it comes to accuracy, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” however, has been a big hit. With help from book author Riordan, the show has done a terrific job of following the book’s storyline and descriptions. As someone who is a big fan of the book series and grew up reading them, I am very impressed with how the show has been able to accurately capture the essence of the books.
The show has also taken creative liberties with several scenes, adding to the regular flow of the plot. This was somewhat disappointing, but also good for the show. One main difference is in Episode 5. Percy and Annabeth encounter a trap while in the Love Tunnel ride, the trap requires a sacrifice from one of them. This differs from the scene in the book where instead they encounter a huge swarm of spiders. This addition allowed audiences to see more character development that the show didn’t have time to depict elsewhere.
A disappointing change, however, is in episode 6 when the trio visits the Lotus Casino. This should have been a very captivating and fun scene like in the book, but it was a bit lacking in terms of excitement. This is one of my favorite scenes in the book because of the chaos and energy it holds. I was hoping for the same in the show, to be enticed by the hotel and want to go there myself. As a whole, the storyline and plot of the show has followed the books well and is deserving of 4 stars.
The casting of this show is on point. The main trio Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell), Annabeth Chase (Leah Jeffries) and Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri) are doing a terrific job depicting their characters. Portraying the personalities from the book in an accurate manner. Another success in casting was casting age-correct actors. The books revolve around a group of middle and high schoolers, which requires actors who are of similar ages. Having age-correct actors it allows audiences to better grasp and believe the story.
The rest of the cast is a diverse group of talented actors. This includes Adam Copeland as Ares, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hermes, Virginia Kull as Sally Jackson, Charlie Bushnell as Luke, and Azriel Dalman as young Percy Jackson. These are just a few of the amazing actors in this full cast. I would give the casting of this series 4 stars, it was book-accurate and was a good mix of both well-known and newer actors. My only disappointment is I hoped for a cameo from Logan Lerman who played Percy Jackson in the other movie version.
This show has a good mix of fighting and intense moments as well as heartfelt character interaction. Since this is based on a middle-grade novel, the action isn’t extreme but it can be intense. The demigods use swords and other weapons and can be seen training with them at camp.
Percy and Annabeth use a sword and dagger while fighting the monsters they encounter along their quest. For the most part, it is good for all ages and would make a great show to watch as a whole family. I would give the action of the show 3.5 stars; it is pretty mild and is suitable for most audiences. There definitely could have been more action but overall it was good.
The visuals and special effects are exceptional. The monsters that attack the demigods along the way look very believable, which makes the show feel more authentic. The most successful use of special effects in this series is Percy’s iconic pen turning into a sword. They did a great job in that transition and making it look as real as possible. I would give the visual and special effects of the show 5 stars.
The series released its finale episode, Jan. 30, 2024. The final episode was one of my favorites, it concluded the story for this season while also keeping the door open in hopes of another season. The episode wrapped up the story in the perfect way, including the most important aspects of the book’s ending. I liked how they switched back and forth between Luke training Percy and then Percy using those skills to fight Ares. It created a visual parallel for audiences to enjoy.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a series loved by many – both young and old. The release of this show has brought nostalgia to many original book fans, while also inviting a new generation of fans to the series. Since it is being released on Disney+, the series is available for mass viewing, many of whom may be new to the series.
This show also does a great job of depicting the importance of friendships, especially in middle school. I would give the series 5 stars for entertainment. As a big fan of the books myself, it has been a delight to see the story and characters come to life on the screen.
All episodes are now streaming on Disney+, and if you are interested in more Percy Jackson read the books by Rick Riordan.
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