By Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
Adapting a beloved book into a visual medium is tricky. The expectations are always sky-high with the streaming world giving TV shows a shorter leash to tell a complete story. It also doesn’t help when the streaming service doesn’t have the best track record of adapting content, and that the book has previously been adapted. Consequently, I was nervous when Disney announced they would be adapting Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I haven’t read the books in a long time and I thought the movies were perfectly fine, but nothing particularly special.
But I was glad to find that Percy Jackson and the Olympians is actually great.
The series follows Percy (Walker Scobell) as he discovers that his lineage leads to the Greek gods. Partnered on a quest to retrieve the Master Bolt with Annabeth (Leah Jeffries) and Grover (Aryan Simhadri), Percy goes all around the United States and beyond to figure out who stole to bolt, and to save the world.
I’d be remiss to start any review of Percy Jackson and the Olympians by not focusing on Scobell, Jeffries, and Simhadri. These three follow in the footsteps of iconic trios like Han, Luke, and Leia or Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Their dynamic is truly remarkable considering their ages and their limited filmographies, particularly Scobell and Jeffries. They each bring something different to the table and exhibit a tremendous amount of growth. They make big decisions, sacrifices, and mistakes, and each one of them learns what it takes to complete a quest. I love seeing them on screen together.
Moreover, I truly hope that this is the breakout role for Scobell. Percy could have easily descended into a frustrating character in the wrong hands, but Scobell embodies him in so many incredible ways. Considering his age, he’s got a very good head on his shoulders, makes mostly sound decisions, and is selfless in a way that not many kids his age are. He’s also a very quick learner, which is very helpful through his quest. Perhaps the best part of Percy’s character, though, is his relationship with his mother, Sally (Virginia Kull). As the only one who really makes Percy feel cared about, Sally serves as an important part of the story that leads Percy to his destiny.
Meanwhile, Jeffries and Simhadri are great sidekicks who manage to steal scenes whenever they get the chance. They each have unique relationships with Percy, so naturally their dynamics as a group differ from those individually. Percy needs Annabeth and Grover to complete his quest: Annabeth for her strength and leadership and Grover for his loyalty and his cunning. They also have moments where they play important roles, which I greatly appreciate. Side characters sometimes stay on the sidelines for too long, and thankfully Annabeth and Simhadri are right in the thick of things with Percy.
By the same token, the greatest themes throughout Percy Jackson are the discussions about family and forging your destiny. Percy has a complicated family life with his Greek lineage, and since he is of both Earth and god descent, his perspective goes beyond what is conventional for either side. The way he handles how the Greek gods treat one another as a family helps him attempt to break a long line of tradition involving betrayal and unnecessary violence. It’s probably the most admirable thing about Percy, and the series — the realistic conversations about why established family dynamics deserve to be broken.
The Greek mythology is often dense and hard to follow, and I struggle to get through some of the stories, but Percy Jackson and the Olympians introduces mythology in a palatable and easy-to-understand way that is also appropriate for kids. It doesn’t necessarily shy away from the betrayal and violence, but some of the stuff that would be more difficult to explain to kids is absent. The series has a colorful cast of amazing performers who play the various gods that pop up, and some of the casting is pitch-perfect. It’s my sincerest hope that the showrunners can keep all these performers in the fold long-term, with the unfortunate exception of the late Lance Reddick.
On the technical side, there is a lot to appreciate about the series. The fight choreography stands out among other young adult series. There is a scene where Percy fights one of the gods on a beach, and the show does an excellent job of making sure he doesn’t get destroyed from the jump. In addition, the set design is outstanding. Seeing Mount Olympus and the Underworld gave me chills, mainly because they are accompanied by outstanding actors taking the stage. And the special effects and make-up, especially with two mythological creatures, are strong as well.
Furthermore, the world building sets the stage for years to come. Many characters are introduced, both among Percy and the various Olympians. Each of them has a great scene or moment where they have there spotlight. But there is also some restraint. Part of this might be source material, but the other part is strong writing. The writers could have easily jammed in a lot more, but they instead opted to tell the story at hand, allowing the information that was left out to be explored in another season.
Shows are slowly becoming a great method of adapting books, because they give the story enough time to breathe. This version of Percy Jackson and the Olympians has way more time to tell a complete story with fully realized characters. The performances are off the charts, particularly from the main three cast members. With outstanding special effects, great fight choreography, and fantastic set design, Percy Jackson and the Olympians should be a hit for years on Disney+.
Rating: Liked It
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is currently streaming on Disney+
You can read more from Mike Hilty, and follow him on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Serializd