by Srivalli Adarapu (’26) and Mahi Raithatha (’26) | February 2, 2024
An eight-episode television adaptation of Rick Riordan’s best-selling and extremely popular series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians had high expectations, setting the record for Disney+’s most-watched premier. Riordan produced the show himself, and many avid fans of the books have looked forward to this series since May 2020, excited to see how Riordan’s interpretation of Greek mythology and the three main characters, Annabeth, Percy, and Grover, come to life on screen. Portrayed as an unofficial redemption of the unpopular movies, this show has received mixed reviews: while some say that the casting and screenplay enhance the story, others believe that the alterations made to the book’s plot have made the series lose its magical touch.
In this contemporary retelling of Greek mythology, a young Percy Jackson is brought to Camp Half-Blood, where he finds out that he is a son of Poseidon, the god of the sea. Percy, along with his new friends Grover and Annabeth, is tasked with a quest to stop the impending war between Zeus and Poseidon. The three must find Zeus’s missing lightning bolt, which Zeus believes was stolen by Percy himself. However, the theft of the lightning bolt is revealed to only be a small part of a larger plan that Percy and his friends must uncover in order to prevent war and the destruction of the world by a larger evil power.
Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri were cast as Percy, Annabeth, and Grover respectively. Despite not entirely matching the physical attributes described in the books, the actors have managed to embody their personalities well. This adaptation has also masterfully depicted elements of the demigod realm, such as Camp Half-Blood, with intricate details. However, many fans are disappointed with both the screenplay and the story’s deviations from the original plot in the book series. For instance, Gabe, Percy’s step-dad, is portrayed as abusive to Sally and Percy, hitting her often and exploiting them in the books. However, the series shows Gabe as a loser, and not as abusive as he was originally depicted. Furthermore, in the show, Percy and his friends fail to meet their deadline of the summer solstice, although they succeed in the original series. By altering this crucial part of the story, the show misses out on these suspenseful and riveting scenes.
Another source of disappointment amongst fans is the forced nature of the plot; much of the dialogue feels contrived. When Annabeth calls Percy “seaweed brain,” his iconic nickname, it comes across inauthentically. Moreover, in numerous scenes, the characters already appear to be aware of danger before even facing it. When encountering Medusa, for instance, Percy and his friends immediately recognize her, which deviates from the book’s original portrayal. These modifications from the book detract from the thrill and excitement of the original plot.
Despite these changes, this Disney adaptation clearly surpasses prior adaptations of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The previous two-film series from 2010 and 2013 has received widespread disapproval and criticism for its poor screenplay, performance, and complete deviation from the books. Despite certain gripes over changed details, the show has still been incredibly popular, and has reignited fans’ childhood love for the books. It will be exciting to see how the show progresses and evolves in further seasons as Riordan continues to adapt the rest of this beloved series.