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Wednesday, February 7, 2024

TV Show Review: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Season 1

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Good adaptation of a novel
Cons: Some pacing issues; book nerd complaints
The Bottom Line:
Fantasy series
Is much closer to the book
Fans will mostly like


“Can I Ask a Stupid Question?” “It’s Like You Need Me to Make Fun of You.”

The two Percy Jackson movies from last decade have been pretty much panned by fans.  And, while I have a soft spot in my heart for them since they got me reading the books, I can certainly see the issues with them.  So as soon as Disney+ announced that they were going to create a Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and Rick Riordan, the author of the books, was going to be heavily involves, fans were excited.  While I certainly enjoyed what we got, it still didn’t quite capture the first book.

In the first episode, we meet Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) a pre-teen who struggles in school.  He’s also not very popular, with Grover (Aryan Simhadri) being his only real friend.

Things change one day when he is attacked by a monster the rest of the students don’t see.  That’s when he learns that the ancient Greek gods are real and his father was one of them.  Which one?  He doesn’t know quite yet.  Oh, and Grover is really a satyr sent to help protect him.

He is quickly sent to Camp Half-Blood, a place where demigods live and train during the summer.  And occasionally leave from to go on quests.  Percy hasn’t been there long before he is sent out on a quest to retrieve Zeus’s Lightning Bolt, which someone has stolen.  If he doesn’t return it by the summer solstice, it could mean a war of the gods.  With only Grover and his new friend Annabeth Chase (Leah Jeffries) to help him, can he do it?

That’s a lot of backstory and set up, I realize.  But, given the premise of this franchise, you kind of need it.  Just imagine trying to fit all of that into a movie plus telling the rest of the story.  You can see why the original movie didn’t do well with fans.  And this book is pretty much designed for a modern day TV show anyway.  Why do I say that?  While Percy and his friends are on a quest, they have many battles they face along the way.  You could consider them side-quests if you want.  Either way, they make for perfect episodes, with the characters getting a little closer to their ultimate destination and the ultimate answer of who the thief is while dealing with the complication of the week.

The season itself was eight episodes, mostly in the 35-40 minute range.  That was enough time to give us a monster battle or two, a little character development, and some advancement on who took the lightning bolt and why.

But here’s the thing.  Even with that, I feel like there were some things left out.  Maybe I’m confusing the book and the movies, which made some big changes.  After all, it’s been at least 10 years since I read the book or watch the movies, so I am very fuzzy on the details.

Still, with all that time, some things felt rushed, especially in the final episode.  I get why they broke the episodes down how they did.  They really did pick natural breaks.  But it made for a very rushed finale with lots of twists.  I guess book nerds are never quite satisfied, are we?

Overall, I liked the acting in the show.  We had some fun famous faces pop up for an episode or two playing some of the people that Percy must deal with.  And the three leads carry the show well.  They just didn’t quite act the way I picture the characters acting when I read the books.  Yes, again, my memory is probably faulty, and I am sure the actors from the movie influenced my view on that when I was reading them.  So, it’s still probably me.

I certainly can’t fault the look of the show.  There are lots of special effects and stunts, and they always looked amazing.

And yes, I’m being a book nerd here.  Which means I’m being overly critical of a visual version of a story I’ve enjoyed because it doesn’t match MY vision.

I say this because, my complaints really are more nitpicky in nature than anything else.  I was always looking forward to the next new episode and enjoyed all eight episodes.  And I’m hoping the show gets picked up for the next season soon.

Fans of the book will feel much like I do.  While it may not be a perfect adaptation, season one of Percy Jackson and the Olympians will keep them happily entertained with a version of the story that is much closer to the book.

1 comment:

  1. I've been wanting to watch this series since I wasn't as big of a fan of the movies. Good to know this is better! I will definitely watch now.

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