The Big Picture

The new Disney+ series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, feels like a faithful and well-crafted adaptation, finally doing justice to the beloved books. Rick Riordan, the author of said books, is involved in the series as one of the writers, helping to ensure a more authentic portrayal of the story thus far in Season 1. The characters in the series are well-developed and played by a strong cast who feel like actual kids, rather than actors doing their best “how do you fellow kids” impression.

It may be hard to recall it now, but there was once a dark time for Percy Jackson book fans. Specifically, it was the release of two films (The Lightning Thief and Sea of Monsters) that left them, as well as critics at the time, mostly perplexed about what these adaptations even were. This extended to the creator of the book series, Rick Riordan, who ended up becoming one of their most vocal detractors as he felt that the story being told on screen wasn’t even really his. When the film franchise dragged to an unceremonious close, even as it tried to make a bit of a course correction with the second installment, there was a sense of relief rather than sadness because it left open the door for a potential fresh start. Still, it left many who remember reading these books burned by the experience and uncertain about future prospects for this story. Such worries can now be put to rest as the new series Percy Jackson and the Olympians finally feels like this story is being done right.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Demigod Percy Jackson leads a quest across America to prevent a war among the Olympian gods. Release Date December 20, 2023 Cast Walker Scobell , Leah Jeffries , Aryan Simhadri , Jason Mantzoukas , Adam Copeland Rating TV-PG Seasons 1 Creator Rick Riordan, Jonathan E. Steinberg

Crucially, while there are indeed showrunners in Jonathan E. Steinberg (The Old Man) and Dan Shotz (See), the series also credits Riordan himself as one of the writers. This may seem obvious, considering that he wrote the books, but it’s clear that the author has been included in the process this time around. This doesn’t necessarily ensure an adaptation will be good, but the first half of this eight-episode season already feels like it is in better hands. While there are other beloved films and shows that you hope the original author will stay far away from, for reasons that extend beyond the works themselves, Percy Jackson is not one of them. While the bar this series had to clear was low, it actually feels substantive and thought out in contrast to the scattered movies that were understandably rejected by fans of the books. Percy Jackson and the Olympians serves as a breath of fresh air for a story that was once gasping for it.

What Is ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ About?

For those unaware of this history, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is about young demigods living in the modern world where they are often largely unaware of their power. In this case, we first see this through the eyes of the young Percy (Walker Scobell), who is just trying to get through school before he is unexpectedly drawn into a magical world that he has always seen from a distance. While much of this feels like your classic young adult story, it is all given a bit more history in how Riordan draws extensively from mythology, which he then puts his own spin on. Sure, there are elements of quests and iconic monsters that will be familiar to anyone who has cracked open a book on Greek deities, but they are filtered through a distinctly modern lens about kids trying to survive in a world where adults, be they human or god, have abandoned them. In Percy’s case, he is lucky that he still has his mother, Sally (Virginia Kull), and his friend, Grover (Aryan Simhadri), as well as a new ally, Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries), as he will need them all on the journey ahead.

What is this journey? Well, it surrounds Percy’s father, who has been missing since he was young, and a certain electrifyingly powerful item that is believed to have been stolen from the gods. Book readers will already know the general outline of this plot, and the series sticks relatively close to it. However, this matters less than the way the show brings it all to life. While there was frustration with the changes made in the movies, there might have been room for forgiveness if they’d had more life and charm. Percy Jackson and the Olympians also makes changes that, while not as drastic, work because of the way the show is all constructed. The first episode, “I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher,” is economical and efficient by relying on narration to fill in some gaps while still having plenty of energy woven throughout. It has more room to explore some of the setup than the book, but it also does something more with the same. The relationship between Percy and his mother feels authentic and lived in, with Kull especially giving a really strong performance with what little time she has.

When the series becomes a bit more of a spectacle, with a car chase on a stormy night where the group is being pursued by a mythical creature, you care because of the way these characters have been fleshed out. There is earned humor just as there is an emotional connection to the stakes of Percy’s world, which is about to be upended. It allows you to overlook some occasionally iffy effects, which the series does smartly use sparingly and under the cover of darkness, because you’re invested in the people themselves. While there is still a long road ahead, it feels like this series has finally captured who these characters heading out on the adventure truly are, instead of checking off boxes of the books’ narrative beats. Although some of the subsequent episodes are less engaging than the first with the dynamic between Percy and Sally, it manages to settle into a fun adventure groove. It’s no Reservation Dogs, but the well-cast group of kids actually feel like kids rather than actors putting on a “how do you do fellow kids” act that feels off no matter who is doing it (Logan Lerman innocent). It is their authentically realized motivations and performances that are driving the experience in a way that renders you along for the ride, no matter where it takes you.

‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Does Right By the Books
Image via Disney+

Even with some imperfections here and there, notably a particular casting of one deity that feels out of place (in everything from the costume to the demeanor of the person wearing it), you’re willing to overlook them for all the show succeeds at. There is even one scene that, without spoiling anything, captures a sense of falling with such effectiveness that it is briefly yet terrifyingly mesmerizing as time slows down. Percy Jackson and the Olympians will still work best for a younger audience, as any moments of peril remain firmly in family-friendly territory, though it doesn’t skimp on crafting its sequences with an eye for keeping the attention of older readers as well.

Considering the talent that is yet to come, there is a sense that Percy Jackson is finally being given the care he deserves. For the first time, the lightning in a bottle that was the simple yet sturdy series of books has actually been captured on screen. Readers needn’t pray to the gods for anything more, as this series is already delivering everything they could have hoped for.

Rating: 8/10

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S. starting December 20 with a two-episode premiere. The first episode will premiere on the same date on Hulu.

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