Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the newest Disney+ show, just finished its first season. Based on Rick Riordan’s book series of the same name, the series follows 12-year-old Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) as he learns that he’s the son of the Greek God of the Sea, Poseidon (Toby Stephens). Season one draws inspiration from the first book in the Percy Jackson series, The Lightning Thief. In the show, Percy is accused of stealing Zeus’s (Lance Reddick) Master Bolt, and he must race against time to find it in order to prevent a war of the Gods. The show is definitely fun, and it captures the spirit of the Percy Jackson books well. But unfortunately, it’s far from perfect.
Much like the book, the show relies heavily on the dynamic between Percy and his traveling companions, Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries) and Grover (Aryan Simhadri). These actors’ acting ability isn’t always great, but they still do a serviceable job in their respective roles.
The chemistry between the trio really drives the story. Percy and Annabeth’s enemies-to-friends dynamic is believable, and the two help each other grow in numerous ways. Grover cares deeply for Percy and wants to do his best to help him succeed at both finding the Master Bolt and saving Percy’s mother (Virginia Kull). He also constantly tries to keep the peace between Percy and Annabeth. Many of the important plot points hinge on these relationships, which will captivate viewers.
However, the show has a serious pacing problem.
The first two episodes do a great job of introducing Percy and the world of the Gods and demigods. However, once the quest begins, the show seriously starts to drag. The main issue is that the book’s chapters are so short that they don’t translate well into 40-minute episodes. The fourth and fifth episodes in particular feel like the writers threw in too much extra material to pad time.
Several of the changes to the original story exacerbate the pacing issues. The inclusion of Hephaestus (Timothy Omundson) and Hermes (Lin-Manuel Miranda) both slow the pacing of their respective episodes. Although these introductions and other similar changes don’t completely ruin the episodes, it’ll be painfully obvious to fans of the book series that the story changes only exist to fill air time.
That isn’t to say that all the changes in the adaptation are pointless, though.
Translating a first-person story to a third-person show can be tricky, but the show does a pretty good job of streamlining the story to fit the perspective shift. Some of the changes are minor enough to not affect the plot, and other changes make the show more compelling.The final confrontation between Percy and Luke (Charlie Bushnell) is different in the show than it is in the book series, and it makes the scene feel much more tense and dramatic. It also makes the ensuing fight feel far more cathartic.
Several of the character changes added fun layers to the show. Percy’s character in the show is much sassier than his book counterpart, and he’s also much better at intuiting information and coming to logical conclusions. The story also features multiple characters’ points of view, so some of the other characters, particularly Annabeth, feel more multidimensional.
Overall, Percy Jackson is flawed, but it’s still a fun ride. If you’re a fan of the book series, and you’re looking for a perfect one-to-one adaptation, you probably won’t love certain aspects of the series. However, there’s still plenty to enjoy, from the character interactions to the new twists and turns in the story, and I highly recommend watching Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
Did you watch Percy Jackson? Are you looking forward to the second season? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
Featured video via Disney+ YouTube
