Percy Jackson and the Olympians is an exciting and action-packed must-see television event. Challenging passive acceptance of unjust authority, while embracing the notion that one person can make a difference, Rick Riordan’s masterpiece is alive and ready to take audiences on a quest against gods and monsters.
Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) is your average twelve-year-old who just happens to have the worst luck in school. Battling dyslexia and ADHD, Percy is constantly in trouble and usually gets expelled from school. Finding some solace at Yancy Academy, Percy makes friends with Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri), and is inspired by his Latin teacher Mr. Brunner (Glynn Turman). When his math teacher Mrs. Dodds (Megan Mullally) transforms into a monster named Alecto during a class trip to the Met Museum, Percy is forced to battle her for survival.
After vanquishing Dodds, the problem for Percy is that no one remembers her, and an unfortunate incident with a bully named Nancy Bobofit lands Percy in trouble again. Expelled from Yancy, Percy comes to learn that what he experienced with Mrs. Dodds was real, that his friend Grover is more than just a student, and that his mother Sally (Virgina Kull) has been hiding the truth about his father.
On a trip to Montauk, Percy and Sally run into a storm, and Grover hastily and unexpectedly joins them. Percy starts to learn the truth about his heritage, and that he must get to safety at a secret place called Camp Half-Blood. The stakes are high, and Percy must rise to the occasion because even when he arrives at Camp Half-Blood, he is thrust into a quest with Grover and fellow camper Annabeth Chase (Leah Jeffries) that he must succeed at to appease the gods and prevent an all-out battle between Zeus and Poseidon.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is an excellent adaptation from the original work and proves why writers of massively popular books should be included, if not lead the development of any big screen adaptation. The series makes Greek mythology relevant, popular and will convince many viewers to go back and read more mythology, because it is fascinating.
Viewers have witnessed Percy Jackson’s story come to the big screen before with the 20th Century Fox film that flopped at the box office. The actors were excellent, but the story lacked the power and magic that Riordan weaved on the page. Fans of the books will be hooked by this series because the show begins exactly how the book starts, with Percy reading his personal letter to the reader/viewer. The authenticity of the book begins the show and is evident throughout the entire series.
Since this is a story about a 12-year-old, it is essential that the show be grounded through Percy’s eyes. Percy Jackson and the Olympians succeeds on multiple levels in showing the world from Percy’s perspective. Having a dynamic and captivating lead in Walker Scobell helps drive the narrative of the show and will help broaden the appeal of the series to a variety of ages.
Scobell has not only the right look for Percy, but he is the ideal version of the young rebellious demigod, who questions the acceptance of the indifference of the gods toward their demigod children and works hard to change the notion of what is right compared to what has always been the way. Percy is the ideal candidate to shake up the dust of lethargy coating the gods, and Walker Scobell is born to play this part.
Leah Jeffries has a difficult task in playing Annabeth Chase. For most of the series we see the world through the eyes of Percy and experience this demigod kind of life through his experiences. Annabeth is a crucial character that is not only essential in helping Percy become the person that he is in the first book, but in the show, Annabeth is Percy’s window into understanding what is really happening around him.
Jeffries is electric in her performance. She helps the viewer empathize and idealize Annabeth because she is intelligent, a worthy daughter of the goddess Athena, and a warrior who is skilled in close quarter combat. Annabeth is someone that you would be drawn too if you were a new arrival at Camp Half-Blood. Leah Jeffries gives Annabeth a life that is only imagined on the page. She takes Riordan’s words and forms her character in a new and refreshing light that not only complements Walker Scobell’s work as Percy but helps differentiate the two.
Aryan Simhadri rounds out the lead trio as Grover Underwood the satyr assigned to bring Percy to Camp Half-Blood. Simhadri is not only funny but captures the essence of the worried and nervous Grover from the books with ease. The chemistry between Scobell, Jeffries, and Simhadri is outstanding.
Charlie Bushnell as Luke Castellan and Dior Goodjohn as Clarisse La Rue are the final two key pieces that needed to be well cast because they will play pivotal roles in following seasons. Bushnell has such a likeability factor in his portrayal of Luke that it’s easy to see why Percy would fall under his wing as he navigates Camp Half-Blood. Bushnell makes Luke that older brother everyone hopes to find.
While Bushnell makes Luke likable, Dior Goodjohn plays the daughter of Ares with a fiery intensity that incinerates the screen. Clarisse is a very notable figure in the story, and while Goodjohn’s role in Percy Jackson and the Olympians is brief, only a couple of episodes, she is excellent in every moment, and forces the viewers to fear and respect Clarisse.
Beyond the lead actors, the gods and monsters who make up Percy Jackson and the Olympians include Glynn Turman as the guiding force of Chiron, Jason Mantzoukas as Dionysus, Megan Mullally as Alecto, Jessica Parker Kennedy in a chilling performance as Medusa, Lance Reddick as Zeus, Toby Stephens as Poseidon, and Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hermes.
The Lightning Thief was first released in 2005, and since that time, readers have been following the tale of Percy Jackson with tremendous interest. Fans have been hooked because of the timeless nature of the story, the strong and admirable characters, and the fact that myths and legends of the past have been brought into the modern day. With the guidance of Riordan and his wife Becky in executive producer roles, this beloved franchise is being adapted with care, and purpose. Their passion for Percy and his universe, as well as their dedication to getting the story right will ensure the best possible results.
What makes Percy Jackson and the Olympians one of the best entries into science fiction/fantasy television is the superior storytelling, an outstanding cast that captures the heart and emotion of the characters, and timeless themes that will entrance everyone.
Fans of the books will get a true to form adaptation that doesn’t sacrifice story for dollars, while adapting the work to tell an incredible story in a new media. On screen is a diverse world that celebrates people for who they are and doesn’t shame them for not meeting a certain expectation. Set amongst the quest and adventure, we get to see characters that are willing to stand up for what is right, despite the danger it poses to them.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is the holiday event that television has been looking for.