New ‘Percy Jackson’ adaptation stays true to book series

Hadley Hoskins
Editor-in-Chief

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” aired its first two episodes on Dec. 19, on Disney Plus. The series shines as a magical (and accurate) adaptation of the book series by Rick Riordian, which was originally published in 2005.

The show focuses on 12-year old Percy Jackson, played by Walker Scobell (“The Adam Project”) as he battles Greek monsters, discovers his identity and goes on a quest to recover Zeus’ stolen lightning bolt.

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” immediately captures viewers’ attention, opening on a dramatic fight scene between Jackson and his pre-algebra teacher. By the end of the first episode, he has found himself in a safe-haven camp for “Demi-Gods” (Children of Gods who are half-human, half-God), called “Camp Half-Blood.”

There, Jackson meets Annabeth Chase, played by Leah Jefferies (“Beast”) and Grover, played by Aryan Simhadri (“Cheaper by the Dozen”). Jackson’s time at the camp is short-lived, though, as he quickly departs on a quest to recover Zeus’ lightning bolt and save his mother from the underworld.

Anticipation for the accuracy of the show was high after fans of the book series felt let down by the 2010 film adaptation, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.” That adaptation was discontinued after two installments due to low box office turnout– accounted for by the film’s inability to stay true to the original series.

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” did not let down, though. It follows the plotline of the books much more closely than the 2010 film, accurately recreating iconic scenes like the fight in the St. Louis Arch.

The TV adaptation also triumphs over the film in its casting. The film cast Logan Lermam as Percy Jackson, who was 17 at the time of filming– compared to Scobell, who was 13, much closer to Jackson’s age of 12 in the books. This age-accurate casting raises the stakes of the show by reminding viewers of the danger the young demi-gods are in while also allowing its middle-grade audience to connect to the characters more easily.

Despite a young intended audience, viewers of all ages will be entertained by this show. Jam-packed with action, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” features fight scenes between the Demi-Gods and famous Greek monsters, such as the Minotaur, Medusa or the Furies, which will keep all audiences entertained.

In addition to plenty of action, the show also tackles the emotions of Jackson– and the other characters– as he grapples with the loss of his mother, the discovery of his identity as a Demi-God and his growing friendships (and rivalries), managing to be both vulnerable and funny.

The show has seen success so far, with over 13 million views during its first week– marking the biggest Disney Television premiere of all time, according to TV Line.

New episodes air weekly, with the season finale scheduled to be air Jan. 30.

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” can be streamed for free on Disney Plus, which has a subscription fee of $7.99 a month. It is rated TV-PG for “mild gore and intense scenes.”