Percy Jackson and the Olympians Premiere Early Review

The following is a spoiler-free review of the first 2 episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, premiering this Wednesday on Disney+

The road to the Disney+ version of Percy Jackson was a long and tumultuous one for fans. Since the first book’s inception back in 2005, fans of the series have been itching for a proper adaptation to do the series justice. In 2010, it seems like fans’ questions had been answered, 20th Century Fox helmed a movie adaptation of the first book with Logan Lerman cast in the lead role. However, changes from the source material, such as aging up the characters and having a mere 2-hours to tell a 22-chapter book lead to criticism from fans and almost a disownment of the movies following its release. In 2020, Disney (who own the rights to the series) announced that they would produce a television adaptation of the series for their Disney+ streaming service, this time, with author Rick Riordan deeply involved. Now, with the level of hype higher than ever. fans await to see if their prayers for a faithful adaptation will be answered and thankfully with Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the answer is yes.

The plot of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is fairly straightforward. 12-year-old Percy (Walker Scobell) lives with his mother in New York and goes to a private boarding school where he’s seen as an outcast and is bullied. However, he wasn’t alone as he had his best friend, Grover (Aryan Simhadri). Following an encounter with his supposed teacher, Ms. Dodds, she discovers that he’s not a regular kid but rather a demigod, the child of a Greek God, like the ones he was learning about in class. While Percy was discovered to be the son of Poseidon, God of the Sea, Grover was actually a satyr assigned to be his protector. Meanwhile, his Latin teacher, Mr. Brunner (Glynn Turman), was actually Chiron, a centaur in disguise. Along with dealing with the disappearance of his mother, a god trying to frame him for something he didn’t do, and having had his world turned upside down, Percy must also contend with the same trials and tribulations as any other almost-teenager. He still gets bullied and still feels like an outcast, but he’s now amongst people like him. 

A good sign is that, compared to the 2010 film, the series so far is fairly faithful to the source material. Following its source material closely, the first episode covers roughly the first four chapters in a condensed format but if anything, both the series and the episodes could have worked being a little longer. The first episode zips through some elements of those chapters, whilst omitting others. Admittedly, none of that content is detrimental to the plot, however, it certainly would have been nice to see some of the scenes from the first couple chapters play out on screen. The first episode did seem like it had a lot of ground to cover. Starting pretty zippy, by the end of it, it never felt a disservice to the book. That being said, it’s understandable considering the sheer amount of material to cover, and fans were never getting an exact play-by-play from the books. 

Most of the changes made for the series, to their credit, never feel out of place. Whether it’s something as simple as switching up the order of events, or leaving certain events out all together, it’s understandable with how overwhelming it could have otherwise been for viewers. Meanwhile, some scenes appeared as they were lifted straight out of the books. Unlike the 2010 film, Percy Jackson and the Olympians opted to not age up the characters, something which only worked to its benefit. The trio, consisting of Scobell, Simhadri, and Leah Sava Jeffries as the headstrong Annabeth, are perfectly cast, each having a firm grip on their characters. Scobell is a perfect Percy, a little bit of an outcast who just wants to fit in and belong, whilst Simhadri’s Grover is a loyal and sometimes awkward best friend with just the right amount of heart, awkwardness and nervous interruptions. Unlike the previous two, Jeffries is not seen very much in the first two episodes but in her limited screen time, she left her mark as her Annabeth is exactly as is described in the books; smart, determined, driven, and stubborn, but with a good heart. 

However, it’s not just the main characters whose casting felt pitch perfect. From Chiron to Dionysus (Jason Mantzoukas), Luke (Charlie Bushnell), and Clarisse (Dior Goodjohn), even if the actors don’t 100% match how they are described in the books, they embody their respective characters so well that it doesn’t matter. Even though the main trio are not seen together in the first two episodes, the relationship between Grover and Percy, a core relationship of the books, retains its strengths. The dynamics between all the characters feel natural, from the brotherly dynamic of Luke and Percy to the mentor-mentee type relationship between Percy and Chiron, just to name a few. However, it is not only the casting that helps bring the series to life. Aside from lifting word directly from its source material to screen, its visuals feel much more accurate to the book series than the film version did. Aside from a few minor differences, it is clear the extent that Riordan was involved in ensuring that accuracy. 

In the end, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is an adaptation that is bound to appeal to old fans and new, as it is presented in a way that doesn’t require knowledge of the books, or of Greek Mythology at all. Ultimately, it is aimed towards younger audiences which makes sense as the original books series were aimed towards the same demographic. However, as a fan of the books, it will be exciting to see where the series goes from here. It does a great job of staying true to the source material whilst also maintaining its own unique identity and voice. Aside from mild pacing issues, this Disney+ adaptation of the beloved series is bound to make long-time fans of the series feel it was worth the wait.

still courtesy of Disney

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Jasmine Graham