Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — The newest Hollywood fantasy series is here and, for some fans, it's been a long time coming.
The first two episodes of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" were released on Disney+ on Tuesday night, six hours before the episodes were originally scheduled to drop on Wednesday.
Although there were two Percy Jackson films released in 2010 and 2013, many fans were livid at how they say the directors destroyed the story. For those preteen kids who fell in love with Percy while in elementary and middle school, the more than 15-year-long wait for a faithful adaptation is finally over.
Faithfulness to the original book series
The "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" book series is aimed at a middle school-age audience, but the adventures of the son of the sea god have been loved by readers of all ages. Based on Rick Riordan's "The Lightning Thief," the TV show garnered a whopping 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and similarly seems to please audiences of all kinds.
Demigods in Riordan's world have hard lives, burdened with monsters seeking to destroy them and gods asking them to run magical — and sometimes annoying — errands their immortal selves can't be bothered with. Percy's life seems even harder than most demigods.
The fast-paced story is well-crafted, packed with talented actors young and old, filled to the brim with stunning visuals and impressive CGI, and overflowing with heart and soul. And of course, it's all topped off with Percy's classic humor and razor-sharp wit.
Overall, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" is a family-friendly story about a wonderful 12-year-old hero who is just trying to save his mom and find his place in this world of Greek gods and monsters. There are a few scenes of monster fighting and ominous nightmares Percy has that may be scary for young kids — I would blame that on how realistic the minotaur's CGI is.
The first two episodes of the show dive into Percy's experience of seeing the world differently from everyone else. The rest of the series details Percy's heroic quest across the county where he will go to the underworld, located under Los Angeles, along with his friends Grover Underwood and Annabeth Chase.
An episode will be released each week for the next six weeks. Riordan said on Threads the episodes "get progressively better" so fans have plenty to look forward to every week.
After the disappointment of the films, many people were on edge about a new adaptation of such a beloved series. I don't think die-hard fans could handle another blow to their favorite childhood story. But with author Riordan at the helm of almost every single step of production, this adaptation certainly succeeded.
For someone like me who has read the book dozens of times, it can be easy to nitpick and say, "The book did it this way, though." The changes, however, do not detract from the story and instead make it flow better on screen. After all, it's impossible to take a story from one medium and make it exactly the same in a completely different medium.
The heart of the story, however, is the exact same in this series as it is in the book.
Riordan said it best himself in a blog post: "Even with eight episodes, you can't show every single description of action or line of dialogue from the book, because it wouldn't translate and feel the same. It's weird, but you sort of have to change things to make the story feel the same."
"I think, though, that when you watch the show, it will feel like the book, and you will say, 'Yes, that is the story of 'The Lightning Thief.'' That's the most important thing for me," he said.
Talented young cast
Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson), Aryan Simhadri (Grover Underwood) and Leah Sava Jeffries (Annabeth Chase) all beautifully embody their characters both on and off the screen, even though their physical appearances don't match the book's character descriptions. It's almost impossible not to root for the main characters who have such relatable and likable characteristics.
Riordan told Variety the main trio actors are "perfect, and they've only become more perfect." Coming from the person who dreamt up those characters, that's a pretty big deal.
After watching the Harry Potter actors grow up on the screen, we will likely get to experience the same with these kids. With four more potential seasons to go, these young actors have a high chance of becoming massive Hollywood stars.
Talks are in the works for the second season based on "The Sea of Monsters," but it has yet to be officially greenlighted by Disney. However, with a budget similar to "The Mandalorian," it's clear Disney is invested in this show long term.
For everyone from those who have never heard the name Percy Jackson to those who have been fans since its initial release in 2005, I think this new series will be a big hit. It enthralls the viewer, brings to life the magic of mythology, highlights the power of friendship and family, and connects with humanity's innate desire to find belonging.
And at the core of it all, Percy Jackson is proof that anyone can be a hero.
