Long-suffering fans of the “Percy Jackson” book series have been looking forward to an accurate adaptation since the release of its two movie adaptations in 2010 and 2013, which left fans less than happy. Luckily, on Dec. 20, 2023, Disney+ released the first two episodes of its new “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” TV series. It aired eight episodes, one each week, with its finale airing on Jan. 31. There will be spoilers for the show ahead!
“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” follows the story of a boy who is taken to Camp Half-Blood, a camp specifically for children who are demigods (those whose one parent is a Greek god) like him. There, he discovers that he is not only the son of a Greek god but that he has been accused of stealing the master bolt, the king of the gods’ ultimate weapon. He must travel across the country in order to reach the Underworld to retrieve it, and he brings his two friends, Grover Underwood and Annabeth Chase, to help.
The main reason why so many fans are incredibly excited about this show is the overall failure of the movies. The author, Rick Riordan, had much more control over this show. When he gave the rights to Fox for the creation of the movies, he was given very little creative control. Most of the comments he made on the script were ignored, and the movies ended up very different from the books. However, with the show, Rick Riordan was hired as an executive producer, and he could monitor every part of its creation, from casting to editing.
Speaking of casting, the official announcement for who would play the main trio was in the Spring of 2022. It was revealed that Walker Scobell would star as Percy Jackson, Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood, and Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase. The casting caused a small controversy, as the actors weren’t 100% “book accurate” to some extremist fans. Specifically, Jeffries, a young Black girl, was cast as Annabeth (who is described as white in the books). Annabeth’s storyline had always been about how she was never taken seriously because she was a blonde girl. However, Jeffries taking over this role adds to her portrayal of Annabeth’s storyline, as it is common today for African American women to not be taken seriously, to be ignored, or to be targeted. One scene in the show exemplifies Annabeth’s struggle as a black girl: The trio is accused of something and confronted by a cop. While Percy talks back to him and isn’t reprimanded, as soon as Annabeth talks to him, the three are arrested. This scene shows the prejudices people of color often face and adds more nuance to her character and character arc.
In terms of actual changes made for the show, it was clear the producers were not attempting to adapt the book word for word. Many fans of the book expressed their anger over certain changes, but, as a veteran fan of the books myself, I believe most of the changes were for the better. First, the book was over 300 pages long, and Disney+ only approved eight 30-minute episodes. It was just impossible to fit in all of the content from the book. The most important thing was that they kept the main storyline and the feel of the characters the same.
In the books, on Percy’s original journey, he encounters monsters such as Echidna, the Chimera, Medusa, and Cerberus. In the movie, the main plot of the story was changed. Instead, Percy was tasked with finding three pearls from different landmarks across the country to use when he eventually reached the Underworld. Already, this changed a fundamental part of the story. Besides the glaring plot changes, the movies also did not have the “feel” of the characters. Grover’s character was completely different from the books; he is much more outgoing and desperate for a relationship. Percy lacked the naive sarcasm so integral to his character. Overall, the movies were not very good adaptations.
This brings us to the TV show. Things were changed, but in a generally good way. Percy still crossed the country in order to retrieve the master bolt, but certain things were different. One notable change is how Percy and his friends responded to the threats they faced along the way. In the books, the trio stumbles into Medusa’s lair and barely figures out who she is before she attacks. They also run into Procrustes (under the pseudonym “Crusty”) and don’t realize the danger he poses until he threatens them. In the show, however, the characters arrive at these places knowing what Greek figures they are. Many fans were rightfully upset about this, as it seems to take away the feeling of suspense and confusion. However, it’s not all bad. Admittedly, the Procrustes reveal was much more dramatic in the books, and it would have been very cool to see. But the Medusa reveal is a change that I’m glad they went with. Annabeth is the one to immediately point out that the seemingly innocent old woman who ran “Auntie Em’s Garden Gnome Emporium” was most likely the sinister gorgon from the myths. And this actually makes a lot of sense in the context of her character. Annabeth had spent practically her entire life training to be on a quest, so being able to recognize hidden threats is something she definitely would have prepared for.
Another notable change in the show is how Luke Castellan’s betrayal scene occurred. In the books, it is revealed at the very end that Luke has been working with Kronos in an effort to bring down the gods. The show does have this very major plot point but with a major difference. In the original, Luke brings Percy out and attempts to kill him outright before escaping into the woods. In the show, we see Luke attempt to recruit Percy to his cause before Percy realizes what happened and begins to fight. This change adds a new layer of depth to Percy and Luke’s relationship, rather than immediately breaking it off as in the books. This change allows for more nuance in future seasons as Luke grapples with his chosen path, the need for Percy to join his cause, and the loss of their close friendship.
As for what else was left out of the show, there were only a couple of “important” scenes. Notably, in the book, Percy is attacked after a game of Capture the Flag by a monster called a hellhound. This attack sends Percy on his quest, as the camp is not considered safe for him anymore. It also confirms to the campers that there is a traitor (later revealed to be Luke). In the show, the episode ends with Percy getting “claimed” by his father, and there is no attack. While this change is not too important, it created a more tense and suspenseful atmosphere in the book. Many fans of the book had been looking forward to it and were disappointed by its absence.
Another moment left out of the show is less important but an iconic scene for fans. In the books, when the trio is lost in the woods, they get directions from a poodle (whom Grover can speak to). Many fans were upset by the loss of the poodle simply because it encapsulated the sillier side of the storyline, which is just as important as the serious parts.
Overall, in the opinion of a fan since 2nd grade, the show has lived up to the books. An adaptation isn’t meant to be a scene-for-scene remake of the original. And while there are some scenes I wished they’d kept in or hadn’t changed, most of them I really enjoyed. There were even moments changed that kept long-time fans guessing, such as the date of the summer solstice (Percy’s deadline to retrieve the bolt) passing. It was a genuinely fun experience for fans to experience the magic of the world with the same beloved characters and storylines while still being shocked by what was happening.
The first season of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is currently available on Disney+, and season 2 has just been confirmed!