Luis Laboy, Grade 12, Staff Writer
Adapted from Rick Riordan’s bestselling book series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is an action-packed series about a boy pushed into the adventurous, modern world of Greek mythology.
Starring Walker Scobell, mainly known for his role as Adam in The Adam Project (2022), as Percy Jackson, the show follows the 12-year- old demigod who has come of age to enter the dangerous world his Greek God father left for him. Him and his friends go on a quest around the United States to save the world.
The three lead actors, Walker Scobell (Percy), Aryan Simhadri (Grover), and Leah Jefferies (Annabeth) displayed good progressive chemistry throughout the series. The chemistry built on the screen transcended into reality as well. The three actors have become the best of friends with each other in real life, demonstrating chemistry that translates just as well off screen.
“The cast was perfect" exclaimed Lior Austrian-Jacobs (‘27). The whole crew tried their best to get the most authentic adaptation of Riordan's books. They recruited Riordan to be one of the head writers for the series. The series includes much of the action and villains in the books.
The series had to shrink the first book into eight episodes. Aiden Tom ('24) spoke on how "the action and fighting was great, but it was too short. Each conflict was sorted out in five minutes." In trying to adapt the book, the series condensed and "took a lot of the humor and whimsical spirit out of it" expressed Lior Austrian-Jacobs (‘27). Some storylines were cut and merged into different episodes to fit in the limited time given to the series.
The series started with a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes for its first season. The series also gained a large following from previous fans and new fans interested in Greek Mythology and the coming-of-age genre. Disney greenlit the series for a second season, based on the second book of the series, planned to release around Late 2025/Early 2026.
Overall, the series is a good adaptation of the book series, with a charming cast and supportive crew. Although condensed into a smaller version of the original book, it can go far and win over many new audience members.