By Piper Frantz

January 2026

I was at the beach, around 7 years ago. The salty smell of the ocean wafted through the window, and a rather tacky seashell lamp sat by my bedside, casting a warm glow about the room. I situated myself under the covers with my back against the headboard and opened the book.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief - a book about a kid named Percy Jackson who finds out that his father was a god, and goes to a camp for demigods, also known as half-bloods. The story follows his adventures on a quest trying to obtain Zeus's lightning bolt and return it to him before a war between the gods broke out.

As soon as I finished this novel, I knew that it would become my favorite book series of all time. And I was right, it did. 

In 2022, it was announced that Disney+ would feature a show adaptation made by Rick Riordan, the original author of the books. Excitement rushed through me, and I ran into the living room to tell my mom. 

But a year later when the show came out, I have to admit that I was disappointed. Instead of a show adaptation of the books, it was more like they were re-imagined. Many important book scenes were left out, and scenes were added that were never even remotely in the series. It was still a good show, with great actors, but it wasn’t what fans were expecting at all. The show is only good if you’ve never read the books. 

As for the actors, they are for the most part very talented and fit their characters well. Walker Scobell plays Percy, the main character of the series. He’s sarcastic, funny, brave, and eternally loyal. Scobell plays this part wonderfully, adding the playfulness Percy Jackson is known for. At first, it did bother me that he didn’t have the classic Percy Jackson look of black hair and green eyes, but his acting made up for that completely. 

I can’t fully say the same for his co-star, Leah Jeffries, who plays Annabeth Chase. In the first season she had the classic Annabeth charm of being witty, brave, and sassy. But in the second season she has seemed to be dry and bland, that spark of Annabeth wasn’t quite there anymore. 

Speaking of Season Two, everything went downhill there. The season is based off of the second book, The Sea of Monsters, where Percy and Annabeth have to sail a dangerous ocean to save their best friend Grover (played by Aryan Simhadri), and their home, Camp Half-Blood. The show's storyline was nothing like the book. The only similarities were the characters and some main key scenes, like the Chariot Race (episode 2). Many of the smaller – but still very important – details were changed or left out completely. 

For instance, in the book Percy is good friends with Tyson, an outcasted kid at his school. He later finds out during a dodgeball tournament where he is attacked by monsters that Tyson is actually a cyclops. This is a key moment in the books because Tyson saves Percy and proves that he is good. However this scene was completely omitted from the show, and changed to Percy knowing that Tyson is a cyclops from the start and the dodgeball scene never happening. In addition, Annabeth has important trauma regarding cyclops that is never even remotely implied in the show. She just meets Tyson and is like “okay, that’s weird but whatever.” It completely takes away deep feelings her character is supposed to have. 

I understand that the show is geared towards a younger audience, but it just feels childish and too lighthearted. The series is about children having to fight monsters and struggle to survive and save the world. Why are they hardly worried about it at all? 

The show doesn’t make sense and simply isn’t good if you’ve read the books. Rick Riordan is one of my favorite authors ever but I’m disappointed that he allowed his writing to be twisted into something completely different. I do not recommend this show to anyone who loves the Percy Jackson book series, but if you haven’t read them, by all means watch the show. Just please, read the books after you do so you know the potential the TV series had and threw away.

Executive Producers: James Bobin, Jon Steinberg, and Dan Shotz

Rating: PG

Genres: Fantasy, Drama, Action-Adventure

Seasons: 2

Airing Dates: Dec. 2023-Present

Streaming Platforms: Disney+ and Hulu

By Sophia Janosko

January 2026

The final season of Netflix's most popular TV series, Stranger Things, just recently came to an end after 10 years of production. Throughout its run, the show captivated audiences of all ages with its perfect mix of science fiction and horror. Stranger Things stands out as one of the greatest shows of all time due to its storyline, characters, and the blend of a nostalgic 1980s atmosphere.

The show is centered around the disappearance of a young boy, Will Byers, in a small fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana. What begins as a missing persons case slowly turns into a much larger, complex story involving a secret government laboratory, an alternate dimension known as the Upside Down, and a young girl with extraordinary powers. 

A part of a series that keeps watchers hooked is the overall storyline of the show. From Season 1 to Season 5, the plot continues to thicken. Each season had a new unexpected twist which made the viewer crave more.  Although some viewers argue towards the end of the show that production became rushed and there were many noticeable plot holes, these flaws do not outweigh the show's overall positive qualities.

The writers/directors of the show - twin brothers Matt and Ross Duffer - did a great job on character development overall. The behind-the-scenes staff (costume designers, makeup artists, and hairstylists) also played a big role in shaping the characters. Every detail helped show the growth and personality of the characters. As the characters matured, their appearances and behaviors changed in a realistic way that matched their experiences.  Many of the actors started young, around nine to thirteen years old, with Stranger Things being their first major role. Over time, viewers watched these characters grow up emotionally and physically making the struggles relatable and real to the target audience of young adults. 

The whole show in general is nostalgic. My mom, who grew up in the 1980s, said the nostalgia of the show makes her enjoy it more. The setting including the Radio Shack, the school, and the pool in the early seasons are taken straight from the era. The costumes are very historically accurate, featuring the iconic Scoops Ahoy uniforms, brightly striped shirts, and old cheerleading uniforms. 

My favorite part is the soundtrack. Stranger Blog, an independent blog website that specializes in music,  talks about the soundtrack matching up with the scenes and the emotional effects of the show. A great example is “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush during Max’s breakout scene during season 4. Max Mayfield  is one of the main characters in the main “party” who has a rough family life and struggles with trauma and grief. During the scene, she is getting stuck under Vecna's (the main “mastermind” behind all the antagonism) intense control. The song elevates the moment symbolizing Max’s fight to leave the darkness consuming her. As she flashes back to her happiest memories with her closest friends, the desperation on her face fighting the control of Vecna, and the slow motion shots of her running for her freedom, make the scene incredibly intense and powerful. As the scene continues the music speeds up adding more tension. This scene connects with viewers who relate to Max. The song became iconic, even after its initial release almost forty years ago, because it symbolized hope, survival, and inner strength. When the song is carried into season 5, it has a more impactful emotional weight because it continues to remind the viewers how important Max is as a character because of how much she endured.

Overall, I think Netflix's series Stranger Things is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys great storytelling, character development, and emotional depth. Each part of the show was well-developed and kept the viewers wanting more. Even if you don't like sci-fi and/or horror, the nostalgic feeling makes the show worth your while. Take it from me when I say you won't regret watching!

Creators/Directors: Matt and Ross Duffer 

Rating: TV-14

Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Mystery, Drama, Coming-of-Age

Seasons: 5

Airing Dates: 2016-2025

Streaming Platform: Netflix

By Katherine Graham

January 2026

There are few pieces of cinema that are more culturally significant than Robert Wise's The Sound of Music.

Themes of love, heartache, and patriotism allowed this musical to become widely acclaimed and a staple piece of cinema in the 1960s through present day. It played in theaters for four years after its release due to its popularity and remains in the top 250 movies of all time with over 280,000 reviews. Starring Julie Andrews (Maria) and Christopher Plummer (Captain Von Trapp), the movie recounts the history of the Von Trapp family from Austria. Following its debut, the film won 10 Oscars in various categories as well as 4 Golden Globes.

Set in 1938, the story takes significant creative liberties including the timeline, personalities of characters, and the family's ultimate escape from Austria. Despite this, it recounts well the historical accuracy of the Nazi invasion underneath the splendor of a love story.The movie takes place over the course of several months and showcases the gradual invasion of the Nazis into Salzburg, where the tale is set. The character of Captain Von Trapp is desired by the regime to serve in their military due to his success as a naval captain for Austria. This storyline provides significant historical context to the viewer and therefore remains prominent in today's society.

Additionally, the archetypes of both Maria and the Captain are iconic in cinema and were the mold for characters even today. The charismatic Maria is sent away from the abbey (a convent) in order to become the governess to the 7 motherless children of the Von Trapp Family. There she becomes more expressive with her personality which draws Captain Von Trapp towards her. Additionally, the secluded and emotionally scarred Captain open himself up again to love (for both his family and country) after the arrival of Maria. This, in addition to an iconic and wonderful soundtrack, have allowed the movie to be renowned for over 60 years.

The score of this musical was composed by Richard Rodgers and the lyrics were written by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was created on the basis of Maria Von Trapp’s 1949 memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. The most popular songs include “Do-Re-Mi,” “My Favorite Things,” and “Edelweiss.” The song “Edelweiss,” in particular, evokes delicate, sensitive, and raw emotions in the listener. In one scene, the Captain sings it knowing that this would be the last time in his home country due to his plan to flee with his family in order to avoid the Nazi invasion. Christopher Plummer sang with such raw patriotism and innocence that it would lead viewers to actually believe that “Edelweiss” was the national anthem of Austria, which it is not. This display of acting, along with such a moving soundtrack, produced one of the greatest pieces of cinema of all time. Today, you can watch The Sound of Music through Disney+ or Amazon Prime. 

Producer/Director: Robert Wise

Released: 1965

Rating: G

Run Time: 2 hours 54 minutes

Genres: Musical, Romance, Drama

Streaming Platform: Disney+ and Amazon Prime

The Sound of Music Trailer - YouTube

Brenna is a junior at TJ who specializes in creative writing. Alongside being in the Theater Department (actor and PR), Brenna enjoys writing essays, articles, and books in her free time. 

Would you like to contribute an article to the Reviews section? Contact Brenna at BR54804@students.wjhsd.net.