Our Favorite Son of Poseidon Has Hit the Big Screen for the First Time!

Samantha Jackson - February 7th

For many people (myself included), Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan was a notable part of their lives. Whether the books gave them their love for reading, or maybe introduced them to fandoms, or even just became a book that they knew they could read and enjoy, people around the world loved this series. And now, with Rick Riordan himself watching over it, Disney is making and releasing a Percy Jackson TV series!

Currently, there are about 8 episodes out, each spanning 40 minutes. As for the episodes themselves, they do a very good job of taking the stories and reworking them to fit the TV format. For the most part, each episode is accurate to the books, aside from a few minor changes to better fit the way the stories aged.

For context, Percy Jackson follows, well, Percy Jackson, a boy who went from a normal kid who struggled with school to the son of a god and a part of a major prophecy. When Percy is brought into the world of the gods, he is brought to Camp Half-Blood, a camp that helps out demigods like him. There, Percy is tasked with returning Zeus’ masterbolt, since Zeus is so sure that Percy stole it. On his quest, you meet characters like Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena and definitely the smartest of the three, and Grover, a satyr tasked with protecting and helping Percy and Annabeth on the quest. You also meet characters like Luke Castellan, son of Hermes who wants to help Percy, Clarisse La Rue, daughter of Ares who seems to hate Percy for whatever reason, and Chiron, a centaur who runs Camp Half-Blood.

When the show was announced, fans went wild. People were hoping and praying that it wouldn’t turn out like certain movies-that-shouldn’t-be-named. Now, people are loving the new series, some even saying that our three main characters might not look exactly like their book counterparts, but by the way they act, they seem like they came straight out of the book. 

Not everyone has taken a liking to the series however. Some people feel like the changes that were made were not necessary, and that most people hoped it was a one-to-one recreation. Other people are mad solely because Percy and Annabeth look quite different from their book counterparts. Despite these criticisms, most people are enjoying the series and looking forward to more. 

Personally, I’m really looking forward to seeing Nico Di Angelou in the series. Unfortunately, because of his place in the books, he most likely won't appear in this season. The creators have left Easter Eggs, such as the Lotus scene where you can faintly hear Nico yelling “Bianca!” (his sister’s name) in the background. Actually, I just generally really like all the little details. They make references to the Percy Jackson Musical (which is really good and has amazing songs like Lost! and D.O.A.) while also sticking really close to the source material.

Speaking of the source material, I personally really like all the changes they made to the show. While some people feel like they are unnecessary or bad, I feel like it gives new life to the series. Seeing the TV series didn’t feel like rereading a book; rather, it felt like experiencing a new story in an old world. The way that they depicted the characters felt fresh, and made the whole experience more enjoyable. Besides, a lot of things in the story changes throughout the series, so now Rick Riordan can make the story with the future in mind.

It isn’t set in stone yet, but Disney plans to make 5 seasons (one for each of the books). Depending on how well-received the series is, we might even get other Rick Riordan books on screen, like Heroes of Olympus, Magnus Chase, Trials of Apollo, and maybe ever Kane Chronicles. Of course, only time will tell.