Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians is one of the best book adaptations we’ve seen in a long time. It’s funny, thrilling, and, most importantly, fun. The show nails each element of the original story while allowing room to tell its own story. These discrepancies add nuances to the characters, to flesh them out in a way you couldn’t get from a first-person point of view. Don’t get me wrong, Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief is a staple in children’s literature, but it’s only as powerful as the imagination. To see this imagination realized and perfected is the sweetest gift for any fan.
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it a dozen times, but this show’s casting is spot on. Walker Scobell (The Adam Project) is a 15-year-old force to be reckoned with as our Percy. He commands the screen as naturally as Percy commands the sea. He’s sympathetic, charming, and has flawless comedic timing. He balances Seaweed Brain’s sass and heroism so expertly you’ll forget he still needs to finish high school.
Scobell shines alongside Leah Sava Jeffries (Beast), who plays Annabeth Chase and leaves no crumbs. Jeffries is only 14, but she handles her character with care far beyond her years. Annabeth is a unique character in that she’s full of contradictions. She’s sheltered yet knowledgeable, wise yet gullible. Jeffries understands this and plays it so well, whether by talking back to cops or calling Percy an idiot.
Then there’s Aryan Simhadri (Trevor: The Musical), who knocks it out of the park with his portrayal of Grover Underwood. Simhadri is the oldest of the leading trio at 17 and approaches his character with the same delicacy as Scobell and Jeffries. Grover is everyone’s favourite satyr, but he’s the one who really humanizes the trio. Whenever things get testy between Percy and Annabeth, which is often, Grover is quick to ground them and remind them why they’re on the quest in the first place. Simhadri is at one with Grover’s sensitivity, and it’s this sensitivity that brings these testy scenes to the forefront.
The supporting cast is just as great. Virginia Kull plays the part of Sally Jackson exceptionally well, so well that Sally sneaks in and becomes my new favourite supporting character. As Sally, Kull mixes motherly warmth with stern single parenting, a tough thing to do and even more challenging to capture on screen. Glynn Turman makes a formidable Chiron, and Jason Mantzoukas is hilarious as Dionysus/Mr. D. Lin-Manuel Miranda and AEW pro-wrestler Adam Copeland (formerly known as Edge) are comfortable in their roles as Hermes and Ares, respectively. They steal the spotlight in each scene but serve as great screen partners and mentors to the young Scobell, Jeffries, and Simhadri.
We don’t see much of the Big Three—Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon—but what we see of them is very promising. Jay Duplass seems to have Hades’s cool indifference down, and Toby Stephens is a perfect choice for Poseidon, opposite of Scobell’s Percy. The late Lance Riddick, who unfortunately passed last year, did a fantastic job portraying Zeus and will undoubtedly be a tough act to follow.
You can’t praise this show without praising its stellar graphics. Disney has recently been under fire for its poor graphics. This is most likely due to visual effects artists being overworked and underpaid. Whatever the reason, Percy does not seem to have these issues. The set designers somehow brought the magic of Camp Half-Blood and Mt. Olympus to life and made it seem so natural you forget these aren’t real places. The same can be said for the monsters. They’re even more detailed than they were in the books, and they look so lifelike, making the danger seem that much more real.
The stunt choreography is easy to gloss over initially because the fight scenes are relatively short and less acrobatic or choreographed than in other Disney shows. That being said, the fight scenes in this show are smart and sleek. They take the time to highlight how each character fights differently according to their weapons and skills. It’s also refreshing to see Percy become a more skilled fighter as the episodes continue.
As a diehard fan of Percy Jackson and good stories in general, I cannot recommend this show enough. It takes familiar fans on an adventure without alienating new fans. It’s full of heart, wit, and undeniable charm. Percy Jackson and the Olympians are Disney’s newest world-changing franchise with a superb cast and enchanting visuals.