Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is streaming on Disney Plus at the time of writing. This review was written based on Eps 1-3. Rated TV-PG. Common Sense says 9.
STORY: A
A fairly faithful retelling of the original, popular YA novel.
In 2005, the Percy Jackson series stormed its way onto bookshelves everywhere around the globe. It was an instant sensation, or atleast it felt that way to its audience. I can’t speak for author Rick Riordan.
The show’s creators know they’ve got a good story and don’t mess with it. Whenever a novel is adapted for the screen, a few minor tweaks have to happen. But I highly doubt that any of the changes will rile any diehard fans of this classic story about the Greek myths coming to life in modern times.
PEOPLE: B
The kids act their age, and it works.
When the novel was adapted into a movie in 2010, its cast needed a lot more birthday candles on their cakes in real life than their characters did. Old, they were, as Yoda might say. The show’s cast is much younger, and its youthful vibe feels more in step with the original novel.
FILM NERD STUFF: B
A vibrant color palette fills the film with a lighter tone than the movie version.
I enjoyed the 2010 film. But like so many other movies, every other scene looks like it was shot at midnight. It’s dark. Things are hard to see, leaving one often wondering what’s going on.
The show feels more like The Goonies than The Batman. The television version pops with splashes of color. We’re filled with a sense of wonder instead of wondering what’s going on.
TURN AND FACE THE STRANGE (Elective Class): A-
The show has more positive messages than Medusa’s head has snakes.
The story revolves around questions every tween eventually must bravely face: Who am I? Who am I going to be? And why does this big change feel like a quest teeming with monsters and mayhem?
The show pokes at these big questions with a ginormous, magical trident, whose three prongs are: respect, curiosity, and fun.
FINAL COMMENTS:
While I wish we would get more new, original stories more often, Percy Jackson & the Olympians is an example of tackling IP correctly. They drill down to the original’s essence in a way we haven’t seen yet. Sequels and work based on IP isn’t going away any time soon. Hopefully the execs with their dollar-tinted glasses are watching this show to see how to do it right.