Look, I didn’t want to be a million dollar franchise.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is considered to be one of the biggest book series of our world today, having sold over 180 million copies since its original release in 2005 (WordsRated). This five book series tells the story of 12-year-old teenage boy, Percy Jackson, and the complicated life he lives after discovering his true identity as a half-blood (half human and half god). With a complete 16 book universe, this saga has had almost 200 million fans desperate for an accurate screen adaptation.
Released in the form of an 8-episode TV show available on the streaming platform, Disney+, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” portrays the events of the first book in the series “The Lightning Thief”. The show is said to be a thrilling adventure full of nostalgic book references and impactful acting from its young starring actors, Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri.
This production features talented guest stars such as Lin Manuel-Miranda, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Megan Mallaly, Adam Copeland, and many more. Filming took place in Vancouver, British Columbia on a volume stage, a set that uses large LED panels to display computer-generated imagery. After 9 months of filming, and 10 months of waiting, this show has been highly-anticipated by the public eye.
Its 2-episode premiere on December 20, 2023 generated 13.3 million views in its first six days on Disney+ (Variety), and has since been welcomed and praised by countless fans,
“I really like how Walker has been playing Percy. I really think he’s bringing new light into the character and they’re portraying him as a really complicated and three dimensional character and they’re doing a really good job,” Sophomore Milo Wilson, who has been a fan
of the books since 4th grade, said.
He has stayed faithful to this series because of the relatability of the characters and intricate universe you are transported to. Wilson states that during hard times he has found solace in these books, looking to the characters for advice.
Some book-enthusiasts have criticized changes made from the original novels to the series, such as the plot pacing or certain lines being left out, but the majority of supporters do not believe that the changes are that important, and actually help the story develop further.
“The show is accurate enough and the artistic liberties that it does take are well deserved, and they’re well created,” Wilson said.
With this new installment comes many new fans: ones who have not read the books and are just being introduced to this universe, as well as returning book readers. The show does a great job of introducing these complicated characters and world in a digestible way for those who have no prior knowledge of Greek mythology. The complex myths and tales present in the original novels are explained simply so fans can follow along.
One tricky thing has been avoiding spoilers for books that have been out for 20 years now, and with the revival of this series, come many show-related trends on social media platforms, such as Tiktok. Many either voice their opinions on the show or are fan-made edits of the characters, creating a difficult space for first-time viewers. However, these “newbies” also put their input on the series online, and their attempts to guess the plot twists are hilariously wrong.
As they say, all good things must come to an end, but that is not the case for the “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” TV show. The 8-episode series, plus a 50 minute behind the scenes film, has created an audience hungry for more content. On Feb. 7, a season two renewal was announced. Fans are eager for this new season, which would follow the plot of the second book, “The Sea of Monsters”.
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