FUNatics Review – Percy Jackson and the Olympians Opens the Door to Greek Mythology for Younger Viewers and for Older viewers who may not have had to study the “classics” in school. I watched the whole show with my 17 year Old daughter who had read the whole book series by Rick Riordan.
Rory has helped me think of the show in the eyes of someone who is younger, and who has read the books, and below she gives her take on the show after I do my initial review. Mind you neither one of us is telling you to go and watch anything, just giving our honest opinions.
The series, based on the beloved book franchise, begins with the introduction of Percy Jackson (played by Walker Scobell), setting the stage for a classic tale of a pre-teen outsider.
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Battling bullies and grappling with what initially appears to be mere hallucinations, Percy’s ordinary struggles soon take a mythic turn. Alongside a talented ensemble of young actors, including Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase, and Charlie Bushnell as Luke Castellan, the characters come to life with charm and charisma, each bringing a unique flair to the story with their individual mannerisms and personalities.
Through 8 episodes we see these characters and actors develop a friendship reminiscent of another magical cast of kids who grow up on camera whom we shall not name.
We, as an audience, are treated to learning about how the Greek Gods work and fight amongst themselves and how it carries over into the human world. Although we may not be magical, the wars affect us all. Except for those who are half-blood, who are hunted and have to seek refuge and learn in a mythical place called Camp Halfblood.
Which is where our story really starts taking off. Jason Mantzoukas as Dionysus, and Glynn Turman as Chiron a Centaur who is the “Headmaster” play well off each other in the limited screen time.
Kids of all ages will pick up on the school vibe of Camp Halfblood, a safe space for these kids, where it appears everyone has each other’s best interest at heart, or so it appears.
Our main 3 kids are set off on a quest to find the stolen lightning bolts of owned by Zeus himself. Staying true to the books, we are treated to a coming-of-age story. Learning about the burdens each character has while learning how to be friends.
Percy, Annabeth, and Grover are in their own Greek tale, and only time tells if it will be a Greek tragedy or comedy. Percy Jackson falls in the middle.
Most acting in the show is well above par, looking at you Adam Copeland as Aries, the cast brings this tale to life. If this was cast any differently, it would not have held up as well as it does.
Here is where we got a little anxious in our seats, again while the acting was above par, the dialogue could have been much better. Some of the banter between the kids is stuttered and feels forced upon them, this is not to say they didn’t do a good job with what they had. Just goes nowhere, and we find ourselves going to reach for our cell phones for a small distraction.
The biggest flaw and this is a first-world problem, is the fade to dark after every main scene. It was like watching a TV drama from the 80’s where we knew when a commercial break was coming. This may actually be the reason for this, maybe Disney+ will have it air somewhere that commercial time is needed, and they set it up this way. Very distracting, and the fade to black is not needed in this day and age of streaming. Especially on your own service!
That was the Greg review, and below you can read Rory’s review. We Do not have a rating system so we make it up 4.2/5 Hermes. Would have been much higher had we seen the cameo of Paul Shaffer from the David Letterman show and Disney’s Hercules, but we certainly were happy with Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Rory gives her review:
As someone who did not enjoy the books as much as other kids my age did and someone who is not into Greek mythology (I prefer Latin) I loved the new series. I feel like the show really was a great adaptation, but better and more engaging than the book series. Having the visuals to go along with the mythology was great.
I thought the actors were done well, but to me, the creature design and CGI blew me away.
It ended up being a fun adventure.
Grover may be my favorite character, he is the one who I think grew the most of the main 3, but the Annabeth story and the tree may be one of my favorite things. Along with watching Edge aka Adam Copeland in his trench coat and overacting was so much fun for a wrestling fan.
The “Tunnel of Love” and the call backs to Walt Disney World may have made me laugh the most. But the Tunnel artwork and storytelling were the best part of the series.
We don’t have a rating system, so we make up our own: 5/5 Swordfish! High praise from a 17-year-old.
Overall – As a family, we enjoyed the time we spent watching and going on this adventure. While the adults may fiddle with the phones during some scenes, the story really picks up and takes you along for a fun mythological ride.
We hope to see a season 2 and will be glued to the TV if/when it does.
You can watch the whole series that made its Disney+ debut on December 19, 2023, and wrapped up last week on January 31st, 2024.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians –
Percy Jackson is on a dangerous quest. Outrunning monsters and outwitting gods, he must journey across America to return Zeus’ master bolt and stop an all-out war. After losing his mother, Percy is sheltered at Camp Half-Blood, a sanctuary for demigod children.
He must prove himself and confront his origins once he discovers he too is a demigod, and will take off into the perils of pursuing enemies in search of the Underworld. With the help of his quest mates Annabeth and Grover, Percy’s journey will lead him closer to the answers he seeks: how to fit into a world where he feels out of place, if he’ll ever see his mother again, and if he can ever find out who he’s destined to be.
Based on Disney Hyperion’s best-selling book series by award-winning author Rick Riordan, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” stars Walker Scobell (“Percy Jackson”), Leah Sava Jeffries (“Annabeth Chase”), and Aryan Simhadri (“Grover Underwood.) Created by Rick Riordan and Jon Steinberg, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is executive produced by Steinberg and Dan Shotz alongside Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, The Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Bert Salke, The Gotham Group’s Jeremy Bell and D.J. Goldberg, James Bobin, Jim Rowe, Monica Owusu-Breen, Anders Engström, Jet Wilkinson.
You can also experience Percy Jackson at Walt Disney World!
