Written by JagWire Editor-in-Chief Emma Clement
Our generation grew up on Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Reading about preteen demigods, we all theorized about who our godly parents would be. So when it was announced that Disney+ would be producing a live-action series (a much-needed reprieve from the film’s failures), I was overjoyed. After watching the 8-episode first season, I have to say I really enjoyed it.
One of the most controversial aspects of this show was the casting, and in fact, it was one of my favorite things about this film adaptation. The casting of black actress Leah Sava Jeffries to play the role of fandom darling Annabeth Chase (depicted in the books as having blonde hair and gray eyes) has sparked much discussion online. Ta.
However, in my opinion, one of the few shortcomings of the original was the lack of racial diversity among the main characters. I think that’s why Jeffries’ casting was long awaited. Riordan acknowledged this in a behind-the-scenes video for Disney+, saying he wants all kids to “watch this series and see themselves in it.” Aside from the added diversity, the casting as a whole was exceptional and brought the series to life.
Apart from the casting, the series mostly followed the same structure as the original and retained the original’s iconic moments. However, there were some changes to small plot developments that may disappoint some viewers. I personally enjoyed these changes, but 9-year-old me would have liked to see an adaptation more faithful to the book.
My biggest complaint about the changes was knowing what the trio was going to do. Whether it was the Medusa or the Lotus Casino, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover always seemed to know when they were going to fall into a trap. This erased some of the tension from the original book and made the group feel more experienced than they started.
The sometimes choppy pacing and downplaying the toxicity of Gabe and Sally Jackson’s relationship were a few other minor issues I had while watching. However, these problems were minor compared to the show’s overall success. Although I had some concerns, the Percy Jackson series was successfully completed. It was a great twist on the book series we read as kids and reminded us why we fell in love with Percy, Annabeth, and Grover in the first place.