Review: Percy Jackson returns with a splash
Review: Percy Jackson returns with a splash
My thoughts on the first four episodes
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This review does contain spoilers.
After months of teasers, my most anticipated show of all time is out – Percy Jackson and the Olympians. If you know anything about me, you’ll know I’m a little bit obsessed with the franchise.
My brothers and I got to see the first two episodes early at an exclusive, in-theater showing that I found a sign-up for on Twitter. On the way over, we listened to the Percy Jackson musical. We even brought in a bag of blue candy and got a poster and Camp Half-Blood T-shirt at the end.
Disney+ ended up dropping both episodes early on their platform while my brother and I were sitting pretty in the theater, but still, I wouldn’t trade the big-screen experience for anything. Plus, it was fun to respond to my friend’s texts about the show right away instead of having to wait for them to watch.
The show encapsulated the Percy Jacksonverse perfectly. It brought back the magic of the series. Camp Half-Blood was stunning, the cabins even more so, and the actors fit into their scenes seamlessly.
Here are some of my thoughts on the first four episodes:
Episode 1: Wow! I felt like I was reading the book. It’s evident how much of a role Rick Riordan played in the production of the show. It was a good introduction to the universe. I was surprised by how much they focused on Percy’s relationship with his mother, but I think it was a sweet way to remind us of that it’s a family-friendly show meant to teach us the power of community.
Episode 2: I liked some of the foreshadowing we saw here. I did find this episode a little slow. (Maybe I’m just impatient to get to the meaty stuff). We see more of Percy’s sassiness and Camp Half-Blood’s allure. The scale of the pavilion and the training camps was a bit smaller than what I imagined, but all the characters fit their roles as described in the book.
Episode 3: By far my favorite episode. This started the core three on their quest and showed the dynamic of their relationships to come. I loved seeing Annabeth and Percy bicker while Grover tried to step in as the mediator. All three actors play their parts perfectly. There was such depth to Medusa’s story, and of course we can’t forget Lin Manuel Miranda and the Empire State Building’s debut. (I literally screamed).
Episode 4: Sooo short. Too short. Like everyone, I was intrigued by how they would fix the infamous St. Louis Arch problem and to my absolute hilarity (and predictions), the fist of water gratified. Percy continues to be mad at the world and Annabeth and Grover continue to be absolutely iconic.
I can’t wait to see what the rest of the show brings. I’m giving it a four stars out of five, simply because I’m saving five stars for the most perfect thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve got to at least pretend I’m a tough critic, right?
You can stream Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+ on Tuesdays.
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