Percy Jackson and the Olympians just ended its first season on Disney+. Based on the book series of the same name by Rick Riordan, the series was a massive hit for the streaming service. Fans are already looking forward to season 2, myself included, but I do want to see one big change moving forward.
I've been a huge fan of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series for over a decade. This series is incredible in so many ways. Sometimes when I'm watching the show, I can't even believe that it's real. I loved it! Disney has finally created something that feels like the books. No offense to Logan Lerman, the original Percy Jackson from the 2010s-era movies, but we can all admit that they strayed pretty far from Riordan's vision.
There are a few issues with Percy Jackson and the Olympians, but I consider them to be minor. The pacing felt off at times. Some episodes were so short and ended just when things were getting good. In the haste to get to the end, the series left out some emotional moments and arcs for the characters, but that often happens when adapting a book series for TV. All of these issues can and should be fixed in future seasons. There's one thing that I think has to be ironed out before season 2, and which could be crucial for the show's success.
We need more of the supporting characters involved in each episode, especially the gods! Percy, Annabeth, and Grover are terrific; don't get me wrong. Walker Scobell, Leah Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri do an incredible job bringing these characters to life. They carried this story on their back for eight great episodes. But the scene stealers of Percy Jackson and the Olympians are the Olympians. Every time we meet one of the Olympians, it's electric. The casting directors, Denise Chamian and Jordana Sapiurka, did such a good job casting this series, and I want to spend as much time with the Olympians as possible.
Unfortunately, because of how much time is spent on the quest with Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, we only see the gods for short bursts. Starting with Alecto (Megan Mullally), Chiron (Glynn Turman) and Mr. D (Jason Mantzoukas), the Greek gods and monsters are only onscreen for a few minutes of each episode. Ares (Adam Copeland) gets more time to shine, and he's become a fan-favorite character. Every other god, including the Big 3 of Zeus (Lance Reddick), Poseidon (Toby Stephens), and Hades (Jay Duplass), gets minimal screen time.
And that's the problem. I want to see more of these talented performers in these fun roles that showcase their abilities. I want to see what they're doing and how they're interacting with each other while Percy, Annabeth, and Grover are off doing their quests and trying to save the world. As we know, there are so many things going on behind the scenes. Why not show that to viewers?
After watching the first season, I just keep thinking about how great it was to meet Poseidon, Zeus, and Hades, especially. When Poseidon arrives to save Percy from Zeus on Olympus, it results in one of the best moments of the season. Same with the scene at the diner with Sally Jackson (Virginia Kull) and Poseidon. There are so many incredible characters, and now, there's a way to bring them into the series in a way that couldn't happen in the book series.
In the books, we see this story exclusively through Percy's perspective. But on the show, there's so much more room for the creative team to play. Now they can cut away from Percy, Annabeth, and Grover to other parts of the world and Underworld, Olympus, and Poseidon's realm in the sea. It seems like that's what will happen as the show moves forward and this world opens up even more.
In the first season, it's important to introduce Percy, Annabeth, and Grover and establish their relationship. By the end of the first season, the trio are quite close and have learned to trust each other. Now that their relationships are established, it'd be great to check in with all of the other characters. Some of that will happen naturally as this story continues to grow. Characters will be separated, and new characters will be introduced. I hope the series will embrace those characters and make sure they add to this story in a meaningful way.
If I just wanted Percy's story, I could open up The Lightning Thief and proceed to read all five mainline books in the series. This is one big way that the TV series can be different from the books. Yes, Percy is the hero of this story, but there are other heroes, too. There are villains who I can't wait to meet. The first season only scratched the surface of what's possible, and I can't wait to see what's next!
We're still waiting on news about Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2, but hopefully, the series will be picked up for season 2 soon.
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