The award-winning young adult fiction book series by popular American writer Rick Riordan has finally finished its first season as a new TV series on Disney Plus. The highly anticipated show Percy Jackson and the Olympians has received an influx of feedback from viewers ever since its announcement. From critiques regarding the casting choices to the show’s CGI effects, the show has been enveloped in relative discourse. However, this is not unexpected, given the presence of loyal fans who have closely followed the book series, movie adaptions, and the current TV series. This viewer as a long-standing enjoyer of the young adult fiction series, I have quite a bit to say.
As many may or may not know, casting for the beloved character Annabeth Chase from the novel has been a topic of controversy. The root of the issue is that Annabeth in the book series was often described as a blonde with calculating gray eyes, and unexpectedly so, the actress currently portraying the character is Leah Jeffries, a young black American actress.
As of late, Disney has been on a streak of casting actresses that aren’t necessarily physical matches for their fictional characters, as seen in The Little Mermaid and the up-and-coming Snow White. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is no exception to this particular phenomenon. Casting controversy related to viewer discontent is not uncommon; however, “discontent” could not possibly encapsulate the backlash Jeffries has received.
In the earlier movie adaptations, critiques for casting were not reserved for Alexandra Daddario, the actress playing Annabeth. For reference, the characters in the fictional series are around twelve at the start of the books, and Daddario was twenty-four at the beginning of the shooting. Not to mention, she isn’t quite a dirty blonde or particularly gray-eyed.
It didn’t bother viewers when Percy Jackson, himself in the movie adaptations, didn’t seem to fit the picture. Despite the fact he was not, in fact, a twelve-year-old boy, neither was he olive-skin-toned or green-eyed.
However, I was not particularly dissatisfied with the casting choices for the movie adaptations. On the contrary, I felt as though they were well-suited for their roles. Now, as to why these controversial choices didn’t bother me, I’d like to say that it’s because this is a fictional story with fictional characters. Unfortunately, not many fans can agree. Besides how strange it can be to feel so incredibly offended by the casting of a fictional character, the real issue lies in viewers’ selective criticism regarding these casting decisions. Why must it suddenly become an issue that Leah Jeffries is cast?
Still skeptical? Perhaps an even more defining opinion regarding Jeffries’ casting is Rick Riordan’s acknowledgment of Leah Jeffries as Annabeth Chase. The Author himself stated, “If you have a problem with this casting, however, take it up with me.” he continued on his blog, “Leah Jeffries is Annabeth Chase.”
Nevertheless, it’s difficult to say that Jeffries isn’t fit for the role at any extent; there’s more to an actor’s role than outward appearance, including screen presence and on-screen chemistry. It is even said that the star of the show, Walker Scobell, was eager for Jeffries to be cast as Annabeth Chase, claiming that she must be cast.
Besides minor casting controversies, casting has been well-received overall. In particular, I am referring to Grover, who Aryan Simhadri plays. Simhadri has accurately depicted Grover and has done an incredible job this season. I can clearly observe how much Simhadri has grown into his role.
Props to Dior Goodjohn; her performance as Clarisse in the first couple of episodes was most commendable. It truly felt as though she had jumped right off the page. Despite minimal appearances in the season, her outstanding performance has left an indelible mark on the show. Many inexperienced young actors struggle to express complex emotions on screen; however, this was different for Goodjohn.
Additionally, the casting of Walker Scobell as the protagonist of this wonderful series is worthy of particular praise. Scobell embodies Percy Jackson remarkably, balancing youthful exuberance with the weight of his character’s newfound responsibilities. He captures the essence of Percy’s journey from an ordinary boy to a demigod hero.
Percy emerges as our compelling protagonist in the young adult fiction series, characterized by his unyielding moral compass. He is depicted as a maverick, fearlessly confronting authority figures, including Ares, God of War, and even the mighty Zeus. His defiance is rooted in justice, as he vehemently opposes the Gods’ exploitation of power and neglect of their offspring. His strong moral compass and heroic defeats have won the hearts of many readers. He is truly a beloved character, and as such, there was a lot at stake when searching for the perfect actor for Percy. Scobell was precisely the best actor for this role. There is a strong presence and drive in Scobell’s Percy Jackson, and this is exactly what the show needs. Perhaps the only trait that was an absolutely crucial parallel between the TV show and the novel series.
However, regardless of how incredibly cast these characters are, the script had its challenges. The dialogue occasionally felt stilted, making some scenes difficult to act out. Especially for younger and inexperienced actors in particular, which the cast is primarily comprised of. In addition, the script was far too unfaithful to the book at times, leading to multiple unnatural interactions on screen that felt most perplexing to me. The acting was uncomfortable to witness at many moments in the show. Even seemingly experienced actors seemed to have had trouble on screen. In truth, the acting was not the most memorable part of the show, and I truly wonder if it is a challenge with the script itself, the composition of scenes, or even the actors themselves. Although much of this difficulty could be accounted for as inexperience on the actor’s part, the script also made it exponentially more difficult to act out without sounding unnatural.
This has left many fans of the original book series feeling the show needed to be improved in many ways, including myself. I’ve certainly experienced moments of surprise while watching the show, realizing many pivotal points in the storyline were drastically altered or entirely left out. Not only that, but the show was much too fast-paced, denying the script the justice it deserved. Causing character development to be much too unnatural and fast-paced; many viewers who have not read the series will not be able to truly grasp the emotional growth of the characters as individuals and as a group. Not to say there was no sign of character growth throughout season 1, but that there was certainly a lack of depth in it. However, I must also add that this could’ve likely resulted from how incredibly fast-paced the season seemed, which also could have been a result of budgeting and certain limitations for episodes that could be aired.
In general, my experience with the books was quite different from the show, as many scenes and story elements that I thought were highlighted by Riordan didn’t seem to be reflected on screen.
However, a common challenge when adapting novels to screen is translating internal monologues and dialogue into visual storytelling. If you’re thinking of watching, despite not reading or having any knowledge of the book, I would not deter anyone from watching as it still possesses a compelling story. However, it may fall short in other areas.
While the CGI effects, particularly impressive in scenes involving mythical creatures, sometimes fell short in others, especially in scenes that involved water, often making the show difficult to watch. The portrayal of Camp Half-Blood, although visually appealing, lacked some of the magical essence that many fans might have expected. Yet, we must also acknowledge the constraints of television production.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ first season on Disney Plus marks a significant achievement in adapting a beloved book series to screen. While it had shortcomings in script, CGI, and acting, the strength of its casting, direction, and soundtrack compensated mainly for these. The show has set a solid foundation for the characters and their world and has the potential for improved future seasons. Fans and new viewers alike should stay tuned, as the journey of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover is just beginning.
