The Real Reason Why You Should Watch Percy Jackson and the Olympians
The show has a much more mature narrative than you might have thought.
Summary
- Despite the strikes, 2023 has seen a lot of releases.
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians premiered on Disney+ on December 19.
- The show explores some very serious themes that adults can enjoy.
- Unlike the books, the new show offers viewers a variety of perspectives on the events.
As we are on the cusp of a new year, we may have already put 2023 out of our minds. However, this year will most likely be remembered for the impact it had on the entertainment industry. Specifically, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes that disrupted Hollywood resulted in the cancellation of dozens of beloved shows and the postponement of countless others. Fortunately, there was never a complete shutdown, as 2023 has seen its fair share of premieres.
For example, Disney+ just released a new fantasy series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Based on Rick Riordan's eponymous book series, it follows the titular young demigod as he tries to find his place among gods and mythical creatures while trying to save the world. And while it may seem like a children's show, it has a lot to offer a wider audience.
Adult Topics
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which premiered on December 19, is only three episodes into its run, but it has already touched on some very mature themes, such as a person's legacy, relationships with parents, and even sexual abuse. The latter was explored in the recent third episode in Medusa's storyline, as the audience was delicately made aware of her traumatizing experiences with Percy's father Poseidon and Annabeth's mother Athena.
Interestingly, this more mature storyline was not addressed in Riordan's books. Written in the first person, they offer only Percy's point of view. As a twelve-year-old, the boy could hardly grasp the nuances and complexities of Medusa's attitude toward him, his friends, and their parents.
The Show's Polyphony
The Disney+ show, however, was able to offer a spectrum of viewpoints, including Medusa's.
'Jon [Steinberg] wrote a story of [Medusa] thinking that [Poseidon] was someone she could trust, and he broke that trust. She was feeling safe, and then the situation turned unsafe. So I chose to play that she was a victim of rape and total abandonment, not understanding why Athena would turn on her,' Jessica Parker Kennedy, the actress behind Medusa on the new show, revealed in a recent interview.
According to Rick Riordan, who co-wrote the show, there are dozens of versions of the Medusa myth, offering different perspectives on what happened in Athena's temple between her priestess and Poseidon, and later between the goddess and Medusa.
'Who's to blame? Who's the abuser? What's the real story? It's fiction, but it certainly is important to acknowledge that there is abuse involved here. Abuse of power,' the author added.
And Disney+'s Percy Jackson and the Olympians does a great job of capturing that complexity, which is why you should give it a try.
Source: Variety.