Percy Jackson and the struggles of adaptation

Ryan Humphrey, Contributing Writer

2010’s “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” has become practically synonymous with “bad adaptation.” It takes a loose approach to adapting the first story in Rick Riordan’s beloved series of children’s books, with distorted characters and an all-over-the-place narrative that fails to fully capture the essence of the book. The 2013 sequel was even more egregious. 

Riordan has been open about his disdain for the zany pair of films, so when it was announced we would get a “Percy Jackson & the Olympians” Disney+ show with age-accurate leads and Riordan’s direct involvement, fans felt beyond excited. 

The show has many strengths, and lovingly adapts the first book while adding clever character drama to fill each episode. However, those hoping for an adaptation that outmatches the movie in every way might be disappointed. 

Despite the show’s younger leads, it does not always seem targeted towards children. Rather than embracing its roots as a quirky kid’s adventure story, the show seems to picture itself as a mature fantasy epic. 

This is a strength in some moments — the climactic final episode, for instance, benefits from the storytelling taking itself seriously — but much of the story suffers from the bleak tone.

Everything feels slow and solemn — even the jokes, which are far too infrequent. Many conversations are rendered snooze-fests by drawn-out pauses between each line, which seem to be partially a symptom of sluggish editing. Did these episodes really warrant being over thirty minutes?

The lack of energy is absolutely not the fault of the leads. In cast interviews, the three are bursting with enthusiastic chemistry that seems to have been beaten out of them before every take. 

The real culprit seems to be the movie, or at least the shadow it cast over the franchise. More than anything else, the show wants to be taken seriously, and that means completely distancing itself from the lively wackiness of what came before.

Nowhere can this be seen better than in the long-awaited Lotus Casino episode. The casino, a place that makes the gang lose their memories and grasp on time, was one of the highlights of the film. With committed — and hilarious — performances from the leads and Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” blaring in the background, there was a genuine sense of fun that made it easy to see how someone could become trapped there. Expanding this sequence to a full-length TV episode seemed like a ready-made recipe for success.

In the show, when the gang arrives at the casino, they already understand the dangerous situation they’re walking into — an instance of the show’s misguided habit of making the gang more knowledgeable about the threats they face. This is probably meant to keep things fresh for the audience members who already know the story, but instead it deprives us of the excitement of seeing the characters figure things out. 

Instead of an exciting, surrealistic sequence as the characters lose themselves in the party, the show’s Lotus Casino gives us more of the same: Characters frowning and having dour conversations about the plot. 

It is the clear low point of the show, a sequence gutted by the need for this adaptation to be different. Riordan even posted online that despite fans’ hopes for “Poker Face” to return, he would never have allowed any callbacks to the film. 

The casino helps show the difference between the two versions. The movie was weak as an adaptation, but each scene was lively and entertaining. The actors delivered every ridiculous line with confidence, and that made it a blast to watch. The show veered too hard in the other direction. It respects the source material, but it is devoid of energy. 

I certainly do not want to imply the show is worse than the movie. Despite its flaws, it’s a solid adaptation, and I had a great time revisiting this story and these characters from my childhood. 

However, what makes these characters so lovable in the books is that they’re fun. Sullen, stoic Percy Jackson doesn’t feel much like Percy at all. If they let him enjoy himself every once in a while, it would make the serious moments hit so much harder.

I can only hope that as the actors become older and more confident, and as Riordan’s bitterness towards the movies fades, the show will let itself have fun. Until then, the best “Percy Jackson & the Olympians” adaptation may very well be the musical. 

Yes, that’s a real thing. Give it a listen.