Lucia Macari
“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” premiered on Disney+ and quickly earned a season two renewal.
After fans endured almost three years of waiting, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” was fully released on Disney+. The show is based off of the namesake book series, written by Rick Riordan, which currently has 21 books. The first season of the show is structured around the first novel of the series: “The Lighting Thief”.
The first season of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” totalled eight episodes, and introduced viewers to a variety of Greek gods and heroes. The first two episodes of the series were released on Dec. 19, 2023. From then on, new episodes were released on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. CT through Jan. 30, 2024.
As production of the show began in June 2022, “Variety” reported that each episode cost around $12-15 million to produce. Disney declined to comment on these figures, though the expected budget puts the show on par with Disney’s Star Wars series “The Mandalorian”.
The show was well received by critics and audiences alike, earning a 92% rating on the Rotten Tomatoes “Tomatometer” and praise from fans online. While some were critical of the casting, claiming it opposes the novels’ physical descriptions of characters, most came to the agreement that the cast members embody their respective roles.
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Main character, Percy Jackson, is played by 15 year-old Walker Scobell. Prior to the show, fans were skeptical of his casting due to the lack of features he and the character shared. However, Scobell’s skills completely outshined the skepticism and he proved himself to be an amazing Percy.
In addition, actors Leah Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri who play characters Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood respectively, are also excelling onscreen. Many viewers have praised the casting, claiming that the actors may as well have fallen out of the books and into the show.
Interviews and behind the scenes clips have shown viewers just how much each actor cares for their character and how important an accurate representation of their character is to them.
“My audition process was a lot of auditions,” Jeffries said in “A Hero’s Journey Exclusive”. “I started off … like flirting with [Walker], with like, ‘I like your sword. Oh my gosh.’”
Due to its popularity, a season two renewal was announced on Feb. 7. While they wait, fans can watch the behind the scenes documentary called “A Hero’s Journey: The Making of Percy Jackson and the Olympians”, and a multitude of cast interviews to tide them over.
“Raise anchors. Hoist the mainsail. All hands on deck, demigods. We’re heading for the sea of monsters,” Riordan said via social platforms on Feb. 8.
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About the Contributors
Addyson Connolly, Business Manager
Addyson Connolly is a junior at LHS and this is her third year being a part of the Tom-Tom staff. When she does not have school, Addyson can often be found hanging out with her friends, her family or at work. Addyson has two sisters that have graduated from LHS and also has a dog named Tahoe. Addyson especially loves fall and Halloween, but she also loves winter because of the holidays and skiing. Addyson had a spectacular sophom*ore year and is looking forward to the rest of her junior year, especially with working on the Tom-Tom again.
Lucia Macari, Staff Writer
Lucia Macari is a junior at LHS and is entering her first year on the Tom-Tom staff. Her friends and family would describe her as a hard worker and they would definitely call her a perfectionist. She is usually pretty busy as she is a part of the Varsity Dance Team, Golden Cheer/Dance Team, a member of Mu Alpha Theta and working at her family’s restaurant, Digs on Canal. She takes pride in her academics and hopes to attend the University of Michigan for Political Science in the future. When she has freetime, Lucia can be found listening to her favorite music – she is a huge Swiftie – or watching her favorite movies, which are “La La Land,” “Little Women” and “Top Gun: Maverick.”
