Tween demigod's rousing TV adventures have dark moments.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a lot
Percy and his friends are frequently in peril. There's lots of fighting scary monsters with swords and other weapons. Stylized death (characters appear to disintegrate), but no gory injuries. Ever-present ominous feeling because Percy is in serious danger just for being a demigod. Percy's mom appears to be killed in the first episode. Percy's stepdad is mean (and it's implied that he's violent toward Percy's mom and drinks to excess, which is fleshed out more in the book series). Verbal hostility between several characters, and some tween bullying behavior.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Nothing of note in the show, but the Percy Jackson franchise has many tie-in products.
Positive Messages
a lot
Great messages around staying true to yourself, doing the right thing even when it's hard, and working as a team.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Percy, Annabeth, and Grover aren't perfect, but that actually makes them great role models for tweens and teens. They work through/with their flaws in order to complete heroic tasks. They have tremendous courage and a strong moral compass and work well as a team.
Diverse Representations
some
Main character Percy has ADHD and dyslexia. He's White (played by Walker Scobell), but many of the other main and supporting characters are people of color, including Percy's best friends Annabeth (Black actor Leah Jeffries) and Grover (Indian American actor Aryan Simhadri), and many of the adult Greek gods. Mentor-figure Chiron is a Black man who uses a wheelchair in the mortal world and appears as a centaur in the mythological world.
Parents need to know that Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a TV series based on Rick Riordan's hugely popular Percy Jackson book series about the human son of a Greek god. Percy (Walker Scobell) and his fellow demigods are frequently in peril. The entire series has an ever-present ominous feeling, especially once Percy learns that he's being pursued for his "half-blood" lineage. Expect lots of battles, some involving weapons, with scary mythological creatures. Characters, including parents, die stylized deaths, but there aren't any gory injuries. Percy's stepdad is mean (and it's implied that he's violent toward Percy's mom and drinks to excess). There's verbal hostility between several characters, and some tween bullying behavior. Characters flirt, but language is mild (mostly insults like "loser"), and there are strong themes of courage and teamwork, as well as messages about staying true to yourself and doing the right thing even when it's hard.
It’s been an enjoyable ride albeit with a few shortcomings. They aim for an epic tone, which is sort of achieved, yet the dialogues and pacing seems aimed at little kids. Though slow or poorly written at times, at the end of the day, it's still entertaining and an okay influence.
PROS: Walker Scobell (cast as Percy) is a delightful person and well cast, even if too serious at times in the show. They aim for an epic tone, and there's something satisfying about finally having Perch Jackson taken seriously in the film industry. The fight scenes are good in episodes 1 and 2 but become slower as it goes on (perhaps the monster fights are a bit scary / violent for younger audiences). Sets are generally well done.
CONS: Having read the books a few years ago, and knowing the general plot, it’s fairly slow (though if you’re new to Percy’s world, you’ll be busy learning names and backstories). The plot is also quite different from the books, which doesn't bother me, except that the stakes make less sense and the clues are presented in confusing ways. It’s also too solemn and could use a good dose of humour or levity to make it overall a joy to watch.
I’ve only seen the first episode but I’m excited to see the full series!! It was pretty good!
What's the Story?
PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS follows Percy (Walker Scobell), a seemingly "normal" 12-year-old boy who is shocked to learn that the Greek god Poseidon is his father. This revelation means that Percy is a demigod -- and therefore is constantly under threat from mythological monsters. He heads to "Camp Half-Blood," a sanctuary where demigod kids can learn how to harness their powers. Percy is accompanied by his satyr friend, Grover (Aryan Simhadri), who's been charged with protecting him from evil forces. At camp, they meet Annabeth (Leah Jeffries), who becomes the third member of the story's core friend trio. Percy, Grover, and Annabeth must embark on an epic quest across America as they try to prevent war among the gods, facing creatures of all sorts along the way.
The many fans of Rick Riordan's popular books will be relieved to see their beloved series finally get the screen adaptation it deserves. 2010's movie version of Percy Jackson and the Olympians didn't get Riordan's blessing, and ended up disappointing readers because it deviated so much from the books. This series, however, was created with Riordan's input -- and besides being faithful to the source material, it's also a lot of fun (and does have a few surprises for fans). The subject matter can definitely be dark, but there's lots of humor and heart throughout. The kid actors' performances are stellar, and kid viewers will identify with these very real and vulnerable characters. Kids who are into fantasy and can handle a fair bit of scares will be drawn into Percy's immersive world.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Percy's courage in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. He goes on dangerous missions to help other people even when there's great risk to himself. What do you think is the most courageous thing Percy does?
Percy struggles with being "different," at first because he's bullied and doesn't do well in school, and then again when he learns he's a demigod. Do you ever feel "different"?
Is there any part of Greek mythology that Percy's story has inspired you to learn more about? Are there any characters or myths you want to get to know better?
What are some examples of diversity and positive representation on this show?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Ashley Moulton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
