“Look, I didn’t want to be a half-blood.” Percy Jackson and the Lighting Thief  by Rick Riordan is the first book in the iconic Greek Mythology series. Published in 2005, originally as a bedtime story for his son, Riordan wrote the story to help empower children who felt down due to struggles with dyslexia and ADHD. The series began to gain more and more popularity, and more than 20 years later, finally announced a TV show. 

The first season came out on December 20, 2024 following the story of 12 year old Percy Jackson, who discovers that he is the son of Poseidon. Walker Scobell was cast as Percy, Leah Jeffries as Annabeth, and Aryan Simhadri as Grover. While some of these castings were unexpected due to the difference in appearance from the book to screen, the actors and actresses had an amazing performance, and each embodied the character well.

Walker Scobell brings Percy onto a whole new level, bringing intimacy and a real sense of relatableness to the character. Whether it’s battling the Minotaur for the first time, or sharing a special moment with his mother, Scobell is so perfectly “Percy,” that some say he was born for the role. His chemistry with co-star Leah Sava Jeffries (Annabeth) gives Percabeth fans some excitement.

 Leah brings on her smarts, level headedness, and practicality to the show, proving herself as more than ready to tackle the role of Annabeth. As a daughter of Athena, Annabeth is wicked smart but struggles in the beginning with her relationship with Percy. Though Percy is new to this mythological world, he is still able to teach Annabeth the meaning of friendship and being able to have fun once in a while.

Aryan Simhadri is the life and comical relief of the show as Grover, Percy’s best friend. Walker and Aryan are friends in real life, which makes their relationship in the show so much more real. Aryan is able to act as a funny and loyal satyr, but also models how to be a good friend and support others in their times of need. 

There were a couple changes from the book to show, but each added another twist and overall arch of the story, something nice for avid book fans to get something new. One change was introducing Hephaestus earlier on in the series. I think this adds a layer of meaning to the show and to the characters development, as he and Annabeth learn from each other how they want to show up in the world, and defy what their family and heritage want them to be. Annabeth is inspired by Percy to change the way the gods think about power and glory, as well as friendship and being a good person. Overall, these adjustments make the series extra special and more relatable to those who watch it.

The show is planning to follow one season for every book. With the second season which came out on December 10th 2025 (and the third announced), this show is becoming a full and great series!

Overall, I think that Percy Jackson is a great way for avid readers to be able to experience their favorite series as a show. Walker Scobell and the other leads truly bring the show to life and are great heroes that you will find yourself cheering for until the very end. I definitely recommend watching this series—grab the book and enjoy the ride!