Parents' Guide to Percy Jackson and the Olympians

TV Disney+ Drama 2023
Percy Jackson and the Olympians TV Poster: Percy, a white 12-year-old boy, stands with friends and a magical sword

Common Sense Media Review

Ashley Moulton By Ashley Moulton , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 9+

Tween demigod's rousing TV adventures have dark moments.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 9+?

Any Positive Content?

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Parent and Kid Reviews

age 9+

Based on 21 parent reviews

age 9+

Based on 77 kid reviews

Kids say the show is a decent adaptation of the beloved book series, with many fans noting it brings the essence of Greek mythology to life while having some violence. It's generally well-received for its great characters and educational value, but some purists argue that it doesn't always stay true to the source material and recommend reading the books first for better context.decent adaptationgreat characterseducational valueread books firstsome violencemixed opinions
Summarized with AI

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.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 21 ):
Kids say ( 77 ):

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?

TV Details

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Percy Jackson and the Olympians TV Poster: Percy, a white 12-year-old boy, stands with friends and a magical sword

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