TV Show review
Review basis: 2 seasons, 16 episodes · through January 21, 2026
December 19, 2023 · TV-PG · Returning Series
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a fantasy adventure series about a boy who learns he is the son of Poseidon and goes on quests with his friends to stop wars among the gods. In season one he hunts for a stolen thunderbolt across America. In season two he seeks a golden fleece to save his camp. Annabeth is played by a Black actress in a main role even though the books describe her as a blonde white girl, and the creator publicly defended the choice as representation for new generations.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
Woke representation / casting
Prominent role of Annabeth played by Black actress while book describes blonde white girl. Creator publicly defended as best actor choice but also as representation and role model. Grover played by Indian-American actor. Visible mismatch with source descriptions in key supporting parts. No other heavy quota patterns.
Woke political dialogue
No activist lectures, modern identity sermons, or political messaging reported in either season. Story follows standard fantasy quest with gods and monsters.
Identity-driven story themes
Core story is classic Greek myth adventure about friendship, belonging, and quests. "Feeling out of place" as demigod is personal and tied to powers like ADHD. Not reframed as current identity politics or systemic issues.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Flawed gods and absent parents appear as plot drivers. No modern activist framing of patriarchy, capitalism, or Western institutions. Ancient myth setting with standard hero rebellion against authority.
Woke character or canon changes
Annabeth's race and appearance changed from explicit book descriptions. Creator framed the choice publicly around inclusion and representation rather than story necessity. Grover ethnicity also shifted. Other adaptation tweaks are story pacing or modernization, not identity-driven.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Significant social media and some coverage complained about race-swapped casting for Annabeth as DEI or woke agenda. Backlash predated release and continued, with some linking later viewership drops to the changes. Complaints focus on identity priorities over book fidelity.
Creator track record context
Rick Riordan has built a pattern of adding diverse and queer characters across his later books and publicly champions representation. He explicitly defended the show's casting on inclusion grounds. Other key creatives like Steinberg and many directors have low profiles; some writers bring higher identity focus from prior work.
Production
