Percy Jackson and the Olympians (TV Series) We Take a Zebra to Vegas (2024) User Reviews

We don't take a Zebra to Vegas

[mclemente-44237 · 6/10 · 22 January 2024]

As much as I want to love this show, it's becoming such a letdown with each episode.

I was so excited for this episode because this is where a lot of the suspense and character build up begins to happen with Percy figuring out that the casino is a trap, Annabeth and Percy relationship deepen and tension are high as they are mere days away from failing the quest.

Except the show does none of that, yet again Percy is told about everything instead of him figuring it out, they immediately know (like most monsters they encounter) that the casino is a trap and the biggest change is that the Summer Solstice is already over...

For a show that claims to be more faithful to the books (which the movie got right straight away for this scene) it's just disappointing.

I understand that the author after 10 years writing the book series had notes that he probably wanted to change but I wouldn't have done it with the series when it already did a great job to begin with.

In summary, the pacing is still off, they're cutting content that would've been perfect and this episode is UNDER 30 MINUTES!! (Yes I'm not including the credits to the show runtime) This is a Disney Plus show with like a $10m budget, I think they could've added more time to each episode.

Also, despite the name of the episode, there is no Zebra and no, Percy doesn't show that he can talk to horses yet.

Almost cold, but i still liked.

[SohoSoho · 7/10 · 17 January 2024]

The show as a show is a great spectacle and watching it makes my Tuesdays happier. However, fans of the books may be disappointed.

I believe that whoever read the book was immensely excited by the chapters spent at Casino Lótus.

It was a mix of ecstasy, curiosity and I feel that the reader is thrown along in the narrative, getting lost in the adrenaline, as if the effects of the casino were also taking effect on him.

At the show, unfortunately it was lukewarm, almost cold. The initial expertise and understanding of what was going on by the characters forced the envelope in terms of narrative and there was a somewhat disappointing break in expectations. The naivety of the main characters at times are essential elements for the story to move forward in a more engaging way for the viewer, which was not the case here.

I believe that the magic of the story Casino Lótus is exactly this escape valve, a narrative where there is so much fun and understanding of the characters as children and their desires, where this great responsibility is not the central part of everything, for at least a few hours. With this new story, unfortunately we are left without the plot-twist when everything is unmasked.

The presence of the god Hermes, in my opinion, was unnecessary and the conversations while walking around the Hotel, was also an element that advanced certain parts of the story, which could have been talked about later.

The satyr found in the Hotel was also something that could have been left out, and the motivations of Grover finding Pan could be worked on from the beginning of the season with the individual development of each character.

But there are positive points, my criticism is based solely on the script, as for the acting, sets, settings, visual effects and all this technical part is incredible. The main trio was a choice that couldn't be more perfect, they have the necessary timing to create humor that isn't forced, and the chemistry between them is perfect. The scene with the animals in the street and the sequence of Percy trying to drive was a delight to my eyes.

Isolating the show just as a show, and all the motivations of the characters and the narrative fit together being believable, they flow perfectly and the story harmonizes despite some criticisms I have to make regarding certain changes so loved by fans in the books, which make of them a success. My fear of changes that dampen the euphoria of reading Percy Jackson is the attachment to the common, which, unlike the books, doesn't even come close to that.

But I'm really enjoying following along and the series continues to be positive for me.

Flashy but flustered

[JJSM22 · 6/10 · 17 January 2024]

The effects in this episode are amazing just like the rest of the series. However this episode is hindered by an over use of explanatory dialogue. In the novels our heroes did not meet Hermes at the Lotus Casino and his inclusion so early in the story feels unnecessary and introduces storylines prematurely.

The way the kids figure out the lotus Casino's connection to the Lotus eaters of the Odyssey in too quick and frankly too much of a stretch considering it is one of the lesser known stories of Greek mythology. I have no idea why they needed to add a random satyr into the story if it's just to separate the group and prolong the runtime of the episode.

The story of Luke's mother is not meant to be told until the final novel in the series and the way it's told now just seems like a desperate attempt to get viewers involved in the backstory before we really get to know the characters.

It's going to take all the fun out of the story if our cast figure out how their obstacles fit into Greek mythology before they even come up against them. Medusa was obvious but this time it just wasn't needed. This is probably the weakest entry so far because of how it's scripted, the cast are still doing an amazing job with character portrayal's.

Good but not great

[janbrizic · 7/10 · 18 January 2024]

I never read the book unfortunatly so my comments are mostly from the perspective of a viewer.

Acting and the setting is amazing like in every episode so far. Unfortunatly the episodes are so short. The narrative seems kind of pushed and speedy and there isnt enough time to develop the story and the caracthers. I like the show so far but this has been the worst episoed so far.

They remaind in the casino for maybe 20mins or even less. The conversation with Hermes was short and basicly the main story line is them walking and talking puff its been days and they didnt realise it and missed the deadline. This show seems it has a hughe potential and is much better then the movie but they either need to make the episodes longer or make more of them.

The show in general is great but it could have been so much better.

Comedy is the Strongest Genre Right Now

[e_daneva · 8/10 · 17 January 2024]

We Take a Zebra to Vegas is an amazing episode. For me score wise, every episode of this new Percy Jackson show ranges between 7.5 and 9.0. Unfortunately, this episode is on the lower side of the range out of the six episodes already released. My rating for this episode is an 8.1. Of the series, this is the second worst episode of the series. This episode just doesn't live up to it's expectations.

While it is still a great episode, it isn't as strong as the four other episodes better than it. An average Percy Jackson episode have 3 genres, action, drama, and a smidge of comedy. In this episode, that smidge of comedy isn't a smidge, it's a giant dot. A dot as big as the action and drama dots are. Even though I love comedy, I truly do, and this episode has some hilarious moments, I think there should have been more action and drama. Here's Comic Book Guy's opposite cousin here saying this. Funniest. Percy Jackson. Episode. Ever. This episode had no action and just a tiny bit of drama. It's almost impossible to add action here, but they could have at least added some drama through.

Another thing I want to talk about is the characters. A lot of the characters are completely useless. A review on here, ( the only one right now ) was saying that the characters Hermes and the century guy are useless in this episode, and I agree with that. To me these characters add nothing to the episode. I guess the actor for Hermes was in Hamilton, but I have never even seen or watched Hamilton. And even though one of the funniest scenes were with the centaur guy he still was very unnecessary. I guess Luke was in this episode to. From the start Luke was a useless character. In the book he was such a big character but in this show he's not. In the show he literally adds nothing to the show. Nothing. He is just so useless.

In this episode the new creature or god or creature of the episode wasn't as good as usual. Hermes and the centaur guy were good, but they were terrible compared to the other ones of this category. Just last week we got the best god in the show so far, Ares, and now we get the worst. I'm not talking about acting I'm talking about the characters themselves. This two new characters could never beat Ares or Medusa. I hops that next week we get some better gods and creatures in the series. I can't wait to see Poseidon in the show someday!!!

BEST.EPISODE.YET!!!!

[rheapathak · 10/10 · 28 January 2024]

As soon as I saw it, I fell in love with this episode. It was the perfect blend of humour, deeper themes and rising tension in the main plot.

Even though Hermes wasn't in the first book, god I loved his character. It was perfect for this storyline, because we get to see why Luke hates his dad so much, and how the Olympians are really distant parents, but also Hermes side of things and how he loves look, but feels powerless to stop him from struggling.

That whole conversation between Percy, Annabeth and Hermes had SUCH good dialogue.

Grover also played the part that brought rising tension. Him forgetting everything shone that menacing light on the whole episode, which had me holding my breath for what came next.

But the funny parts were def my favourite-from Annabeth and Percy trying to get Grover back on track, to Percy driving the Taxi-I COULD NOT STOP LAUGHING.

I've already watched this episode 3 times and I'm probably gonna watch it a 4th. How have they done such a good job?! 🤗

Unpopular opinion probably but...

[Marblevillain · 4/10 · 17 January 2024]

This was my least favorite episode of the series so far. This part was such a big event in the book and in the movie so for this episode to be so dull and lackluster was extremely disappointing. Where was the excitement or adventure? The fact that they didn't eat the lotus flowers in this series and still forgot but then it was explained away as being pumped into the casino was different. I don't understand why take that part out though and how would Percy even know that it was being pumped into the casino when they're supposed to be even a little disoriented? Would've at least like to see that process of him coming to that conclusion. Give us some kind of excitement. This was the most anticipated episode for me but it was such a let down because it didn't have any purpose in this story except as a place to talk to Hermes.

And this might be a petty grievance but why are none of these kids getting to eat anything on their journey?! I thought for sure this would be the episode when we finally got to see them have some kind of meal but no. No food for the heroes, I guess lol.

The kids are doing phenomenal though. So impressed by the talent in this cast of young actors.

Disney Plus is not good at shows

[eoinageary · 5/10 · 17 January 2024]

5 episodes deep and the formula is the most annoying things with these episodes, 15 minutes of filler, backstory explaining, 5 minutes of plot and a cliff hanger for the next episode.

The show for me is really falling off, I wasn't expecting the movie or page by page from the book but I was hoping for some action and adventure and with a show some time to develop our characters, this ain't it.

The script is pretty tame, the gods being humanised is getting annoying, they are gods, this episode in particular had the potential to do so much, add so much and we got nothing, less than 10 minutes in the casino and a 2 minute chat, I can't figure out why these shows just lack qualities other networks can take advantage of.

Disappointing.

Boring and uninteresting

[jzaragozarojas · 5/10 · 17 January 2024]

What the hell are people seeing in this series? From their opinions one could think this is a masterpiece. But what I see is a boring, badly written, badly acted product. It is not exciting, funny or moving. Almost no action, too much dialogue, too much sleep-inducing exposition, too much moralizing. This episode is particularly bad because our protagonists know from beginning that Lotus Casino is dangerous. They are not tempted in any moment, so all drama and tension is gone. Why, even the movie with Logan Lerman had drama in this part! Worst of all is the change in their personalities. Annabeth is an irritating "empowered" boss girl with no weaknesses. Grover is Mr Boring Exposition, not the lovably Cowardly Lion he is in the book. And Percy has almost to none personality. A good oportunity totally wasted, Disney.

Why stray from the source material?

[ggag-35815 · 1/10 · 18 January 2024]

Ive have tried my hardest to like this series so far. I am a big fan of the books and was excited when I heard we were getting a TV show. Why I haven't lived the first several episodes, I thought they were fine. They strayed from the books some and there were certainly some weird choices by the shows writers but I was fine to let it slide. I get sometimes they need to change things. I kept watching the show because I had hope to see what would happen. Then came this episode.

First right off the back with the name" We Take a Zebra to Vegas". There was no zebra in the show. Having a zebra demonstrated in the book Percy's ability to talk to horses, which has a role in later books. This was more an annoyance than anything.

Secondly the cut out the whole scene where Annabeth and Percy have a big "heart to heart" about their relationship. In this scene in the book, we really get to see who these characters are. In later books, they both even reflect on this conversation as the real beginning of what turns into a major romantic relationship. I get this show is probably more geared towards a younger audience who may not understand this type of conversation, but it is essential to Percy and Annabeth relationship.

Thirdly comes the casino scene, my biggest complaint of the episode. How can you turn what is supposed to be the most exciting and fun part of the entire book into a boring exposition dump. From the moment they get in they eliminate any sense of mystery by telling exactly what the dangers are of the casino, though not quite the reasons. They heros were supposed to be having so much fun that they lose track of time, not just some drug that makes them not be able to track time. And why have Hermes appear? Just so we can meet a god and get some reason why Luke is upset? Then there's the matter of the Nico "Easter egg" which is so hidden that nobody would ever notice it unless it's pointed out to them. This isn't how Easter eggs should work. They should be a fun call out to people who understand the future of the content without being obstrusive and distracting to those who do not know what's coming. Overall, the casino scene might be the most disappointing part of the entire series so far and kills off much of my desire to keep watching the show. The scene is so bad even the movie did it better.

My final complaint I will make here is the conversation Percy had with the Naiad. They missed the deadline? What? So order to save the world they have to convince the God of God's to change his mind now? And why are there 4 pearls? So nobody has to sacrifice themselves? Come on.

I've given the shows creators and writers the benefit of the doubt until now. This episode ruined any hope I have for the series.

Boring

[kelsiepellegrini · 2/10 · 30 January 2024]

There was absolutely no reason this episode couldn't have been fun. These characters just bicker and argue with each other and it's getting really annoying at this point in the show. They knew instantly that the casino would suck them in. Would it have hurt to show them play an arcade game or two? Where's Nico and Bianca? Could have been an interesting episode. This is the one thing the movie has done better.

They seem to be straying from the source material for no reason. It's frustrating to see a fun story get turned into the same old plot.

I like seeing Grover start on his "hunt for Pan quest".

The only redeeming part of this episode was the taxi scene.

NO POKER FACE, NO LOTUS AND NO NICO

[trashblaster-93629 · 1/10 · 17 January 2024]

The most recent episode of the Percy Jackson TV show left me quite disappointed, especially considering the potential it had to captivate viewers. My discontent stems from the noticeable absence of key elements that could have added excitement and nostalgia to the narrative. To start, the omission of the "Poker Face" scene, a song by Lady Gaga and a delightful nod to the original source material, was a significant letdown. This iconic moment not only serves as fan service but also as a quirky and memorable aspect of Percy Jackson's character development. Its exclusion felt like a missed opportunity to infuse the episode with a touch of humor and pop culture reference, creating a more immersive experience for fans.

While the Lotus Hotel was featured in the episode, the absence of the enchanted biscuit was a notable deviation from the source material. In the books, the consumption of the Lotus Flower helped convey the dangers of immortality, making it a crucial plot point. Instead, the show opted for a different approach, with time passing swiftly merely by existing inside the casino. This creative choice may have altered the dynamics of the scene but missed the opportunity to explore the moral implications and consequences associated with the Lotus Flower.

Additionally, the lack of Nico di Angelo's cameo was a notable omission. Nico is a beloved character in the Percy Jackson universe, and his presence during the Lotus Hotel sequence could have added depth to the plot. A well-executed cameo would not only have delighted fans but also teased the potential for future developments involving Nico.

Even without the anticipated fan service, the episode failed to make up for it in pacing. The narrative felt sluggish, lacking the dynamic energy needed to keep viewers engaged. A slower pace can work well if used strategically, but in this case, it seemed to hinder the overall flow and impact of the episode.

In conclusion, this recent episode of Percy Jackson fell short of expectations on multiple fronts. The absence of pivotal fan-favorite scenes and characters, combined with a lackluster pace, left me yearning for more. Hopefully, future episodes will address these concerns and deliver the captivating and nostalgic experience that fans of the series deserve.

Absolutely awful

[hpcmakeup · 1/10 · 20 January 2024]

How can a Disney show be so bad! Not only is every episode painful and slow but irritating and annoying. The acting is so bad by the main 3 actors that they should have cast older kids..maybe 15 or 16...these child actors are awful!! Every guest star is so over the top that it's like even decent actors are annoying and cheesy. This particular episode is very irritating with barely anything happening and a lot of talking and repeating themselves over and over again. I'm not sure how the director and producers watch the dailies and thought this was good?? Or even watchable??? It's not! My daughter is bored of it thankfully.

no zebra, no fun, no games whatsoever

[moderntin · 1/10 · 27 February 2024]

At this point, I got so numb by the disappointment of watching this show that the bland & boring & no fun just irritates me, but I expect nothing more. & I force myself to watch the episodes, instead of the joyful anticipation that usually happens for the things I love.

Where is the zebra? The title (which is a chapter in the book) mentioned a zebra..... OOOH, wait! There it is! A half second of the scene in the background which is too blurry to identify! (I didn't notice it until someone mentioned it, just like Nico's voice.) Yes! Thanks a lot! *glare* (not to mention having a zebra in the truck was kind of the point of Percy discovering that he can talk to horses. But never mind that. This series didn't do anything right, so why start now?) by the way the show chose this path, I kind of expected the exposition dump the moment they entered the casino. So no surprise there.... just a deep sigh. Though the disappointment didn't simply end there, as much as the outer look of the place was cool, the casino itself was boring, there's no sense of fun. It was one of the coolest part in the book & as I loved arcade games when I was a kid, It was relatable the way it was actually a trap, since I always wanted to stay more myself. & the way Percy figured it out was smart. It was one of the interesting chapters in the book & they ruined it. (& it's worse because the author himself bragged about this episode before it aired & promised to be blown away. Well I don't get how we were about to be blown away by this boring setting that was supposed to be a flashy trap... did he not see it? How can he NOT see it?)

But yay! *more sarcasm* there is none of that mentioned here. The few games that were there were not even arcade games.

The movie really did it better, at least there was a sense of fun & flashy games & dance floor which could actually mesmerize you & deceive you to stay & lose track of time. No such a thing here. The casino is boring, I would want to get out of there as soon as I enter.

& I don't really see a point of having Hermes being there? It doesn't make any sense. There were a lot more time to explore Luke's story, it wasn't the place for it.