Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1 Episode 6 Review: We Take a Zebra to Vegas

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1 Episode 6, “We Take a Zebra to Vegas,” checks into the infamous Lotus Casino.

This flashy Vegas outing is not without its fun and infectious spirit. Percy nearly ends the trio’s lives with his horrendous driving skills, and Hermes taps into some profoundly emotional father-son trauma.

That said, Percy’s time spent wandering the casino floor is underwhelming.

Welcome to the Lotus Casino

Shockingly, “We Take a Zebra to Vegas” is potentially the season’s weakest episode thus far.

Fans of the books and films can never agree on anything, yet we agree the Lotus Casino is a highlight. However, in this short episodic format, the adapted concept does not shine the way so much of this epic quest has.

The tricky part with the casino chapter is it is a time jump filler and creates urgency by moving us closer to the deadline. However, it is packaged as a fun side-quest, as Percy, Annabeth, and Grover become unassuming kids again in this massive mythological playground.

By having them know the Lotus Casino is a trap from the jump, coupled with their hyper-focus on finding Hermes within its wall, the episode glosses over most of the casino and its memory-wiping abilities.

There’s no exploration or enchantment to make this stop enticing.

Did You Enjoy Your Stay?

The trio could have met Hermes anywhere in the country and reached the same outcome. The setting is rendered unimportant, and when that setting is the Lotus Casino, that’s more than a little disappointing.

It never feels like Percy is in immediate danger, either. The choice to have him and Annabeth unaffected by the memory drugs isn’t nearly as effective as having them break the spell to remember each other.

Not to mention, having them unaffected by the main obstacle of the episode suggests the immediate conflict isn’t worth investing in.

The movies are touchy subjects, but if there’s one thing The Lightning Thief is praised for, it’s the Lotus Casino scene. From the iconic “Poker Face” montage, enticing flower cookies, and luxurious hotel services, that scene still holds our attention years later.

Instead of coming off as a tedious filler, Movie Percy’s time in the casino was a fun reprieve from the quest with devastating consequences. We needed the TV show to embrace the lure of the casino rather than condemn it altogether.

A Child Menace

There might be a more significant issue surfacing with the Percy Jackson TV show — these demi-gods are too clever sometimes.

I love Percy, but this child walked straight into Medusa’s lair without a second thought in the books. He is phenomenal at getting himself out of deadly situations. However, they are typically situations he gets himself into because he is still a child.

Percy, presuming driving is easy, followed by Annabeth silently screaming when he proceeds to ask how to “go backward,” is peak comedy. It is also a moment for Percy to tap into that innocence and immaturity as he destroys a parking garage.

Kids must be gullible and naive at times to learn from their mistakes. Unfortunately, this episode doesn’t allow Percy to get in his own way enough.

Seaweed Brain & Wise Girl

That’s not to say this episode isn’t chock full of that effortlessly loveable energy Percy Jackson has cultivated all season.

We see Annabeth and Percy reach old-married couple status, much to Luke’s delight. Their heated discussion about what day of the week they fought Medusa, followed by a trade-off of their term of endearments, Seaweed Brain and Wise Girl, is just adorable. Feet kicking, hair twirling, adorable.

To think, 2-3 episodes ago, this chemistry didn’t exist. Yet Scobell and Jeffries are so comfortable in their on-screen chemistry that you would swear this flirtatious dynamic has been developing for seasons.

Additionally, Grover calling the animals in the truck elegant artists, only for it to cut to them descending into chaos, is hilarious.

And although the resurgence of “Poker Face” was a long shot, it is great to see the show ponder what modern-day song gives off the same Gaga energy. “Levitating” by Dua Lipa is a pretty good answer.

Hermes Meets Hamilton

Listen, it seems wild to worry about triple-threat Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. Yet, there was concern his Alexander Hamilton fame would overpower Hermes.

Thankfully, this casting succeeds with an unexpectedly nuanced and emotionally charged performance that distracts us from Miranda’s recognizable face. By rooting Hermes less in over-the-top cunning and humourous, the show turns his sorrow into a powerful cautionary ballad.

Seeing a god talk about their kid with such affection and longing is a nice change of pace. Part of Hermes wishes he could have lived a human life with Luke and his mother, making his neglect a little more digestible than Ares.

It also helps develop Luke’s character and motives without bringing him physically into the episode.

With this skilled actor laying on the angst and heartbreak thick, Hermes does not throw away his shot to establish crucial emotional stakes for a particular demi-god ahead of the penultimate episode.

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New episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians stream Tuesdays at 9/8c on Disney+.

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