Olympus Season One

Released by: Shout! Factory
Released on: October 20, 2015
Directed by: Nick Willing, Martin Wood, Amanda Tapping, Andy Mikita
Cast: Tom York, Sonya Cassidy, Sonita Henry, Matt Frewer, Graham Shiels, Cas Anvar, John Emmet Tracy, Wayne Burns, John DeSantis, Alan C. Peterson
Year: 2015
Purchase From Amazon

The Series:

Hero (Tom York; no, not the guy from Radiohead and yes, the character's name is actually "Hero") saves Pandora (Sonya Cassidy), aka the Oracle of Gaia, from a Cyclops (John DeSantis). The two then embark on a thirteen-episode quest to return Pandora to her temple, with legendary inventor Daedalus (Matt Frewer) tagging along for support as they encounter vengeful gods, fearsome monsters, and other assorted mythical entities. Along the way, Hero keeps his eyes peeled for a magic ring, which will help him fulfill his destiny… or something.

The series Olympus first reared its head in April of 2015 in Canada, Ireland, the UK, and the US. The fact that it found a home in the latter nation's Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi) channel is a tipoff to the experience that awaits anyone who checks it out. Like most of that basic-cable channel's output, it appeals strictly to those whose taste in escapist entertainment peaked during childhood's Saturday mornings in front of the TV. Everyone else will likely find it pretty tough going, with an irritation level directly proportionate to how much one actually knows about ancient Greek folklore; the names, characters, and events of yore are thrown into a blender, and the plot that emerges is a game of Mythical Mad-Libs that for most viewers will likely go on for way, way too long.

All that said, those with a taste for mindless cheese will find an array of riches here. There's Matt "Max Headroom" Frewer, for one thing, still getting work thirty-two years after his blink-and-you'll-miss-it debut in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (and thirty years after the Role That Made Him Famous, revisited most recently in this year's abysmal Pixels). Sonya Cassidy, a fine actress who popped up in the Showtime series The Tudors and the 2013 film The Fifth Estate, is served up as a Lucy Lawless clone—not that there's anything wrong with that, of course, though she does deserve better, and while high-level success has eluded her so far, one can always hope. Her performance is delicious here, though it's Sonita Henry's turn as Medea that provides the series its raison d'etre and one very good reason to watch. There are also green screen special effects that were outdated twenty years ago but which conjure a nostalgic feel for the lost art of rear-screen projection.

The plotlines, dialogue, and effects are frequently so bad they're good, if that's your thing. Given the number of episodes included and the fairly low suggested retail price, Olympus: Season One is a pretty affordable way to entertain oneself for a few days. It's Spartacus aimed at the Percy Jackson crowd, and that very same crowd should have plenty of fun with it, even if few others will.

Video/Audio/Extras:

The home video release of Olympus: Season One in the United States is courtesy of Shout! Factory, who has given the series an MPEG-4 AVC encode in 1080p high definition, with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 reflecting its original broadcast in most territories. The image is certainly clean, which is to be expected considering that the series was shot on digital video. When scenes or shots are not employing special effects imagery, they have a high level of detail befitting the format, and colors are nice if not dazzling. Unfortunately, most of the series utilizes green screen technology, which results in relative softness and replicates the look of such '70s Saturday morning television shows as Land of the Lost and Shazam, though with greater clarity. There are CGI effects, and many scenes take place in near darkness, where the limitations of the budget can be hidden. The result, however, is a drop in detail. Of course, none of this has anything to do with the how well the series unfolds, and as long as people know how the series was produced, the fact that the visuals fall in the lower range of Blu-ray's capabilities should be no obstacle in enjoying it. The season's first thirteen episodes are spread across three discs, all of which hold 50GB of information. There are no compression issues to speak of, and artificial grain is practically nonexistent.

Audio is in keeping with the visuals. The primary track is in English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and is moderately dynamic. This is a television series on a budget, so don't expect a major score to bring it all to life. There are bursts of music and effects, and the track handles these quite well, moderating them with dialogue that is clean, clear, and predominant. For those who prefer tracks with lesser range, an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track is provided. Optional English subtitles are included for those who are deaf or hearing impaired. None of the episodes feature audio commentary.

There are a fair number of making-of featurettes, most of which clock in at under ten minutes. All are in 1080p. First up is “The Series,” which has a running time of 3:47 and contains interviews with creator Nick Willing, executive producer Matthew O'Connor, and actors Sonya Cassidy, Sonita Henry, and Tom York, who focus on the series' intent and its characters' motivations. “Creating the World of Olympus” runs 3:28 and covers the series settings, effects, make-up, and music; interviewed are Willing, VFX supervisor David Houghton, production designer Christ August, head of make-up effects Toby Lindala, and composer Rich Walters. “The Characters of Olympus” runs 4:07 and features the return of Willing, York, Cassidy, O'Connor, and Henry, as well as Matt Frewer, Graham Shiels, Alan C. Peterson, and John Emmet Tracy, who discuss, as the title suggests, the series' primary characters. “The Mythology of Olympus” runs 9:41 and covers the series foundation in Greek mythology and literary tragedies. Interviewed are O'Connor, Willing, York, Cassidy, Shiels, Peterson, Henry, Frewer, and Wayne Burns. Finally, “The Epic of Olympus” (11:48) is the filmmakers' attempt to explain why Olympus is bigger than it appears and comes from the heart. Willing, O'Connor, York, Cassidy, Shiels, Henry, Peterson, Tracy, August, Houghton, Lindala, and Walters all return and are joined by actress Sophia Lauchlin Hirt.

Some of the interview snippets are repeated across featurettes, and some of the claims (that the show is unique in its visual design and couldn't have been done two years ago) are dubious, but all of them are fast-moving and fairly informative.

The Final Word:

Olympus: Season One isn't nearly as epic or original as its participants seem to think, but it does have its charm, particularly an approach grounded in 1970s Saturday morning television, which should find an appropriate audience on BD. The image looks good and the sound has no issues to report. There are a number of featurettes for diehard fans. All in all, it's a nice package, but only for those with the right mindset.

Christopher Workman is a freelance writer, film critic, and co-author (with Troy Howarth) of the Tome of Terror horror film review series. Volume 2 of that series (covering the 1930s) is currently available from Midnight Marquee Press, Inc.

Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screen caps!