Gone are the days when shows were allowed to run for at least four or five seasons, with each season lasting between 13 and 20 episodes, giving writers and directors a chance to improve and prove their worth. Shows that premiere today have maybe eight episodes, 10 if they're lucky. And as soon as they air, either all at once or weekly, the cast and crew are informed whether they've been canceled, whether they'll be allowed to return for one last season (it's becoming common), or whether they can stretch their premise until the audience loses interest (which is rare).
Of course, the latter option is great because everyone keeps their jobs. However, I don't know which of the first two options is better. When you can't go out on your own terms, like with Mindhunter or Iron Fist, your product's reputation isn't tarnished. When you're asked back only to rush something out, like The Umbrella Academy or Arcane, it leaves a bad taste in the mouths of your most loyal fans. I'm not sure what happened to Blood of Zeus, but I'm leaning toward the latter.
Creators: Charley Parlapanides, Vlas Parlapanides
Stars: Derek Phillips, Elias Toufexis, Jessica Henwick
The third season of Blood of Zeus, directed by Charley and Vlas Parlapanides, with episodes directed by Jae H. Kim, Joshua Covey, and Jae Woo Kim, picks up right where the previous season left off, with Heron nearly dying after being stabbed by Hades. He manages to summon his supernatural powers and draws the dagger. But that doesn't solve anything, because Gaia has summoned the Titan known as Typhon, and he's eager to wreak havoc. Many warriors die at the hands of the gigantic creature. The gods try to save as many lives as they can.
However, they are no match for Typhon. Once the Titan finishes announcing his return, he proceeds to free Cronus from his confines so he can kill Zeus once and for all. Seeing that there's no way to stop the Titans from turning the world into a ravaged hell, Seraphim sets out on a journey to find a place for Gorgo (his soul, to be more precise) in the Elysian Fields, as it's the safest place on Earth. Heron knows Seraphim won't be able to accomplish this task alone. So he joins him on his quest. The fact that the paths of Cronus and the demigods cross again is the crux of the narrative.
On a thematic level, the third season of The Blood of Zeus works because, on the one hand, Cronus tries to destroy a soul, and on the other, Seraphim fights to save it from eternal damnation. And the shift between the adventures of these two characters feels right, as finding MacGuffins, solving puzzles, battling strange creatures, and making friends along the way are all staples of the swords-and-sandals fantasy subgenre. But just after reaching the halfway point of the series, one begins to realize that there is no logical way for these two subplots to collide and lead to a satisfying conclusion.
I won't elaborate in case you enjoy the writing more than I do, but the more I think about the later episodes, the more infuriated I get, because it makes no sense whatsoever. Sacrifices are made, motives are muddled, and so many plot threads are left unresolved that I wonder what went on behind the scenes for the quality to decline so much, especially after the astonishingly crafted second season. Don't get me wrong, the first season was great, but the second was spectacular. While I can complain about the writing in Blood of Zeus Season 3 all I want, I genuinely have no complaints about the animation. This is one of the best-looking shows out there. Everything from the character designs to the action sequences is perfect. The music is so operatic.
The world-building is so immersive. And as a fan of this fantasy subgenre, this truly makes me happy. Look, a lot of people say that all those spandex-wearing superhero movies and shows have replaced storytelling based on myth and fable, but I disagree with them. Things like Ramayana (the Japanese one), Excalibur, The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, Clash of the Titans (the 1981 one), Conan the Barbarian, Willow, Hercules (the animated one), and more like it are the real deal. Sure, Wrath of the Titans and Gods of Egypt killed the subgenre's appeal, and maybe Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey will resurrect it. However, since the success of Game of Thrones, these relatively traditional takes on tales about gods and monsters have thrived, and we hope this popularity will be further fueled by today's subject matter. Also, since the animation industry is so vulnerable to exploitation, I'll be praying that everyone who worked on this series is properly compensated for the amazing work they've done.
The entire cast of Blood of Zeus season 3 is brilliant. Derek Phillips is splendid. Elias Toufexis is fantastic as always. Jessica Henwick is truly good. Claudia Christian, Fred Tatasciore, Jason O'Mara, Chris Diamantopoulos, Adetokumboh M'Cormack, Cissy Jones, Lara Pulver, and the rest of the incredible supporting cast make the most of the screen time their respective characters have, and they are all exquisite. But when you have Alfred Molina on your team, you know they are all going to be overshadowed by him because the man is a living legend. Look, I'm probably biased towards Molina because I grew up watching his work in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Species, Identity, and, of course, Spider-Man 2. But I think my bias is justified because Molina is the greatest of all time when it comes to voice acting, facial acting, and just acting in general. Yes, the entire cast is over-the-top because this is a subgenre where you have to do it to capture the essence of the story. And then there's Molina, who weaves so many subtleties between the most shocking moments that it's thrilling to watch. So please feel free to put aside my criticisms of the show's writing and watch it for my friend, Alfred Molina.
Based on my basic observation, Blood of Zeus seems to have ended prematurely. Unless the showrunners intend to completely cut ties with Netflix, I don't think they'll be releasing any concrete information on that. Perhaps they'll say they always planned to close the series with the third season. But just seeing how sloppily the main plot and all the important subplots have been handled, I'm not willing to take such claims at face value. Or perhaps I'm wrong, and the creators simply made a disappointing third and final season. And that brings me back to the question I asked earlier: Is it better for them to cancel the series and leave it incomplete, or to ask me to embark on one last half-finished adventure? Honestly, the latter is better because, while you risk the wrath of fans and critics, you're guaranteed a payoff. You're creating jobs for a lot of people. And you can use your profits to fund another passion project. So, yes, I thank the cast and crew of Blood of Zeus for entertaining us for three seasons, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they do next.
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