Olympus (TV series)

Last updated

Olympus
Olympus Titlecard.png
Genre
Created by Nick Willing
Starring
ComposerRich Walters
Country of originCanada
United Kingdom
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Robert Halmi Jr.
  • Jim Reeve
  • Grant Rosenberg
  • Matthew O'Connor
  • Robert Halmi Sr.
  • Nick Willing
Producers
  • Michael O'Connor
  • Tia Buhl
  • Tom Parkhouse
Production locations Vancouver, British Columbia
CinematographyBrian Johnson
Production companies
Original release
Network Super Channel
Release2 April (2015-04-02) 
2 July 2015 (2015-07-02)

Olympus is a Canadian/British [1] fantasy television series that premiered on Syfy in the USA and [2] Super Channel in Canada on 2 April 2015. A retelling of Greek myths, the first season had thirteen episodes, and concluded on 2 July 2015. [3] The series was cancelled in July 2015, and was poorly received by critics.

Contents

Premise

The story of how several brave men and women banished the gods from Olympus to the unconscious realm, a place dubbed as the Kingdom of Hades, or the underworld. A young man, Hero, attempts to find the truths of his past and shed light on the future, which will inevitably link back to the gods themselves.

Cast

Main

Recurring

Broadcast

Olympus has been acquired by Spike for broadcast in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 15 April 2015 at 10 pm. [6] The series premiered on Syfy in the United States on 2 April 2015.

Critical reception

Critical reviews for the series were mostly negative, particularly for the campy acting, the heavy use of green screens, the special effects and for being similar to earlier fantasy epics, with Keith Uhlich of The Hollywood Reporter calling it " 300 as shot for $300". [7]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal
air date
1"The Temple of Gaia" Nick Willing Nick Willing2 April 2015 (2015-04-02)
Hero risks his life to rescue the Oracle of Gaia from the Cyclops... she's the only person who can answer questions about his mysterious past. What she reveals is shocking, and changes Hero's life forever. In Athens, the siegetorn city is mired in political turmoil and someone inside the royal court is planning a coup, starting with killing King Aegeus.
2"Daedalus"Nick WillingNick Willing9 April 2015 (2015-04-09)
Hero, Oracle and the genius inventor Daedalus form an unlikely alliance to find Hero's birthright – the Ring of the Magi. Meanwhile, Queen Medea finds out that Hero is the King's illegitimate firstborn son and she dispatches ruthless warrior priests to track him down and bring him to Athens.
3"Ring of the Magi" Martin Wood Story by: Grant Rosenberg and Nick Willing
Teleplay by: Nick Willing
16 April 2015 (2015-04-16)
Hero, Oracle and Daedalus narrowly escape capture and dismemberment by the warrior priests as they make their way to the forest of Troezen in search of the ring. In Athens, Medea agrees to take part in a tribute to Apollo, unaware that she's walking into a trap that could cost the Queen her life.
4"Minos"Martin WoodNick Willing23 April 2015 (2015-04-23)
Hero, Oracle and Daedalus are captured by the Minoan troops and brought before King Minos and his daughter, Ariadne who subject them to sadistic torture. As life in Athens grows more dire, Medea arranges for a Dorian mercenary to go on a mission: sneak into the Minoan camp and against all odds, kidnap Hero.
5"Blood Brothers" Amanda Tapping Peter Hume30 April 2015 (2015-04-30)
Hero slips way into Athens to confront his father the King, only to be arrested and turned over to Prince Lykos. Once Lykos discovers Hero's identity, he realises that his place in the court, and in his father's heart, is threatened. Back at the Minoan camp, Daedalus unveils his plans for the ultimate war machine that will bring Athens to its knees.
6"The Lexicon"Amanda TappingStory by: Richard Beattie
Teleplay by: Richard Beattie & Nick Willing
7 May 2015 (2015-05-07)
Medea and Aegeus try to convince Hero of the importance of solving the riddle of the Lexicon with the hope that he'll use his power to save Athens. Hero is not easily persuaded and must decide whether the Lexicon is a gift or a curse that he should rid himself of forever.
7"Love and Time"Nick WillingGillian Horvath & Nick Willing21 May 2015 (2015-05-21)
Hero and Medea travel to the Temple of Aphrodite where Hero must complete a critical task: to kill love. However, when he arrives he is stunned by what he finds there. Outside the temple, Medea is confronted by her sister, Chalciope: a Magi warrior and cold blooded killer who has come to reclaim her sacred ring and will do anything to get it back.
8"Danger and Desire"Martin Wood Dennis Heaton 28 May 2015 (2015-05-28)
The Minoans take over Athens, and King Minos is about to put Aegeus and the rest of the royal family to death when Hero comes to their rescue, striking a bargain with Minos – the Lexicon in return for sparing their lives. Minos agrees, unaware that Hero has plan which will either set him on the road to Olympus, or lead to the death of everyone he holds dear.
9"Pandora's Tomb"Amanda TappingNick Willing4 June 2015 (2015-06-04)
En route to the door of Olympus, Hero and Princess Ariadne unexpectedly fall in love. They hurry through the country side, eager to reach Olympus, not realising that their destination may not turn out to be what they expect. In Athens, Lykos and Aegeus are being held in the dank prison caves where they must hide their identities, or suffer the terrifying rage of the other prisoners.
10"Heritage"Amanda TappingNick Willing11 June 2015 (2015-06-11)
Medea risks her life to find Hero before he can accidentally open Pandora's tomb, but when she gets to him she realises she's too late – Ariadne's dead. A thick fog rolls out of the tomb, quickly spreading its freezing breath throughout the land. Hero and Medea barely get back to the safety of the palace, where Hero faces his second task – taking on his father in a fight to the death.
11"The Speed of Time" Andy Mikita Nick Willing18 June 2015 (2015-06-18)
Hero and Medea are trapped in the frozen palace where Hero has a vision of Gaia who tells him if he tries to enter Olympus, he will die. Hero realises that if he is to survive, he'll need Medea's faith in the Gods, Daedalus' scientific genius and Oracle's visionary gifts. However, Oracle is with Minos on Mount Ida, snowbound and slowly freezing to death with King Minos.
12"Door to Olympus"Andy MikitaNick Willing25 June 2015 (2015-06-25)
Medea trades her body and soul to the demon goddess Circe in exchange for leading her, Hero, Daedalus and Oracle to the door of Olympus. Medea has only 24 hours before Circe claims her prize and Medea's life is forfeit. On their dangerous trek, they are attacked by the deadly Fates, as well as the trickster God Hermes. When they arrive at the door to Olympus, they are stunned by what they find.
13"Truth"Nick WillingNick Willing2 July 2015 (2015-07-02)
Hero, Oracle, Daedalus and Medea have made it inside the doors to Olympus – and now their real journey begins. Along the way, they are tested, judged, enlightened and bitterly disappointed. Nothing in the world of the gods turns out quite as they expected or hoped for. In the end, Hero and Oracle are faced with the most incredible and daunting task ever asked of Mortal Man.

Related Research Articles

Syfy is an American basic cable television channel, which is owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division and business segment of Comcast's NBCUniversal. Launched on September 24, 1992, the channel broadcasts programming relating to the science fiction, horror, and fantasy genres. As of January 2016, Syfy is available to 92.4 million households in America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zachary Levi</span> American actor (born 1980)

Zachary Levi Pugh is an American actor. He starred as Chuck Bartowski in the series Chuck, and as the title character in Shazam! and its 2023 sequel.

<i>Percy Jackson & the Olympians</i> Childrens fantasy adventure series

Percy Jackson & the Olympians is a series of fantasy novels written by American author Rick Riordan. The first book series in his Camp Half-Blood Chronicles, the novels are set in a world with the Greek gods in the 21st century. The series follows the protagonist Percy Jackson, a young demigod, who must prevent the Titans, led by Kronos, from destroying the world.

<i>Immortals</i> (2011 film) 2011 fantasy action film

Immortals is a 2011 American fantasy action film directed by Tarsem Singh Dhandwar and starring Henry Cavill, Stephen Dorff, Luke Evans, John Hurt, Isabel Lucas, Kellan Lutz, Freida Pinto, Joseph Morgan, Daniel Sharman, and Mickey Rourke. Loosely based on the Greek myths of Theseus and the Minotaur, and the Titanomachy, The film was previously named Dawn of War and War of the Gods before being officially named Immortals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syfy (Asian TV channel)</span> Asian cable TV channel

Syfy Universal Asia was an Asian cable television channel, launched on July 1, 2008 which mainly airs science fiction, fantasy and horror programs and movies. It also airs anime programming. It is owned by Universal Networks International.

<i>Haven</i> (TV series) American/Canadian television series

Haven is a supernatural drama television series loosely based on the Stephen King novel The Colorado Kid (2005). The show, which dealt with strange events in a fictional town in Maine named Haven, was filmed on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, and was an American/Canadian co-production. It starred Emily Rose, Lucas Bryant, Nicholas Campbell and Eric Balfour, whose characters struggle to help townspeople with supernatural afflictions and protect the town from the effects of those afflictions. The show was the creation of writers Jim Dunn and Sam Ernst.

<i>The Almighty Johnsons</i> New Zealand fantasy comedy/drama television series

The Almighty Johnsons is a New Zealand fantasy comedy/drama television series, which was created by James Griffin and Rachel Lang and was produced by South Pacific Pictures and aired from 7 February 2011 to 23 September 2013.

<i>Sinbad</i> (TV series) British television series

Sinbad is an action-adventure fantasy family saga television series that aired on Sky1 from 8 July to 23 September 2012. It was produced by Impossible Pictures, the same company who made Walking with Dinosaurs and Primeval. The series stars Elliot Knight as the eponymous hero Sinbad.

Hercules is a Disney media franchise comprising a film series and additional merchandise, starting with the 1997 animated Disney feature of the same name, directed by Ron Clements and John Musker.

<i>The Lizzie Borden Chronicles</i> American television limited series

The Lizzie Borden Chronicles is an American television limited series following Lizzie Borden after she is acquitted of the murders of her father and stepmother in 1892. It premiered on Lifetime on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015, and ended on May 25, 2015. The series is a continuation of the story begun in the network's 2014 film Lizzie Borden Took an Ax and, like the film, is fictionalized and speculative.

<i>Killjoys</i> 2015 Canadian space adventure drama series

Killjoys is a Canadian space adventure drama series that aired on Space in Canada. Primarily a science fiction series, Killjoys follows a trio of hard-living bounty hunters—Dutch, Johnny, and D'avin.

<i>The Magicians</i> (American TV series) 2015 American fantasy television series

The Magicians is an American fantasy television series that aired on Syfy and is based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Lev Grossman. Michael London, Janice Williams, John McNamara, and Sera Gamble serve as executive producers. A 13-episode order was placed for the first season in May 2015, and the series premiered on December 16, 2015, as a special preview. In January 2019, Syfy renewed the series for a fifth and final season, which ran from January 15 to April 1, 2020. In the show, students at a secretive school of magic find that the magical world is more dangerous than they realized.

<i>Tut</i> (miniseries) TV series or program

Tut is a Canadian-American miniseries that premiered on U.S. cable network Spike on July 19, 2015. The three-part miniseries is based on the life of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun.

<i>Wynonna Earp</i> (TV series) 2010s TV series

Wynonna Earp is a Western horror television series. Developed by Emily Andras, the Canadian-American program is based on the comic book series by Beau Smith. Melanie Scrofano plays the titular character, the great-great-granddaughter of legendary lawman Wyatt Earp. In the series, Wynonna returns to her hometown of Purgatory, near the Canadian Rockies, where she battles revenants, the reincarnated outlaws that Wyatt killed.

Saints & Strangers is an American drama television two-part miniseries. It tells the story of the Mayflower voyage and chronicles the Pilgrims' first year in America and the first Thanksgiving in 1621. The program aired on the National Geographic Channel and premiered on November 22, 2015.

<i>Dark Net</i> (TV series) Documentary series

Dark Net is an American documentary television series created by Mati Kochavi that explores the dark web and technology, and themes such as biohacking, cyber-kidnapping, digital warfare, online cults, pornography addiction, and webcam strippers. The series premiered on January 21, 2016, on Showtime, with the first season consisting of eight episodes. Its second season, consisting of eight episodes, premiered on April 6, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonya Cassidy</span> British actress

Sonya Cassidy is a British actress. Her credits include The Tudors (2009), The Paradise (2012), Vera (2012–2014), The Great Fire (2014), Survivor (2015), Olympus (2015), Humans (2016), The Woman in White (2018), Lodge 49 (2019), The Last Kingdom (2022), The Man Who Fell to Earth (2022), and The Hunt For Raoul Moat (2023).

<i>Blood of Zeus</i> American adult animated television series

Blood of Zeus, formerly known as Gods & Heroes, is an American adult animated fantasy action television series created and written by Charley and Vlas Parlapanides for Netflix. Produced by Powerhouse Animation Studios with the animation outsourced to South Korean studios Mua Film and Hanho Heung-Up, the series was released on October 27, 2020, on Netflix.

<i>Shazam! Fury of the Gods</i> 2023 DC Studios film

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is a 2023 American superhero film based on the DC character Shazam. Produced by New Line Cinema, DC Studios, and the Safran Company, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is the sequel to Shazam! (2019) and the 12th installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Directed by David F. Sandberg, produced by Peter Safran, and written by Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan, it stars Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Rachel Zegler, Adam Brody, Ross Butler, D. J. Cotrona, Grace Caroline Currey, Meagan Good, Lucy Liu, Djimon Hounsou, and Helen Mirren. In the film, Billy Batson / Shazam and his foster siblings fight the Daughters of Atlas.

No Equal Entertainment is a Canadian television and film production company owned and operated by producer/director J.B. Sugar based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. No Equal develops and produces both scripted and documentary projects. In addition to producing their original projects, No Equal provides production services for studios, networks and broadcasters around the world. To date, No Equal has produced over 300 episodes of television.

References

  1. "Olympus". olympustv.com. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  2. "Olympus Cast".
  3. "Shows A-Z – olympus on syfy". The Futon Critic . Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Cast – Olympus". Syfy.
  5. "Holliday Grainger Toplines Lady Chatterley's Lover For BBC One; Levi Meadon Joins Syfy's Olympus". Deadline Hollywood . 22 April 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  6. Munn, Patrick (26 March 2015). "VIMN To Launch Spike UK on April 15th; Picks Up UK Rights to Olympus, Justified, Sons of Anarchy and More". TVWise. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  7. Uhlich, Keith (2 April 2015). "Olympus: TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 7 May 2018.