Now Streaming: BLOOD OF ZEUS S2, The Gods Get Gory

Before superheroes existed, gods and monsters and bastard half-human children wreaked violence throughout the universe.

Blood of Zeus
Seasons 1 and 2 are now streaming, only on Netflix worldwide. I've seen all 16 episodes.

In Season 1, which debuted in October 2020, Heron (voiced by Derek Phillips) was introduced as the ultimate outsider in ancient Greece. As a young man, he learns that he is the bastard son of Zeus and finds himself in opposition to the mighty warrior Seraphim (Elias Toufexis). Over time, he reclaims his rightful identity, which brings him into outright conflict with the gods, who, it turns out, are divided among themselves. Still, Heron succeeds in battle and becomes a demigod.

Whew!

Created by Charley Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides, who also teamed up to write all 16 episodes so far, the series takes mythology very seriously, which makes for a refreshing break from the past two or three decades of movies and television shows that have churned out many lighthearted yet superpowered heroes and villains who are largely undistinguishable beneath their masks and costumes. Greek mythology is largely the basis for superhero tales, after all, so in going back to the source, the Parlapanides brothers treat the original gods and monsters with deep respect.

The gods in the series may be immortal, but they are far from perfect. They are filled with the same flawed personality traits and negative inclinations as humans. Whereas Season 1 started from the perspective of humans, Season 2 begins from the perspective of the gods, focusing mainly on Heron and Seraphim as they follow different paths after the events in Season 1.

It turns out that Heron and Seraphim are fleshly brothers, but their dispositions are radically different. Heron now knows who he is, but with Zeus out of the picture, the gods fight for control of the heavens, leaving Heron to wonder what he should be doing, and where.

In contrast, Seraphim has been banished to the underworld, where Hades (Fred Tatasciore) rules. Hades offers Seraphim a bargain, but first must relate his origin story.

Resplendent in darkly beautiful animation, Blood of Zeus feels like a graphic novel brought to life. The characters are well-defined and very expressive, playing against backgrounds that are detailed without being unnecessarily fussy. The color scheme slants heavily toward darker tones, which is very appropriate for the underworld, of course, but also in devastations that are wrought upon heaven and earth.

The action sequences are plentiful and plainly graphic in their explicit depiction. Blood flows, flies, and spurts, leaving gaping holes, exposed intestines, and severed limbs.

The Parlapanides brothers often write eloquent speeches for the characters to deliver and the voice cast performs them admirably. Each episode is a little bit different in how it presents its portion of the overall narrative, while featuring compelling B-stories that fill in the background of the gods and humans who (mostly) aim to be brave and honorable in their own actions, even if they feel they must decimate thousands to do it.

For those with a taste for the gods, demigods, and monsters, as well as a few humans, of ancient Greek mythology, the series more than satisfies, while offering something for every lover of a good tale told right.