This article contains a brief mention of rape.

SPOILERS for Kaos are ahead!

Netflix’s newest dark comedy, Kaos characters include famous figures from Greek mythology, weaving together multiple myths with a contemporary overarching narrative. Greek mythology movies and TV shows are nothing new for Hollywood, but audiences typically react in mixed ways to these adaptations because of the beloved source material.

However, Kaos has received overwhelmingly positive responses from audiences, with one Ancient Greece expert calling it one of the cleverest retellings she’s seen (via The Conversation). Part of the reason the series has found success is because the story feels fresh while paying immense respect to the original myths. Additionally, Kaos incorporates and laughs at one part of Greek mythology that is typically left out of TV and movie adaptations.

The Greek Gods Are Actually Terrible In Kaos

The Greek Gods Behave In Irrational, Vengeful, and Morally Dubious Ways In Kaos

When it comes to Greek mythology on TV and in movies, shows tend to bowdlerize the gods, presenting them in a much kinder light. Kaos, on the other hand, stays true to the original myths for the most part. The Netflix show removes the frequent instances of rape by the gods, but it doesn’t shy away from other less appealing parts of mythology that carried over from the Bronze Age. Within Kaos, Zeus loses his watch, and his solution is to murder people. He smashes his son’s head into a table for making a snide comment to Hera, displaying zero regard for his child’s wellbeing.

The family drama, pettiness, and ridiculous temper tantrums are glorious because most Greek gods from the myths are terrible people.

Zeus is also so fragile that he gets offended at someone playing a prank that blasphemed the gods. He prioritizes Hercules over Dionysus, despite the latter being desperate for his dad’s approval. Hera punishes the women that Zeus is sleeping with. Poseidon is sleeping with his sister and his brother’s wife, Hera. Hades is clearly the black sheep of the family, but he also gets all the attention when his wife does all the hard work. The family drama, pettiness, and ridiculous temper tantrums are glorious because most Greek gods from the myths are terrible people.

The Accurate Depiction Of The Greek Gods Is Refreshing

TV Shows And Movies Need To Show The More Dramatic Side Of The Gods

The accuracy of Greek mythology characters in Kaos is especially enjoyable because TV shows and movies, especially contemporary versions instead of period pieces, typically downplay the negative aspects of the gods. The gods still have a temper for the sake of the stories, but they’re flattened down to this one trait.

In actuality, most Greek gods behaved like they were in a soap opera. They had all the human emotions and flaws but enough power to take them out on everyone. They lie, cheat, kill people for no reason, act on their emotions, engage in incest, bicker, and punish one another. (Though some gods left out of the show have a more comionate side.) This is precisely how they are portrayed in Kaos, making the show feel refreshing.

Source: The Conversation