On December 10th, Disney released the first two episodes of season two of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” with new episodes being released every Wednesday until January 21st. The season is based on “The Sea of Monsters,” the second installment in Rick Riordan’s best-selling series, which shares its name with the show. In this season, Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell), Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava Jeffries), and Tyson (Daniel Diemer) must find the famous Golden Fleece and their friend Grover (Aryan Simhadri) in the Sea of Monsters.
Unlike the “Percy Jackson” movies, produced by 20th Century Studios, which strayed from the books and made major changes, the show is staying true to the original series. Disney’s commitment to adhering to the books is appreciated because, for people who adored the series when they were younger, it’s nice to see everything stay true to the original. Disney is working with Rick Riordan, so he approves changes.
Episode 5, “We Check in to C.C. ‘s Spa & Resort,” was one of the best, from the set design to the guinea pigs and even discovering Percy’s fatal flaw, this episode felt incredibly strong and featured a lot of character development. Seeing how Percy’s fatal flaw of loyalty and his need to save those he cares about can be spun as a negative was interesting, especially because we know it will largely come into play later on. The way the sirens were portrayed was excellent, not as beautiful women leading sailors to death on rocky shores, but as the rocky shores themselves. The stark contrast between their alluring voices and their horrid appearance emphasized the danger that Percy and Annabeth were in. Although it’s not completely accurate to how sirens look in Greek mythology, it was a great way to show their menacing nature. Also, the reveal about Polyphemus and the viewers finally seeing the Cyclops’ imitation trick put to use dangerously was excellent and unexpected.
Overall, this season was very enjoyable. We got bits and pieces of more backstories, which started to fully develop some of the characters, such as Clarisse, as well as Annabeth and her relationship with Thalia. The set design was also incredibly impressive. Many of the settings are very intricate, such as the Sea of Monsters. Everything was so detailed and really brought the story to life. One of the best things about this season is definitely the ensemble, as both new and old characters really got a chance to shine. Tyson is a character who was introduced this season. From the moment that he comes on screen, you just can’t help but love him. The entire time while watching, I was just rooting for him and ready to defend him against anyone who was mean to him. His relationship with Percy was also wonderful to see bloom. Seeing them bond on screen is just such a delight, especially with some of the heavier moments of the show. Clarisse is a returning character who gets a larger role this season. We get to see her learn how to lead her crew and understand her decisions more. She goes from not being able to get them in line to actually caring about them and not wanting to let them down. It shows a side of her that in the books we don’t get to see until the final book, where you see how much her relationships with people mean to her. The last episode was a nice conclusion for the season as a whole, but really kept us looking forward to season 3.
