Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 Review

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians is off to a fantastic start with its season 2 premiere. It sets the stage for what is happening in the season while catching up with our heroes.”

After a successful first season, Percy Jackson and the Olympians is back! Season 2 adapts the second novel, The Sea of Monsters, which was previously adapted for the big screen with a film starring Logan Lerman. The author, Rick Riordan, continues to supervise the series, allowing the fans to experience a more faithful adaptation of the original work. Walker Scobell, Leah Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri are back in their respective roles of Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and Grover Underwood. The second season premieres with two episodes on December 10, with subsequent episodes airing each Wednesday on Disney+.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 Review — *PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS* – (Disney/David Bukach) WALKER SCOBELL

STORY

It’s a good thing the season premiere is a double episode because it really works as one big episode. These two episodes set the stage for what is happening this season. It’s time to catch up with our heroes, establish the stakes, and launch the new quest. As in the first season, the urgency of the threat and the danger are palpable. The season premiere is pretty much the introduction chapter. And without any doubt, it’s off to a fantastic start. It doesn’t disappoint.

This time, Percy has to find a way to save both Camp Half-Blood, whose protective border is breached, and his best friend, Grover. Because of that, Grover doesn’t have much screen time. The focus here is Percy, Annabeth, and the newly introduced character – Tyson, Percy’s half-brother. A lot happens in these episodes to set up the season’s overall story. It establishes new dynamics. Like season one, it takes its time to develop its characters. That’s the thing about having the original author work on the series. He knows his characters and his story, so he knows the essential parts of his work that need to be told on screen.

CAST

When we last saw Walker Scobell and his friends, it was two years ago. It’s been a while! They’re teenagers, so they do grow up fast. You can clearly see from the season premiere that they have significantly changed. But it’s like seeing old friends again. Walker Scobell is still as amazing as Percy Jackson. He continues to prove he was the right choice for the role. Seeing him on screen, the way he plays Percy, he truly embodies the character.

On top of that, Leah Jeffries continues to be equally as good as Annabeth. Despite limited screen time in the first two episodes, Aryan Simhadri is still convincing as Grover. The three leads know their characters so well.

Moreover, Jason Mantzoukas is back as Dionysus. He’s so good in this role, bringing wit in every situation. Lin-Manuel Miranda also returns as Hermes, and he’s still perfect in this role. I have said it before, but they really nailed it with the casting choices for the Gods. There are new additions this season, too. Timothy Simons is the demigod king Tantalus. The way he plays the character, combined with his costume, makes him all the more ridiculous. Daniel Diemer joins the cast as Tyson, the cyclop. He brings a reassuring yet strong presence, a little bit of goofiness, and a big heart. Daniel has good on-screen chemistry with Walker Scobell; they’re convincing as half-brothers.

VISUALS AND END CREDITS

For the most part, the season premiere has beautiful visuals. Using real sets when possible always makes a difference. Whether it’s the costume designs or the way it’s filmed, the chariot race is a memorable scene from these first two episodes. However, there is one thing that doesn’t work in the season premiere. It’s the CG eye of Tyson. It looks out of place compared to the rest of the characters and the monsters we’ve seen in the first season.

Finally, season 2 uses the same end-credits style as season 1, but with motifs updated to reflect the story in these new episodes. It’s halfway between a stained glass window and a painting in motion. Undoubtedly, it’s an absolutely fabulous end credits. You don’t want to skip that one, mainly since it features Bear McCreary’s powerful theme. His label, Sparks & Shadows, has once again composed the series’ score. It’s a good musical score that fits with this universe.

VERDICT

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is off to a fantastic start with its season 2 premiere. It sets the stage for what is happening in the season while catching up with our heroes. Walker Scobell reminds us why he was the right choice to play Percy. Daniel Diemer and Timothy Simons are great additions to the cast.