Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1 Episode 3 Review: We Visit the Garden Gnome Emporium

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1 Episode 3, “We Visit the Garden Gnome Emporium,” is a rock-solid follow-up to that perfect premiere.

It deviates more from the books. However, the changes prioritize the characters at the heart of this quest.

Include a Hermes jumpscare, some classic Disney violence parlay with Medusa’s beheading, a generous amount of Golden Trio bonding, and this episode finds glory on the road.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians doesn’t know the meaning of a weak link. It is a clever, enthralling character study, so beyond anything Disney+ has managed to produce as of late.

Episode 3 demonstrates the kind of character development adult series will spend years attempting to flesh out.

This episode confirms Sally and Percy’s relationship is crucial to the season’s trajectory, anchoring the plot to her influence over Percy and the philosophy she instilled in him. The books always touched on their connection, but the show uses it as a foundation for success.

The episode instills similar stakes in Annabeth’s backstory by delving into Thalia’s death and how it shapes her.

The absent play a significant role, whether they are the gods on Mount Olympus or the losses this trio mourns. To watch those invisible forces apply pressure to this stellar trio of young actors who are out-acting people twice their age is electrifying.

Meeting Medusa

Jessica Parker Kennedy’s Medusa is a stone-cold scene-stealer!

Her introduction is a significant deviation from the books but an effective change. It always made more sense for Annabeth to recognize the statues as a trap from the jump. Plus, Percy has to willingly walk into the emporium knowing it is Medusa’s lair — that’s badass.

The episode doing away with the juvenile Hansel and Gretel adaptation in favor of an honest conversation is far more fascinating — especially when the conversation is with Medusa.

It is fantastic to see this show embrace mature subject matter from Greek mythology to adapt its antagonists and impressionable heroes better. There is so much untapped angst festering among those gods.

This meeting between the trio and Medusa ties in beautifully with the themes Sally establishes in her reminder that not all monsters look monstrous. Hopefully, that sentiment continues to anchor Percy’s quest because, from a storytelling standpoint, it enriches these monster-of-the-week interactions.

Ultimately, the decision benefits Medusa’s character the most.

The cursed Gorgon has come a long way in the feminist zeitgeist since Rick Riordan first wrote about her, and many women champion her not as a monster but as a victim of misogyny. To witness the show echo this viewpoint rather than gloss over it is thrilling.

It is much more compelling to have Medusa tell her version of the events to a son of Poseidon and daughter of Athena. Even if it is biased, her perspective feeds into Percy’s doubts about the gods being the heroes and lends more humanity to the monstrous role.

We sympathize and even root for Kennedy’s Medusa right up until she takes her hat off and unleashes her wrath because her pain is something all women can relate to.

The decision to reimagine Medusa’s haunting deity as a misplaced starlet concealing her snakes behind an old Hollywood glam facade is stunning. I find myself yearning for Kennedy to leave the tule hat on because the facial acting and chilling evenness of her tone are already so effectively unnerving.

Friend or Foe

Sally’s statement that not all monsters will appear as monsters haunts Percy as he grapples with many internal struggles involving Poseidon, Annabeth, and his mother. The episode does a wonderful job of vocalizing all that internal dialogue.

It is startling how much of this episode is devoted not to the quest but to Percy’s relationships with Annabeth and Grover and his internal struggle to trust them.

However, when your first season hinges on these three having an interesting dynamic, prioritizing them is the smartest strategy.

The strife between Percy and Annabeth creates meaningful conflict and some great one-liners from Percy, like “She met a pinecone’s fate” or “Our voting system is broken.” It is amplified by clashing as Grover reveals he was also Annabeth’s protector, and Percy worries Annabeth is too ruthless to trust.

That build-up of tension between Annabeth and Percy as they beg Grover to pick a side pays off spectacularly. Grover putting them in their place and Percy repaying him by doing something reckless could not be a more satisfying outcome to this lesson.

Leaving So Soon

I have always taken issue with how swiftly the first book leaves Camp Half-Blood after introducing Percy to the enticing playground.

Of course, the point is uprooting Percy as he starts to feel at home. However, the show can explore the camp visually in ways the book cannot, and I am disappointed it did not jump at the chance. The worldbuilding could benefit from more scenes fleshing out camp life.

The quest candidates and selection ceremony also bog down the flow of the remaining camp scenes.

Ultimately, throwing us headfirst into the episode with the Oracle’s prophecy is a brilliant move. As is the live-action design for Luke’s winged Converses.

An iconic symbol of the series, they get a proper moment in the spotlight as the laces knit together to reveal wings. And how nice that Luke solidifies their friendship before Percy leaves for his quest.

—

What did you think of this episode of Percy Jackson and the Olympians? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Critic Rating:

User Rating:

 

New episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians stream Tuesdays at 9/8c on Disney+.

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!

Alicia Gilstorf’s Top 10 TV Shows of 2023