Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 Episodes 1 and 2 Review: A Splashy Return

Welcome back, Percy Jackson! We’ve missed that sass and sword.

Walker Scobell is off to the races on Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 Episode 1 and 2, “I Play Dodgeball with Cannibals/Demon Pigeons Attack “ as he steps comfortably back into the beloved role.

The first two episodes are heavy on the setup, but thrumming with action-packed chaos and promising character introductions.

We slip effortlessly back into this bright, mythology-brimming world of monsters and teenage shenanigans.

Percy Jackson doubles down on a middle-grade adaptation, embracing the juvenile joy of high-energy fights and adorable tongue-tied dialogue when the word “boyfriend” is mentioned.

It’s pure mythology-loving fun that is fit for the whole family. With many shows punching up in age, it’s nice to see a show establish stakes while gearing storylines towards the same age group as the campers in the show.

Some of the best moments happen when these unlikely heroes are allowed to be goofy, rebellious teenagers.

From Tyson protecting Percy by picking him up like a ragdoll to Percy excitedly asking Annabeth if she watched Jaws, these kids navigate a deadly destiny with refreshing innocence.

It’s not all smooth sailing for the premiere, unfortunately.

Percy Jackson shows signs of cracking under the pressure of its breakneck pacing. These episodes do mimic the fast-paced nature of the books, with a revolving door of conflict. Yet, what works for a middle-grade novel doesn’t always work for episodic storytelling.

It’s overwhelming, like we’re not giving each development time to settle. Poseidon claiming Tyson and Luke poisoning Thalia are big moments, but they become a ripple in the flood of conflict overtaking camp.

The same goes for Percy’s meeting with Hermes. While notable, it’s not nearly as emotional as it needs to be to drive home the desperation Hermes has to save Luke. The dialogue rushes through the motions of what is a crucial interaction for the show.

But we do get Grover in the wedding dress! This deep cut from the book demonstrates where the series’ loyalties lie.

However, there is a clear standout of these first two episodes — Leah Sava Jeffries.

Annabeth Chase held her own last season, and the actress put in the work to ensure that all the emotional inner dialogue the script is throwing at her looks effortless on screen.

Annabeth is facing the brunt of subcontext from the books with Tyson and the great prophecy. That is a lot of internal turmoil to convey while also establishing chemistry with your scene partner.

Also, Jeffries demonstrates the changes a year has had on Annabeth while managing to keep the core of the character intact. She uses her facial expressions and subtle physicality to convey what the juvenile-geared dialogue cannot.

If anyone needs to lead this show, it’s the world’s smartest demigod. Jeffries accepts that duty with the ease of a veteran actor.

Another element of this season we cannot help but love is the practical effects this show champions.

Instead of proping up this fantasy world with CGI and green screens, much of the action takes place in practical outdoor settings with old-school smoke and mirror camera tricks.

From the Gray Sister’s taxi driving into a puff of smoke every time it teleports to the giants being shot at downward angles to give the impression they are larger than life, Percy Jackson is paying homage to old-school Hollywood effects.

Does it come off clunky at times, trying to blend green screen and practical effects on location? Sure does.

Yet, the settings never feel confining in the way the sets in Marvel Studios’ Disney+ series do.

There’s something to be said about the nostalgia of finally making the adaptation we dreamed of having when we were kids, to look and feel like something that would have existed in that period of time aesthetically.

Percy Jackson looks and feels like Disney+ plucked it from our childhood, and in many ways, that adds to the nostalgic draw.

The meticulous detail put into fleshing out what is essentially a series of fields in a forest to look like Camp Half-Blood is remarkable.

That whimsy is, of course, on display with the teasing exterior shots of the cabins and the big house. But the piece de resistance of this two-episode premiere is the chariot race.

From the costumes to the details every cabin’s chariot showcases throughout the battle, it is a feast for the eyes. The sequence offers intricate dressings and action-packed camper drama.

If Percy Jackson can capture the essence of that scene onboard the Princess Andromeda, it will have no trouble sailing straight through these next six episodes.

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What did you think of the Season 2 premiere of Percy Jackson and the Olympians? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!

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New episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians drop Wednesdays on Disney+.

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