Photo courtesy of: Disney+

Aryan Simhadri, Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries star in ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’

A childhood fan favorite has come to life once again. With any book-to-screen adaptation, there is a sense of familiarity, but with “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” Season 2 something still feels like it’s missing.

   Based on Rick Riordan’s bestselling book series, the show raised high expectations with his involvement in script writing, especially after the poorly received movie adaptations in the early 2010s.

   Season 2 follows the events of the “Sea of Monsters,” after Luke Castellan (Charlie Bushnell) poisoned Thalia Grace (Tamara Smart), who was transformed into a tree to protect Camp Half-Blood.

   This event sends main characters Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell), Annabeth Chase (Leah Sava Jeffries), Clarisse La Rue (Dior Goodjohn), and Percy’s long-lost Cyclops brother, Tyson (Daniel Diemer), on an unsanctioned quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Sea of Monsters–also known as the Bermuda Triangle–to bring the protective barrier back to its full effect.

   Meanwhile, Grover Underwood (Aryan Simhadri) is captured while searching for the lost god Pan, remaining connected to Percy through their empathic link, a result of their strong friendship, which becomes crucial to the quest.

   What stood out to me most this season wasn’t the storyline, but the cast. In the first season, the acting often felt flat and noticeably “Disney-produced.” Scobell, Jeffries, Goodjohn, and Simhadri have clearly improved since then, and their maturity is noticeable throughout this season. 

   The tension between Percy and his love interest, Annabeth, is especially heightened in this season, particularly during the scene where Clarisse chose other people for the quest to find the fleece over Percy because of Annabeth’s suggestion. Percy’s desire to prove himself clashes with Annabeth’s instinct to protect him, creating drama that carries through the early episodes.

   As far as pacing goes, it’s mostly fine. The season isn’t rushed, but it can feel slow when the characters remain in the same setting for an entire episode. At times, it feels like the quest is stalled instead of feeling urgent, largely because Percy and Annabeth know their best friend is being held captive and they need to save their camp.

   However, the beginning of the first episode could have benefited from more development of his school life, rather than jumping straight back into action. 

   While the show introduces new scenes, like when Percy learns his fatal flaw of loyalty, throughout the season, it rarely takes creative risks that give that wow factor. 

   As with most adaptations, there are also noticeable omissions. One major example is the siren scene, where Percy is supposed to see Annabeth’s fears through her hallucinations. In this moment, many fans value this scene as it sparks their relationship development.

   The show does a great job with small details. Percy’s dyslexia is subtly shown, especially when he struggles to read and explain the quest plan to Clarisse.

   While the season is clearly crafted with care, it rarely left me excited to keep watching. With the show already renewed for a third season, I hope that “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” will grow this next season and make some improvements.