Percy Jackson Season 2 shines on all fronts, delivering the type of sophomore season that proves the show is on its way toward becoming one of the most skillfully crafted fantasies of the decade. It’s literally everything I wish I had growing up, and I hope younger generations realize how fortunate they are to have an adaptation that’s this captivating.
With the first two episodes available now, it’s a straightforward and thoughtful indication of where the series will go, and how so much of it is tethered to this deeply special friendship. It was easy to appreciate everything we got with Percy, Grover, and Annabeth in Season 1, add in Tyson to this chapter, and it’s all softer—increasingly better. Plus, it’s already so obvious in the first that the remaining episodes will elevate everything in a breathtaking manner.
Percy Jackson Season 2 Increases the Tension on All Fronts
The first episode is a small step in how the tension grows in increments—how there’s longing in every corner from the romance department, but also there’s tension in the literal war waging around them. The friendships are even sweeter, as in the beginning, it’s all for Grover. It’s about how they can get to him. The pacing is a thoughtful means of delivering something that sticks the landing because this is what matters—that every quiet moment is relevant and necessary.
The beats that pass between Percy and Annabeth aren’t accidental. Even if you somehow don’t know how the books pan out, the series is no longer subtle about the fact that their someday is coming soon. This is more than a friendship—it’s always been. Beyond that, their friendship means so much to both of them that it’s quite literally incredible to watch the wholesome beats that are developing between them. It’s as simple as Percy making it clear that he wants to know if she enjoyed Space Mountain—the realization that they’re both holding something back in their letters. All of it.
Walker Scobell and Leah Sava Jeffries play off one another with such astounding chemistry that these quiet moments scream. We don’t know what’s in the letters, but we can figure out plenty with their every pause and every gaze: every look and every slight shift in their physicality when the other one is near. Jeffries is especially compelling in Percy Jackson Season 2 as we dive deeper into understanding what’s unfolding around them. So much of this is just the beginning, but it’s already so sacred that every passing moment means something.
The show’s ability to shine a light on the friendships above all things ensures that the plot is gripping because of the characters. They’re the ones telling the story, and they’re the ones we’re invested in. Every new player, every directorial decision, and every episode thus far feels like a worthwhile triumph in storytelling at an age where so much is unclear.
Post Release Related Content: Percy and Annabeth’s Conversation in ‘Clarisse Blows Up Everything’ Is a Significantly Moving Showcase of Vulnerability
Percy Jackson Season 2 is bigger in every way, allowing the show to also stand out as a series that’s allowing itself to be fun and significant. We’re losing a lot of nuance these days in the age of content that’s devoid of fantasy, yet here, everything about the mythology and characters adds a much-needed levity that’s also full of great depth. It really isn’t a show to be missed.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 premieres on Disney+ on December 10.
First Featured Image Credit: (Disney/David Bukach)