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The Biggest Book Changes Yet Are Surprisingly Compelling

Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2, episode 5 continues the momentum with another solid episode filled with Greek mythology and exciting sequences. Percy Jackson Season 2, Episode 4 was the series’ best yet, showcasing massive scale and adding real depth to its characters.

Unless Percy Jackson changed too much from the book in Episode 5 and went into full movie mode, it was going to be difficult to derail the enhanced season currently streaming on Disney+. Fortunately, all of the changes to the book found in Episode 5 remained well-handled in the interest of a new medium, with the episode retaining much of what fans know and love.

Combined with the great performances now expected from Percy Jackson With Season 2’s cast, superb production design, and compelling villains, the series continues to be a success.

The Percy Jackson Story season 2, episode 5 is a well-constructed book deviation

Rosemarie DeWitt smiling as Circe in season 2 of Percy Jackson

As a long-time book fan, the immediate removal of Percy Jackson season 2, episode 5 shows how differently the show constructs this section of the book’s story. In the book, after Clarisse’s ship explodes, Annabeth and Percy end up at CC’s spa and resort. After escaping, they encounter the island of the Sirens and then find themselves in the lair of Polyphemus.

Wisely, CC’s house and the mermaids are linked together. Percy Jackson season 2, episode 5, adding layers of depth to the premiere that weren’t present in the book. CC, a witch who turns out to be Circe, uses her spa to train the heroes to find their fatal flaw, something the mermaids use against them to lure them in with their song.

This makes Circe more of a flawed and morally gray person than the villain she is in the book. Circe just wants to help the heroes, whoever they are, so that she feels loved. without being abandoned. This leads him to make choices that are not very benevolent, but which arise from a very human need for connection.

Circe’s changes are like those made to Medusa in Percy Jackson season 1, making both of them better characters as a result. Rosemarie DeWitt embodies this as well as Circe, making the audience feel her sympathy while viewing her methods as flawed. This change, along with the mermaids being the “cell” Circe uses to guard the heroes, is one of the best narrative changes made in Percy Jackson so far.

Percy Jackson's Big Bad and Most Anticipated Season 2 Episode Revealed in Exclusive New Posters Percy Jackson’s Big Bad and Most Anticipated Season 2 Episode Revealed in Exclusive New Posters

Beyond that, Percy Jackson Season 2, Episode 5 uses the Sirens and Polyphemus in a slightly different way than the book, but captures the same important beats. Siren’s song is scary, and seeing Annabeth’s experience first-hand was genuinely tense and surprising, unlike the show usually isn’t.

When it comes to Polyphemus, the show’s decision to make him a smarter, more cunning villain is paying off. On top of that, the excellent mix of practical and visual effects to bring him to life is excellent, making Polyphemus a great monster for the heroes to face off against next week.

Likewise, the production design to bring Circe’s island to life is stunning. Ancient Greek architecture allows the modern world to Percy Jackson blending in with magic in a way that the show and books rarely allow. All of the armor, tunics, robes, and other elements are stunning to behold, continuing the trend of enhancing the scale of the spectacle.

Leah Sava Jeffries and Walker Scobell are, once again, excellent here. Both have great scenes that play on their characters’ biggest concerns and flaws, continuing to flesh them out well. The same can be said for Grover and Clarisse. Overall, Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2, episode 5 is another very solid entry, continuing the series’ good form.


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Release date

December 19, 2023

Network

Disney+

Showrunner

Jonathan E. Steinberg, Dan Shotz

Directors

James Bobin

Writers

Joe Tracz, Andrew Miller

  • Portrait of Walker Scobell

    Walker Scobell

    Percy Jackson

  • Portrait of Leah Sava Jeffries

    Léa Sava Jeffries

    Annabeth Chase


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