Warning: This article includes spoilers for Percy Jackson & The Olympians season 2, episode 4!
Episode 4 of Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians reboot proves exactly why it’s better than the 2013 Sea of Monsters movie. Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books are beloved, and any adaptation would have a high bar to meet. Previously, director Chris Columbus attempted to bring the stories to life.
Unfortunately, they were both poorly received. They were somewhat entertaining, but they made too many changes to the source material. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters both hold a rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes. When Disney decided to reboot the story, fans were understandably skeptical. However, Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 1 went over extremely well.
The true test would be Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2, though, as The Sea of Monsters has a much more fantastical setting and a grander scope than The Lightning Thief. After four episodes, the Percy Jackson TV show season 2 has proven exactly why it’s better than The Sea of Monsters.
Percy Jackson & The Olympians Uses Practical Effects While The Sea of Monsters Used CGI
Clarisse stands behind the wheel of the ship in Percy Jackson and the Olympians
The Sea of Monsters movie leaned so heavily into CGI that it became distracting. Despite their best efforts, the entire film had this glossy sheen of fakeness. Any time the story sucked the audience in, the CGI broke the immersion. It felt manufactured. Percy Jackson & the Olympians took a different approach to season 2, increasing the scope and scale.
Rather than do everything through green screens and CGI, Percy Jackson & The Olympians season 2 uses practical effects, real sets, and on-location shooting whenever possible. They built giant set pieces for the Princess Andromeda and Clarisse’s warship, which added realism to the show.
The showrunners even brought over the visual effects team from Black Sails to handle all the water, boats, and sails. Because of their experience on the underrated pirate show, they knew how to bring the seafaring story to life. This choice is extremely noticeable in a positive way.
Percy Jackson Season 2 Episode 4 Shows Why Practical Effects Were The Right Way To Go
Annabeth looks upset while aboard a ship in Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2
Although the practical effects existed in the first three episodes, Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 episode 4 is the first time we get to see the full impact of them. Clarisse’s warship is central to the episode, and it’s very clear that the characters are working with real set pieces.
What’s more, the practical effects they did with the water were incredible. While the Percy Jackson characters are getting sprayed with water and rain, the actors are obviously interacting with real water.
The episode sucks the audience in, allowing us to be fully immersed as Percy and the gang enter the Sea of Monsters. It feels like we’re really there with the Percy Jackson demigods.
Release Date
December 19, 2023
Network
Disney+
Showrunner
Jonathan E. Steinberg, Dan Shotz
Walker Scobell
Percy Jackson
Leah Sava Jeffries
Annabeth Chase
