REVIEW: ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Season 2 Episode 3 – “We Board the Princess Andromeda”

Percy Jackson Season 2 Episode 3 is directed by Jason Ensler and written by Tamara Becher-Wilkinson. The show stars Walker Scobell, Leah Sava’ Jeffries, Daniel Diemer and Dior Goodjohn. As Percy (Scobell), Annabeth (Jeffries) and Tyson (Diemer) board a cruise ship filled with monsters and rebels, Clarisse (Goodjohn) heads out on her own quest.

This episode features a split narrative, following two groups simultaneously. Percy’s team are on the run, encountering a cruise ship that is moving away from the camp. Meanwhile, Clarisse is on a solo mission, or so she thinks.

There’s a terrific start to Percy Jackson Season 2 Episode 3, because it mirrors the beginning of Percy’s own quest. Clarisse has to visit the Oracle, with a reaction that highlights the difference between The Daughter of Ares and where Percy was at the same point. He was timid and not quite ready, while Clarisse had trained for this.

Clarisse and Percy, acting as mirrors, show how upbringing can shape one’s journey.

Both plots move very quickly, but especially the one on the cruise ship. It transitions from being merely a cruise ship to something incredibly different, with monsters and demigods aboard. The length of the episodes means these moments have to be hurried along, sometimes feeling too rushed. However, some scenes are given the devotion and dedication they deserve, especially when the residents in the depths of the ship are revealed.

An early set piece featuring Annabeth, Percy, and a returning demigod sets a hostile tone and energy on the ship, and the rest of the story is tense. It becomes clear how outnumbered they are. The opening minutes, showing monsters alongside vacationers on the cruise, are the scary kind of comical silliness that the show shines at. This can be found with Clarisse as well, with some really great jokes that work perfectly in the screen adaptation.

The cast and the performances are exceptional in Percy Jackson Season 2 Episode 3. Clarisse is growing now; she has a stronger presence this season and can stand on her own. She has a personality that is so full of pride and ego that anyone else is not needed.

Dior Goodjohn’s Clarrie is the real standout of Percy Jackson Season 2 Episode 3.

When Clarisse leaves the camp, she comes face to face with her father, Ares (Adam Copeland). Copeland is just delightful, enjoying himself on screen. He is funny and scary, dangerous and energetic. He’s actually very helpful to his daughter, but there is a darkness to him that is understandable, considering who he is.

Clarisse spends much of Percy Jackson Season 2 Episode 3 trying to emulate her father’s authority and stature, which she struggles to do. The isolation is really noticeable. Percy has friends to bounce off of; Clarisse is on her own.

Goodjohn’s performance is incredibly strong, especially in showing Clarisse’s struggles with confidence. She has a speech at the end of Percy Jackson Season 2 Episode 3 that ultimately feels weak, largely because of the dialogue rather than its delivery.

The production and costume design remain inconsistent in quality, unfortunately.

Meanwhile, on the cruise ship, the conflict between Annabeth and Percy has eased, but has not been completely resolved. But it feels better to have them close and aligned, even if they occasionally bicker. Now they’re on a quest, the duo are resorting to instinct and understanding.

The member of the team who suffers in the first half of Tyson, but that rectifies itself by the end of the plot. He’s absent and awkward for so much of the story, stuck in a cabin and regularly separated. Even before a major confrontation, the cyclops is taken away. This gives him an outsider quality, but that’s intentional. He can seem shunned and lonely, because he is. He has similarities to both the monsters and the demigods.

The production in Percy Jackson Season 2 Episode 3  has moments when it shines and others when it falters. The sets are impressive, creating two very different types of ships. One is a cruise ship, with amenities and luxury. The other is a dark ghost ship, barely containing anything clean. But from afar, they are clearly CGI ships.

The ocean plays a big role in Percy Jackson Season 2 Episode 3, its natural isolation lending to the storytelling.

Similarly, the monster designs are intricate and fascinating. But if a demigod character isn’t named or a notable part of either the camp or Luke’s rebellion, they are simply in a plain T-shirt and jeans. It can make them look boring and nondescript.

Percy Jackson Season 2 Episode 3 takes all the characters to the sea. The ocean is a major part of this season, and this episode shows that through parallel storytelling. The two plotlines are dealt with brilliantly, because they don’t tread on each other nor get in each other’s way. The inclusion of Clarisse turns the quest into a race, and Goodjohn’s performance is phenomenal. She shows both strength and vulnerability, and demonstrates the difference between training and the real thing.

There are still parts of the show that are weaker than they could be, with dialogue that lacks strength in its most intense moments. But the constant momentum and energy are enthralling, and it shows in Percy Jackson Season 2 Episode 3.

Percy Jackson Season 2 Episode 3 is streaming exclusively on Disney+ and Hulu, with new episodes releasing every Wednesday.

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