Percy Jackson and the Olympians Episode 3 Review: After learning the truth about his mom being alive, but being held captive, Percy has no reason to say no to undertaking the quest to retrieve Zeus’ master bolt, also in the Underworld with Hades. The third episode picks up with the mentions of prophecies, the Oracle, and the trio meeting up with an old nemesis and a new unconventional foe.
The action-packed fantasy adventure series is back, but this time on the small screen instead, with Walker Scobell, Leah Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri in titular roles. Based on the much-loved book series of the same name, the first season adapts the first book, titled The Lightning Thief, in the chronology, and the Disney+ series is created by its author himself, Rick Riordan, along with Jonathan E Steinberg. Centred around a 12-year-old demigod who’s accused of stealing of Zeus’ master weapon, the thunderbolt, the show is set to open the discussion around the PJO books with 8 episodes in the season.
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Also starring Virginia Kull, Glynn Turman, Jason Mantzoukas, Megan Mullally, Dior Goodjohn and Charlie Bushnell in pivotal roles, the Percy Jackson Episode 3 has a runtime of 43 minutes. It has been directed by Anders Engström, and will be released on Disney+ on December 27 (IST). Episode 3 is titled “We Visit the Garden Gnome Emporium”.
-Percy Jackson TV Series Episode 3 Review Contains Mild Spoilers-
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Episode 3 Review: Discussion
In third episode of the TV series, Percy takes a step towards his first ever quest as a demigod. As his first step, he’s required to pick two companions, as quests are always partaken by three people. It’s neither a surprise nor a spoiler as to who these three people going out for the quest are. To retrieve Zeus’ master-bolt from Hades, Percy, finds his ideal choices for the quest following a forebodingly off-putting warning from the Oracle.
The chaotic comedy vibe is much livelier in the third episode. Percy’s sassy side is better put on display as well as compared to how it was showcased in the first two episodes. With all three of the main characters now on the road to fulfil their destiny, their wholesome dynamic is a definite winning factor.
Jessica Parker Kennedy’s Medusa is the right mix of ambiguity and greyness when you first meet her in this episode, starkly in contrast to the singularly vicious representation of the mythical character in the movies. This time we get to see her engage in a better light than just the trio trying to get her off the path.
It’s smart how the modern and more inclusive and feminist reading on Medusa’s character has been included in the series, but even then the show doesn’t intend to push her either as a good or evil presence. There’s a lot more to her, and at least the TV series has made the effort to scratch surface.
It’s appreciable that we can spot the genesis and build up of the trio’s bond. They don’t just directly jump into the massively heartwarming friendship right away, but with each step, you can feel the distance slicing down gradually. Technically, they’re all still very much strangers to each other, and the bubbling trust issues make for a significant reminder of the same. What’s especially applause worthy is that the quest is actually being carried out by all three of them.
Despite being the eponymous titular character, Percy isn’t the only one calling the shots, nor does the camera solely stick to him. Annabeth and Grover’s personalities are also equally put on display, which loyally feeds into the development showcased by the books, that always offered each of these characters the chance to come into their own on a levelled playing field.
So far the episodes have mostly focussed on the natural and real settings, so the cinematography is complementing the look. However, I do fear what the water-centric scenes and other CGI-fuelled sequences may look like in the future.
Tiny sneak peeks of new character introductions at the end of every episode are a clever way to keep the audience seated, and it’s bound to work in the favour of the show to a certain extent without a doubt, as book fans are quite likely to wait around to see how it all unfolds.
Percy Jackson Show Episode 3: Final Thoughts
The quips and squabble shared between Percy, Annabeth and Grover in Episode 3 got me invested again. Yes, the pacing of the show is off at some turns, but that’s no reason for you to turn your back on it. Watching it may require a bit of patience on the part of some viewers, and I can also understand that it may not be everyone’s cup of tea either, but for me personally, it’s been a good ride so far; nothing bombastic, but still enough to keep me coming back for more.
Percy Jackson Episode 3 will be released on Disney+ Hotstar on December 27, 2023, at 7:30 AM IST.
Also read: All Our Percy Jackson Series Reviews