Disclaimer: I’m a blind film critic. I typically watch shows with audio description, which this series has on Disney Plus.

We can be heroes. The thing that nerd culture has pushed into our adulthood is the childhood ideology that we are all destined for greatness, and even while we work the most mundane of jobs, we often watch films and series with heroes doing the extraordinary. More and more, the intellectual properties of our youth are being adapted into films and television series, showing that there’s an audience, even for more adult oriented fare. So, why wouldn’t Disney continue to farm the property that is Percy Jackson, a character first created by Rick Riordan, and inherited by Disney through their purchase of 20th Century Fox, which produced the two theatrical titles with the titular Demi God.

The first season followed The Lightning Thief, which is also the basis for the film starring Logan Lerman, and the Broadway musical.This season, we push into The Sea Of Monsters, also once adapted into film. Next season should be truly interesting as it will be the first time The Titan’s Curse is brought to any screen.

The second season returns Percy (Walker Scobell) to his Mom (Virginia Kull), and we get to meet Tyson (Daniel Diemer), in true clunky form, as Percy’s half-brother, who is a son of Poseidon, but also a Cyclops. Percy is tasked with looking after his brother when they go to camp, but things are not the same. Grover (Aryan Simha Driha) is missing, captured somewhere. Chiron (Glynn Turman) has been replaced by Tantalus (Timothy Simons) who is obnoxious, and hates Percy. Percy also has to get the campers, and his friends, to accept Tyson, as many see him as just a monster. Percy even starts off a bit at odds with Annabeth (Leah SaSavajefferes) and of course Clarice (Diorgio Goodjohn) who has never really liked Percy. And Yes, Percy will still have to contend with Luke (Charlie Bushnell).

Basically, Luke is working to bring back cronos, but a prophecy demands that a champion be chosen to sail into the Sea of Monsters. The Golden Fleece must be claimed, and cannot fall into the wrong hands. Percy wants the quest, so he can save Grover, but Clarice is chosen. Still, they all basically end up going, even if Annabeth tries to sabotage Percy so he wouldn’t be able to go. Two different DemiGods on the same quest, as Percy has Tyson and Annabeth, and Clarice has a team of souls provided by her father, Ares.

They sail through Freek mythology, learning more about what it is to be a demigod, tasked with saving the world at such a young age. Will the battle be monsters versus humans? Will Luke resurrect Cronos? Can Percy save Grover? This is why you sign up for the eight episode experience.

I wouldn’t say there was a standout performer here, though I also wouldn’t peg any performer as bad. The kids were fine the first time around, and they remain so. There’s still that lingering question of heroism, and what it means to be one, which not only has plagued nearly every young adult novel in the last 30 years, but also has the opportunity to rally goodness in the kids who want to aspire to be like the heroes they see. Even a character like Luke, who perpetually makes bad life choices, remains within redemptions reach, so even a problem child could turn things around. Basically, this is great for your kids, and isn’t the worst thing for parents to watch with them.

It certainly does feel targeted at a younger audience, so adults without kids will really need to be in the source material. it isn’t very violent or scary, and has to remain safe for the little ones.I’d say for the team trying to do a Harry Potter series, this is certainly serving as a nice example of why a series works. Instead of a film afraid to breach the two hour mark, the whole thing is broken into palatable 45 minutes (ish) episodes, which allows for more of the book to hit the screen. Actually, quite a bit more. As a result, you feel like you know the characters better. They don’t need to just sell you on Percy, but Tyson got plenty of screentime, and Clarice’s increased involvement also helped her have far more to do.

I’ve never been a big fan of the audio description track. I think season 1 was surface level, as Disney forbids the tracks from mentioning ethnic/racial specificity of characters. Since they made some changes from the Logan Lerman films, the changes feel intentional. They’re also something a sighted audience can say, but the rules and regulations keep us blind folk from seeing any representation at all. I suppose if you were a young black and blind girl sitting at home, looking for a positive role model in a series that previously lacked one, you’d miss out on the fact that they made a distinct change in Annabeth from the film to the series. But these are all season 1 problems that bleed over. Still, the show does a poor job with new characters like Tyson. The action sequences are the best parts, and the narrator herself is fine. I just think this series is capable of more, and Disney loves to show diversity to sighted audiences, but somehow has massive shame from it in their audio description tracks. Even simple mentions of skin tone, keeping things relatively ambiguous are left off the table.

The series, for me, does a nice enough job with the story and the characters to keep me watching, but also feels sometimes sanitized or dumbed down for a younger audience. I think this franchise is capable of both, but the decision is to keep it family friendly for now. However. Even the Harry Potter films went PG-13 at some point, and I’d expect Percy to get more intense near the end of its run.

Season 2 remains engaging enough for kids and adults to enjoy together, instead of it leaning too far in either direction to make one leave the room. The series continues to make use of its expanded time to flesh out its robust ensemble.

If you were a demigod, which one would you want to be your parent? And before you say Zeus, perhaps watch Season 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Fresh: 6.9/10