Outer Banks season 3 premiered on Feb. 23, just after its season 4 renewal announcement at the Poguelandia promotional event on the 18th. Season 3 picks up a month after the events of season 2, with the Pogues stranded on a desert island, dubbed Poguelandia by one of the feisty core characters JJ.
The Pogues seem to have had some much needed rest away from the chaos of their real lives, but are nevertheless excited and grateful when help seemingly arrives to take them off the island. Their excitement, however, is dulled when they learn that their rescuer is actually a henchman of Carlos Singh, the rich new villain out to use the Pogues’ knowledge and skills for his own gain.
After escaping the plane, the gang find themselves back in Barbados, except for Kiara, who gets captured by men who work for Singh. Over the course of the season, the Pogues make it back to Kildare and the OBX, John B. reunites with missing father and the search for the elusive Golden City of El Dorado begins.
The first two thirds of the season pass slowly and seem to follow the show’s typical routine of introducing the season’s main objective, and then ignoring it to focus on the mundane lives of the residents of Kildare.
The last three episodes are what really save the season. Episodes 8-10 bring the action, plot development, and purpose that the rest of the season was lacking. The 80-minute-long season finale was a mostly perfect ending to a lackluster season.
Although the last few episodes help redeem the season, the final 3 minutes of episode 10 feel like a punch in the gut to loyal viewers; especially to Jiara shippers. Jiara shippers are the fans who love the potential for a relationship between Kiara and JJ. The last 3 minutes of Secret of Gnomon flash forward to the Pogues 18 months after the events in Barbados.
While it’s nice to know they are all living happy lives after all that they’ve gone through, it feels like we were deprived of getting to see their journey from scared kids barely making it by to successful adults.
The most infuriating thing about this time jump, however, is the lack of information about the progression of JJ and Kiara’s relationship. The set up for season 4 and Blackbeards’ journal also feels like a very cliche and somewhat childish way to continue a show that had previously been mostly sincere and mature.
Overall, season 3 of OBX was a bit of an unserious mess. My top three favorite things to see this season were Sarah finally getting somewhat of a backbone, Ward’s overdue death and the ever-salty look on Topper’s face as the Pogues finally get the recognition they deserve.
3 out of 5 Stars