Season 3 Review
When Outer Banks returned in 2020, it brought with it a new perspective on the teen adventure genre. Bringing The Famous Five’s sense of adventure and combining it with lovable characters and a compelling treasure hunt made it an instant hit on Netflix. And it’s easy to see why! But there comes a time when the party is over and season 3 feels like the last notes of the last song before everything closes up and goes home.
Season 3 picks up where we left off, with our kids stranded on a deserted island but far from Sarah’s father, Ward, who is still looking for her. When the teenagers are inevitably taken away, they embark on another treasure hunt, this time taking them to the tropics of Barbados and eventually South America. Along the way, a new antagonist Carlos Singh comes to the fore, a man desperate to find the treasure of El Dorado and will do anything to make it happen.
Of course, John B and the other guys find themselves involved, but in a very contrived way, with the writing struggling to balance the cast to give them something meaningful. In an arc that’s almost identical to season 2, there’s a whole subplot of Pope leaving and researching his family’s lineage. And then there’s Kie, whose arc is to be JJ’s right-hand man and try to appease his parents.
In many ways, season 3 represents the best and worst parts of this show. The beginning and end of the series include an exciting treasure hunt and great action. All the tropes are present here, including the lazy “necessarily withholding information to make the plot happen” and the dreaded love triangle.
Writing
The only problem with season 3 comes from its writing, which veers between lazy and lazy. There are also a few instances of deus ex machina, but there’s also a whole thread involving a train robbery, which is big news… before being completely forgotten about 3 minutes later. The inconsistency with the way the police and Carlos Singh’s men are used on this show is one of the biggest problems this season, and once you see it, it’s hard to ignore.
The character writing is a bit better and thankfully the chemistry between the cast remains in abundance. Carlos Singh had the potential to be a great antagonist, but he’s been missing for most of this season and his threat has finally faded. Visually, the season looks fantastic, and some of the drone footage that showcases the beautiful scenery definitely stands out.
Overall
The promises that made Season 3 of Outer Banks its worst outing yet turn into mediocrity and ultimately laughable contrivances. It’s a shame, too, because there are some standouts here and the series remains a solid follower. If you can turn your brain off and not question what’s going on, you should have a good time, but those who are a little more adventurous, or at least on par with previous seasons, will be disappointed by this distinctly mediocre outing.