The third season of Outer Banks is now available on Netflix, and I am thrilled to see the latest installment. Like many others, I became enamored with the show when it premiered in April 2020 and ended up binge-watching the entire first season in one go. I wish I were joking. What’s so captivating about this series? It has everything: action, suspense, and plenty of teenage drama.
In case you haven’t had a chance to watch Outer Banks yet, here’s a brief summary: The show centers around a teenager named John B (played by Chase Stokes) who recruits his three closest friends (dubbed the “Pogues”) to help him locate his father, who vanished under peculiar circumstances while searching for a mythical treasure.
Moving ahead to season three, the latest addition to the series, the Pogues end up on an uninhabited island. Stranded with no way out, they establish it as their own and christen it “Poguelandia.” Having watched the first two episodes of this new season, I can confidently state that it’s the most outstanding one thus far. I understand that it might seem like I’m just gushing, and to some extent, I am, but it genuinely is that impressive.
The opening episode of the new season commences with a month-long leap forward in time, as we observe our favorite gang of pals – John B (Stokes), Sarah (Madelyn Cline), Kiara (Madison Bailey), Pope (Jonathan Daviss), JJ (Rudy Pankow), and Cleo (Carlacia Grant) – struggling to survive on the uninhabited island. In several scenes, we are given a glimpse of the extraordinary, authentic bond shared by the Pogue members that we’ve grown to cherish over the previous seasons. We witness the group indulging in a risqué game of truth or dare and JJ teaching Kiara the art of fishing. (Is it just me, or are there some significant romantic sparks between the two of them?)
Despite the island’s picturesque appearance, an ominous feeling of uncertainty hangs over the Pogues, leaving the audience on edge. However, luck appears to be on their side when a plane flying overhead notices their distress signals and comes to their rescue. But as the teens investigate further, they realize that their “knight in shining armor” has been hired to locate them. Could it be Ward (Charles Esten) returning to complete what he started? Or is Carla Limbrey (Elizabeth Mitchell) reclaiming what’s rightfully hers? Without revealing any significant spoilers, I’ll simply say that the group of teenagers soon confront a menacing adversary even more fearsome than Ward and Carla combined, and leave it at that.
The episode is filled with an escalating level of excitement, with every moment more thrilling than the last, and a series of unexpected developments that kept me on the edge of my seat. As the final scene faded to black and the end credits appeared, along with the option to “Watch Next Episode,” I clicked on episode two right away.
As I began watching episode two, I wasn’t sure what to expect. At first, I thought that nothing could surpass the intense action of the first episode, but once again, I was proven wrong. The stakes are at an all-time high for the Pogues, and it appears that the group is about to face their most significant challenge yet as they embark on a mission to uncover the greatest treasure of all: the legendary city of gold, El Dorado. It’s hard to say for certain whether the Pogues will triumph over the challenges ahead and claim the elusive El Dorado treasure. However, one thing is clear: I am firmly in the Pogues’ corner, rooting for them every step of the way.