In Outer Banks season 3, John B discovers his father is alive and embarks on a quest to find the lost city of gold with him. The third season is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
John B and his friends are living on a remote island; they call it the Poguelandia, and it seems like a safe haven for a while. However, they take the first chance that they get to leave the island. A man named Portis gives them a ride on his plane.
Soon, they realize that Portis has been sent by someone to get them, and the plane crashes in Barbados, where Kiara is abducted by Carlos Singh. He is looking for Denmark’s diary, and he believes that the Pogues possess it or are aware of its whereabouts.
Singh seeks to find the lost city of gold, El Dorado. Several people have died looking for the city, but no one has been able to find it in almost 500 years. Singh captures not only Kiara but also Rafe, hoping that the diary will lead him to El Dorado.
In Barbados, John B also reunites with his father, Big John, who has also been looking for the city of gold. As John B faces powerful enemies alongside his father in their search for gold, the others deal with challenges of their own.
As they get closer to finding the lost city, the gold that was supposed to be their salvation starts looking more and more like a trap with no way out. Will they find the gold, or will the search for it destroy everything they hold dear?
Performances
The performances by most of the cast members, including Chase Stokes, who plays John B, and Madelyn Cline, who plays Sarah, are nothing special. They fail to stand out in any way possible.
Similarly, Jonathan Daviss, as Pope, and Carlacia Grant, as Cleo, give average performances at best. Madison Bailey as Kiara also does not stand out, but there are times when she performs her part with utmost sincerity.
Rudy Pankow, as JJ, embraces the role of an act-first-think-later guy well; he is charming, and he makes his presence known when he appears on-screen.
Andy McQueen, who plays the role of Singh, also performs his part well. However, it is Drew Starkey, as Rafe, who gives a great performance. He appears angry, agitated, and even dangerously unhinged, but he also convinces the audience that his character has two sides.
Positives
The idea that the search for treasure is not always adventurous is depicted very well in the show; it becomes a burden for John B, and the audience can almost feel it.
Additionally, through Big John’s actions, it shows that people are often driven mad by the relentless pursuit of something, and to get to it, they end up making morally ambiguous choices and then find ways to justify their actions to themselves and those around them.
Rafe’s subplot was an interesting one. He is not a good character by any means, but the show seems to make a statement that even people who are considered bad can love. The scene where he struggles and fails to shoot Wade leaves a strong impact.
While the show never delves deep into it, it shows that oppression leaves marks in history that cannot be erased easily. The mention of indentured labor and, based on it, Singh’s argument, though misplaced, shows that historical injustices impact progeny as well.
The show depicts several beautiful sights. The locations in this season are a visual delight for the audience.
Negatives
The adventures and incidents in the show are too formulaic in nature; it’s almost like a repetition of the same scene in different locations. At one point, the audience can easily predict what comes next.
The fact that the characters are never harmed, no matter the circumstances, makes the show lose its thrill. Somehow, they always make everything possible and survive even the most dangerous situations without a single scratch.
Most of the time, the show does not explore the motivations behind the actions of the characters. Wade’s desire to kill Big John seems out of place and confusing to the audience.
The plot of the show leaves much to be desired. The ending scene is a mess with various villains jumping in and performing the same actions. The long hunt for treasure ends with a laughable sequence.
Verdict
The third season of Outer Banks seems too long when similar scenes are depicted in every second episode. While the visuals are great, the plot certainly needs a lot of work. This search for gold proves that all that glitters is not gold.
Outer Banks season 3
Director: Jonas Pate, Darnell Martin, Valerie Weiss, Gonzalo Amat
Date Created: 2023-02-24 01:37
2.5
Also Read: Outer Banks season 3 ending explained: Do the Pogues get the gold?