Squid Game Season 3

At the end of June, the final season of Squid Game was released on Netflix. Squid Game is a Korean drama thriller that follows hundreds of cash-strapped players as they compete in children's games with deadly consequences for those who lose. I enjoyed the first two seasons of Squid Game and was very curious to see how they would close out the show.

In general, I thought this was a very good season, maintaining the same suspense and thrills as the other two seasons. Much like seasons one and two, I thought the tension building was top-notch. The entire length of the season gives you nonstop edge-of-your-seat excitement as you are nervous for the characters, hoping they will survive through the next game. Along with the tension, this season delivers a ton of highly emotional moments. I found this season to be the most emotional out of the three. What makes this season stand out is that there are so many characters to care about. We already got to know them in season 2, so having them already established in season 3 gives you more time to be invested. Obviously, with so many characters, some of them are going to die, and when that happens, it is just an emotional gut punch. Some character deaths are so well done yet so emotional that you still mourn their death later in the show. I also like how the show kept me guessing, with a lot of shows, there is some level of predictability to them. However, for Squid Game, I had no idea what was going to happen the entire way through.

While this show does have some very high moments, I don't think the end of season 3 stuck the landing and made for a satisfying conclusion. The way the show ends, it kind of makes you feel like seasons 2 and 3 were just kind of pointless, and it feels like the whole mission and return to the games was effectively for nothing. Aside from that, where the remaining characters get their stories closed out, it doesn't feel super satisfying, and it kind of leaves things on a depressing note. It is basically the equivalent of a gymnast doing an impressive routine with lots of flips, but then at the last second falls on their face instead of sticking the landing.

Overall, 90% of this season was top notch with a great premise, high tension, and lots of emotional moments. However, the last 20 minutes of the finale left a bad taste in my mouth and hurt seasons 2 and 3 a little bit for me.

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+ Recommendation: This is a must see show.