First of all, I absolutely love this series to death. Keeping that in mind, there were a few things that I couldn‘t quite wrap my head around.
So after I watched S3 episode by episode every week my main criticism afterwards was that Nate was allowed back so easily on the team and that he didn‘t really have a redemption arc and so on. After rewatching it now, I still think it could have been handled a bit better but I‘m not as annoyed at it anymore. Instead, I think that there are 3 much bigger issues with S3:
First, the ungodly amount of side plots that I just couldn‘t care less about. Everything related to KJPR, Zava, Nate‘s love life, the fortune teller and so on. Honestly I started skipping through some of it because I was too bored watching it.
Second, to have all this screen time for these subplots they dropped some already established ones that I actually did care about. For example, Phoebe barely had any screen time and I was excited to see what was gonna happen between Roy and Phoebes teacher after S2.
And third, the in my opinion unresolved (and unsatisfying) ending and plotlines. The Roy/Jamie/Keeley situation wasn‘t really solved. Beard getting married to an abusive PoS. The Dr Jacob situation. Richmond not winning the league??? Seriously, would it have been any worse for the plot to give people the happy ending they were waiting for?? And lastly the biggest issue: Ted‘s ending. To me it didn‘t feel like he is now in a better place than when he started at Richmond or after the promotion. He actually regressed during S3 and yes he‘s now back with Henry but I just can‘t help but feel like he‘s not in a happy place.
Feel free to discuss
Nate’s redemption arc started in ep4 when he dropped Ted’s figure on the ground. he tried to apologize twice by the end of that episode.He learned to like himself.He apologized to Will.His former two bullies - Colin and Isaac, and his victim - Will - came to ask him back. That was pretty telling.
Lots of people dislike KJPR. my understanding was that they wanted to show how wrong Roy was about Keeley, how she needed his support, how she was not about to easily magically become Rebecca 2.0, and they decided to make her mistakes into 2 characters. She hiredthe wrong friend, she dated her boss and she learned to value the good work relations in Barbara.
Zava was bringing Team on a high and then having them fall down while he was still on the Team. He was a performance enhancing drug metaphor, the drugs stop working even though you’re still using.The montage of Zava bringing the Team high shows Ted relapsing to drinking alone.
He was also commentary on celebrity culture in sports, of course.
Nate‘s love life was part of his redemption - learning to like himself.He realized that he values his favorite restaurant more than a supermodel and he let the supermodel leave. He refused tohumbly follow whatever wishes she had. Then he learned that a girl can love him the way he is, which helped him leave Rupert.
The fortune teller was a device to give us clues to look for and see if Rebecca will see them.
Phoebe could have more screen time, agreed.Phoebe’s teacher was a risky thing. They could have included her more but that could maybe make angry everyone who shipped Keeley and Roy.
The Roy/Jamie/Keeley situation was solved perfectly. The goal was for them to become the best version of themselves, as Ted said in season 1 to Trent. Not to necessarily date or get married.Keeley had her heart broken 3x by 3 different people in 3 seasons. She deserves to focus on what makes her happy and be on her own, if she wants to.They all made progress and then in s3 they all experienced some relapse.The theme of s3 was relapse. Rebecca reverted to being mean to Higgins and obsessing about Rupert. Ted was drinking and obsessing about the only person Michelle could date that would upset him. Jamie had a relapse about his father and then another one by getting intostupid fight with Roy over Keeley. Roy had lots of failures in s3,so did Keeley.They all realized they need to get a grip.
Roy got professional help.Jamie accepted that Keeley doesn’t have to choose.Keeley had her heart broken 3x by 3 different people in 3 seasons. She deserves to focus on what makes her happy and be on her own, if she wants to.
Beard getting married to an abusive PoS - agreed.
The Dr Jacob situation - it was implied heavily that Michelle dropped him. But i would have preferred to see him lose his licence. Dr Jacob
was needed to make Ted relapse to season 1 stage. No other man dating Michelle would bother Ted. As we can see in episode 2, when Ted knows Michelle is dating, but he is fine, bcs he doesn’t know who she’s dating.
Richmond not winning the league??? Seriously, would it have been any worse for the plot to give people the happy ending they were waiting for??
it would make England start a revolution if Man City didn’t win the league uder Guardiola . Even on a fictional show.
And lastly the biggest issue: Ted‘s ending. To me it didn‘t feel like he is now in a better place than when he started at Richmond or after the promotion. He actually regressed during S3 and yes he‘s now back with Henry but I just can‘t help but feel like he‘s not in a happy place.