‘Outer Banks’ Review: Season 3 Might Just Be the Best Season Yet

*Warning: Spoilers ahead*

Attention my fellow Pogues and Kooks: Outer Banks season three is now streaming on Netflix, and I couldn’t be more excited about the latest installment. Yes, I’m one of the many people who completely fell in love with the drama when it first premiered in April 2020 and found myself watching the entire first season in one sitting. (I wish I was kidding.) Why am I so obsessed? The show has everything. Action? You betcha. Suspense? Of course. Teen angst? Yes, yes and yes. 

But, in case you haven’t had the time to watch the show yet, here’s a quick rundown before diving into my Outer Banks season 3 review: The show follows a teenager named John B (played by Chase Stokes) who enlists the help of his three best friends (known as the “Pogues”) to try and find his missing father, who mysteriously disappeared while searching for legendary treasure.

Fast forward to season three (aka our newest installment) and the Pogues find themselves on a deserted island. Completely stranded, John B and his friends have decided to claim the island as their own, calling it “Poguelandia.” After watching the first two episodes of season three, I can honestly say that this new season is the best one yet. I know it sounds like I’m just fangirling over here (and I am) but it really is that good.

Keep reading for my Outer Banks season 3 review.

The first episode of the new season starts with a one-month time jump, where we see our favorite group of friends—John B (Stokes), Sarah (Madelyn Cline), Kiara (Madison Bailey), Pope (Jonathan Daviss), JJ (Rudy Pankow) and Cleo (Carlacia Grant)—trying to survive on the deserted island. You see, the time jump occurs at the start of the third season because, in the previous installment, the Pogues find themselves lost at sea after trying to avoid getting captured by Ward Cameron (Charles Esten) and his son, Rafe (Drew Starkey). That’s when the group of teens stumble upon the deserted island, and we’re given a glimpse into their months of survival—hence the sudden jump to the present.

While in “Poguelandia,” we have a chance to see the special, genuine bond among the Pogue members that we've come to know and love in previous seasons. We see the crew sit down and play an oh-so-scandalous game of truth or dare on the new beach. We witness JJ teach Kiara how to catch a fish. (Is it just us or are some serious sparks flying between the two of them?)

While the island may seem like a dreamy tropical paradise, the uncertainty of their future looms over the Pogues, and it leaves the viewer with an uneasy feeling. But, it seems that luck is on their side when a plane flies over the island and spots the castaways, landing to rescue them. However, the teens start to put the pieces together and soon discover that their “knight in shining armor” has been hired to find them. Could it be Ward coming back to finish what he started? Or Carla Limbrey (Elizabeth Mitchell), who is trying to take back what’s rightfully hers? For the sake of avoiding major spoilers, the only thing I will say is the group of teenagers soon encounter a dangerous foe that’s even more terrifying than Ward and Carla combined, and I’ll leave it at that.