A Modest Regression: Old Habits Return
IMDb rating: 7/10
Ep 3 represents a modest regression into the series’ more frustrating tendencies, bookending genuinely compelling material with rather aimless middle segments that feel more like padding than purposeful storytelling.
The opening 10 min deliver precisely the urgent efficiency that’s characterized season two’s improvement, whilst the closing sequences recapture genuine tension with admirable aplomb.
Unfortunately, the substantial material between these bookends meanders through scenes that feel decidedly superfluous… conversations that circle without landing, character beats that add little meaningful depth.
One suspects the writers struggled to sustain momentum across the full runtime, resorting to filler that undermines the episode’s stronger moments. Oldman remains watchable throughout, though even his considerable talents cannot entirely disguise the structural shortcomings.
The episode isn’t without merit – production values remain excellent, and those bookending sequences demonstrate the series at its focused best. Yet one cannot escape the impression of an instalment stretched beyond its natural narrative capacity.
6.5/10: Strong opening and closing cannot fully redeem a sagging middle.
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