“Go for the gold” is pretty much the defining line of Outer Banks. Released originally over quarantine on April 15th, 2020, the popular netflix series was immediately a hit with teens all over the world looking for a life outside of their disease ridden one. In the newest third season released this past February, the core group sets back out on their hunt for gold—but there is a much bigger prize awaiting them than expected, and much bigger adversaries. 

Ranging from comedy to action to mystery, Outer Banks is definitely a binge worthy show. The summer feel of the show is one of its most defining traits, and throughout its three successful years, viewers have taken inspiration from the show’s unique style, specifically that of the characters. Known as the Pogues, ever expanding and the main focus of the show, the main group has created a passionate fanbase behind the show. 

The Pogues originally started with the core four: John B, Kiara, JJ, and Pope. Over the three seasons, they have gained two new members: Sarah and Cleo. This friend group has been on the hunt for gold since episode one, and through all of the hardships this has brought, the group has stuck together like glue, something viewers value deeply in the show. 

Outer Banks is one of Netflix’s biggest hits, and with the newest season, everyone’s question is: will it stay that way? The Pogues are going through a lot of changes in season three, and it is both a rollercoaster for them and the viewers. 

SPOILERS AHEAD

The Characters 

In this intense third season, the Pogues are split up more often than not (to some viewers dismay), which allows for a lot of focus on the individual aspects of their personalities that we may have not seen before.

Despite myself and others missing the usual friend group dynamic Outer Banks is known for, characters such as fan favorite JJ were given more depth. Instead of only portraying him as his usual comedic self, we saw a new side of JJ in which we could see how the abuse he faced from his father in earlier seasons has affected his relationships with others. 

Kie and JJ, a couple most fans have been passionately rooting for since season one, were a focus of season three, and we were able to see how JJ’s reluctance to accept that Kie loved him was caused by his past. Because of the focus on individuals, we were able to see JJ and Kie’s romance unfold without the interference of the whole group. 

The growth seen in JJ and Kie’s characters were not reflected in all of the characters. In fact, John B and Sarah’s relationship seemed to regress throughout the season. Sarah even cheats with John B on her previous love interest, Topper, which was a very disappointing moment in the show. 

More positively, we were able to see Pope grow out of his yearning for Kiara that lasted a bit too long for my liking. Not only did he focus more on himself and his values, but he also formed a ‘no love club” with Cleo, the new addition to the Pogues. This “no love club” ends up with the two together, which most were very content with. 

The Plot 

Although the plot was overall enjoyable, I found it anticlimactic after the more exciting previous seasons. Rather than focusing more on the group and characters, the show took on a very plot heavy feel that created more of an emotionally intense environment. Without having the usual light hearted banter, everything took on a more serious tone. 

A lot of major events occur in just the first few episodes of this season, but the major take aways are that John B’s dad has returned and there is a lot more gold than the Pogues originally thought. The original hunt broadens, instead of simply looking for a shipwreck or a cross, they are now looking for the lost city of El Dorado, a city of gold located in South America. 

This plot sounds thrilling, but because the group was mostly separated, it wasn’t as engaging. John B was dragged behind his dad for most of the episodes, frustrating myself and a lot of viewers as it seemed to tear the Pogues apart. The plot also seemed a bit more rushed than usual, with huge events such as Kie getting sent to Kitty Hawk, a wilderness camp, only lasting mere minutes. Despite these faults, it still is an enjoyable season, but myself and other fans are hoping for a more Pogue- oriented season four.