Turn of the Tide Season 3 Review: Facing the consequences of one deadly mistake in season 1, Eduardo and friends are back in the final season of this Netflix Portuguese drama series starring José Condessa. As their village gets increasingly hostile and the line between resistance and violence blurs, things come to a head.
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Turn of the Tide 3 Cast
José Condessa, Helena Caldeira, Rodrigo Tomás, André Leitão, Maria João Bastos, Salvador Martinha, Afonso Pimentel, Kelly Bailey, Victoria Guerra, Joaquim de Almeida, Ângelo Rodrigues, Inês Castel-Branco
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Turn of the Tide Series Creator
Augusto Fraga
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Turn of the Tide Netflix Directors
Augusto Fraga, Patrícia Sequeira
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Original Title
Rabo de Peixe
The third season has 6 episodes, each with a runtime of around 45 minutes. The series is based on a real-life incident that took place in Rabo de Peixe in 2001.
Turn of the Tide Season 3 Review
Plot & premise: Return to the island & chaos
Coming back from his three-year prison sentence, Eduardo finds himself facing a new and transformed Rabo de Peixe. There’s a lot he has not been privy to, including the economic pressure and political pressure that threatens to swallow the island whole. As he reunites with his old friends, Eduardo decides to form the Night Vigilantes with them to show the rich and powerful what justice feels like and to hopefully get to the bottom of who stole his drugs all those years ago.
Since the show concludes this year, a lot has been hinging on this season, including delivering a thrilling and emotional send-off for our friends who started with the hope of not letting their lives go to waste. Now, they stand at the edge, wherein one wrong move could land them in prison, or, worse, dead. The premise is strong, but it’s the execution that falters, unable to hold on to the intensity that differentiated the first season from other similar shows.
Performances
The performances are the show’s best part and continue to be why viewers come back to watch what’s going on. José Condessa grounds this season once more with his layered performance and grounded approach. Eduardo is both the victim and the perpetrator, and that moral dilemma is evident in every scene. Helena Caldeira, Rodrigo Tomás and André Leitão complete the friend group and continue to be the heart of the messy show, but considering this is the last season, the camaraderie between the four was missing quite a bit. The
Themes and Atmosphere
This season brings forth and reiterates what made the series unique, especially the first season. The themes surrounding power vs morality, community vs capitalism, justice vs revenge are all discussed at length over the course of 6 episodes. The season creates an atmosphere where viewers will not be able to trust the traditional justice system and, despite some thinking it unfair, Eduardo’s vigilanteism feels like the correct choice. The season explores that in depth and tries to understand why that is.
The political subplot is obvious and doesn’t come as a shock, but it’s still interesting for the premise. In this way, the political and social commentary makes for a serious topic of discussion this season, highlighting how the people who are supposed to protect are actually trying to take everything from the common people.
The setting, meanwhile, remains the most beautiful part of the show, as usual. Capturing the raw and rugged beauty of the Azores, the escalating violence, thus, feels like a scary juxtaposition, along with giving the show a grounded and immersive feel.
Pacing & Repetitive Narrative
However, this is where the series’s good parts come to an end. The season drags on unnecessarily and takes forever to get to the point, even at 6 episodes. The conflicts are stretched out to pad the runtime, and that makes the payoffs unsatisfying. The pacing is uneven and leaves viewers wanting more. The characters, too, feel repetitive at this point and, instead of growing, seem to be stuck in one place. The emotional beats go round and round in circles instead of giving us something concrete and hard-hitting, making things extremely disappointing.
The vigilante storyline, although promising, turns out to be the most boring and unnecessary part of the show. Lacking any sharp tension, viewers will find themselves questioning the point of introducing it when the most important job is done, and, at crucial moments, everyone’s masks are off!
Disappointing ending: Lack of proper sendoff
In the end, thus, the payoff turns out to be disappointing. With bigger conflicts, higher body count and more things at stake, the Turn of the Tide finale is lacking. Yes, the show definitely tells us that things are about to get the most dangerous yet. But when it comes to making us feel that danger and anticipation, there’s nothing to write home about. The ending reinforces that there are no winners in this cycle of crime and power, and although it’s quietly impactful, it lacks the edge to make it memorable.
Final Thoughts: Should you watch Turn of the Tide Season 3?
Turn of the Tide Season 3 is unevenly paced with a lack of storytelling. Despite good performances and delivering on what made the series so impactful, it isn’t able to make a memorable landing. It’s a thoughtful but flawed conclusion.
What are your thoughts on Turn of the Tide Season 3? Let us know in the comments below!
Also Read:
- Turn of the Tide Season 3 Ending Explained: Why the Final Chapter Is About Unity, Not Tragedy
- Turn of the Tide Season 1 Review: Great Acting and Locations Overshadowed the Cliche Story
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