TV REVIEW: SQUID GAME 3

4/5

Game End

6 Episodes. Starring: Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-joon, Im Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Gyu-young, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-shim, Jo Yu-ri, Lee David, Roh Jae-won & Jeon Seok-ho. Showrunner: Hwang Dong-hyuk. On: Netflix.

Let the games begin again...for the last time? After the original 'Squid Game' debuted in 2021, the dystopian drama became the most successful streaming show on Netflix...and not just because we were living in our own surviving times of COVID-19, locked down at home. Today, the South Korean thriller is right there with 'Stranger Things' and 'Wednesday' to be a part of Netflix's big-three. You only had to watch, and hear the reactions to the cast appearing on, the streaming service's comic-con like 'Tudum' showcase to begin the scorching Summer, to see and believe that. Now, after, 'Squid Game 2' made our Christmas and New Year, as we got back in the game with star Lee Jung-jae ('An Affair', 'The Face Reader', 'The Acolyte'), 'Squid Game 3' follows mere months later, like the final season parting of Netflix's outstanding 'Ozark'. But still, we've been waiting with bated breath to see who will make off with the piggy bank in this world where we all act like swines...let alone squids.

South Korea has long been the new entertainment hub of the world. Ever since Psy took over and made everyone dance to his style. Bong Joon Ho's ('Snowpiercer', 'Mickey 17') 'Parasite' won Best Picture at the Oscars, as the likes of BTS, BLACKPINK and K-Pop as a whole (Twice, Stray Kids) dominated the music charts, as acts spoke at the United Nations and were knighted by the King of England. Oh, and have you ever tried the fried chicken? Or kimchi? Korea is here, and K-Drama has long ruled the roost. Even before 'Squid Game', 'Crash Landing On You' was the drama that dominated corona. But wait until you see what crash lands on you here for the circle, triangle and square. From pink boiler suits and fencing masks, to turquoise Tenenbaum tracksuits, 'Squid Game' has made actors like Jung Ho-yeon a superstar, made greats like Gong Yoo even greater and even given us our new favourite Thanos. And yet it all still clicks. Korea has always known how to do drama deeper and darker, albeit with its own style. Major events can happen at the beginning of episodes, not just the end. Remaining as unpredictable as ever, like Hollywood only wishes it could be.

You really have no idea what's going to happen next. And we're not talking about that rumoured 'Squid Game US' from David Fincher. We won't spoil the classic cameo (the same goes for the one in Marvel's 'Ironheart'), that social media did instantly, and we're talking about major news networks and entertainment sites, first and foremost, that should no way better. That's more annoying than those damn Winnie The Pooh masked VIPs. But we do wonder how they'll explain playing Korean's children's games in America, it may just have something to do with the K revolution in the US. Alas, the 'never see it coming' nature of these games make them all the more believable and the deep drama and rich emotion to go with these dark times make it much more meaningful, albeit harder, to take. After searching for knife and key in a Gashapon machine, we have a Starry Night maze making for the most brutal episode that could even give Van Gogh nightmares...and he cut his own damn ear off. But if you thought that, or the red light, green light doll, was scary, she's back with a new friend, jumping rope more tense than the tug of war, for the greatest game yet. All before the final symbolic one that takes you higher.

Jung-jae once again amazes, even if he spends the first half of the season cuffed to the bed like 'Gerald's Game', but player 456 still lets the other numbers ring up too. All as fellow legend Lee Byung-hun shows both us the other side of the good and evil coin as his counter, behind the mask. His caring cop brother Wi Ha-joon is still hot on his tail, even if social media influencer So Eun Kim turned their last meeting into the most hilarious reel. Amongst the players, Kang Ha-neul draws sympathy from his anxiety, whilst Park Sung-hoon is the hero we all need, forget about the DVD. The mother and son dynamic of Yang Dong-geun and Kang Ae-shim will really hit home, but it's the expectant one of Jo Yu-ri and Im Si-Wan that really has something to say...especially to absent fathers in this world where people care more about crypto than their own child. Addiction for the innocent (Lee David) and the evil that men do (Roh Jae-Won) is also explored in character. Yet the real MVP of this season is the North Korean defector, played by Park Gyu-young, on her own mission. Not to mention our favourite, Jeon Seok-ho. Mixing all these minds and madness, showrunner Hwang Dong-hyuk has done it again, and we can't believe for the last time. Game over? TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Squid Game', 'Squid Game 2', 'Squid Game US'.