Squid Game is arguably one of the best Netflix shows of all time, and its first season was a global sensation. Those with a Netflix subscription were recently treated to its third and final season, which has been an emotional ride. But the Korean drama repeated a big mistake from Season 2, and it's kinda ruining the final batch of episodes for me.
Squid Game Season 3 continues the story exactly where the second season ended, with a number of players staging a failed revolution against the masked soldiers. I got frustrated with Season 2's format change, where games were split among multiple episodes and there were long gaps between each one. The third and final season has followed suit, much to my dismay. Am I alone in this?
The first, Emmy-winning season of Squid Game had a clear and thoroughly enjoyable format. Once the events began, we largely followed one new game each episode. This was both thrilling an horrifying, as we watched villains and heroes alive perish. But for Season 2 and 3 that's not the case, and we're getting much more time between each one. I mean, six games have somehow been stretched over two entire seasons of episodes!
This isn't to say that the second and third seasons are unwatchable. But my frustrations with pacing are affecting how much I've been enjoying them. I'm so invested in what's happening inside the actual game that I've got basically no interest in the side plot lines happening. That includes Detective Hwang Jun-ho's quest to find the island as well as what's happening with Kang No-eul and the rest of the pink guards. I'd simply rather be with the players, who we've become emotionally invested in throughout Seasons 2 and 3.
I will say that, despite my issues, Squid Game still finds a way to pack an emotional punch. Since we're get deeper into the game, Season 3 begins killing off many of the beloved players that we wanted to see stick around. I'm not goin to give away who bites the bullet an how, but no one is safe when we pick up the narrative for the show's third season.
I was surprised when it was revealed that Season 3 of Squid Game would be its last. I mean it's hugely popular and has inspired live experiences and even a reality TV spinoff Squid Game: The Challenge. You'd think Netflix would want to keep this going, but perhaps it's for the better. Instead a more contained narrative can be told. Continuing for more seasons might have resulted in more frustrations by myself, as those format changes likely wouldn't have gone anywhere.
The full Squid Game franchise is streaming now on Netflix as part of the 2025 TV schedule.
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