After a knock-out debut season and an extremely worthy second, it would be tempting to assume that Squid Game had played all its cards in the shock department.
Yet the thriller's third and final outing outdid itself, delivering one of the finest episodes throughout the show's short run with devastating and brilliant finesse.
The episode in question happens very early on in the series and is in some ways a homage to everything that makes Squid Game such a standout show. It balances the greed of humanity fuelled by capitalism with the rawness of love and moral integrity.
In doing so it captures the very essence of what it means to be human from its beauty and love right down to the harsh ugliness of it all.
It is bitter and painful and the regrettable events that take place only pave the way for the trajectory of the K-drama's final swan song.
While fans should once again expect a bloodbath, season two has proven that the most shocking moments don't have to be earned through brutality, but through the players themselves: the scope of their coldness, the desperation turned to depravity – and that of the gamesmaster and VIPs who feast on their unmaking.
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Season three picks up in that vein, sinking its hooks deeper into the more emotive side of the story by unpacking some backstories that expose the vulnerabilities in these characters.
Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) is forced to pick himself up after his devastating defeat in season two when season three thrusts an unexpected, extremely difficult situation at his feet.
Once again Lee Jung-jae plays this character with an artistry that few could master. Gi-hun runs the gamut of emotions this season; guilt, devastation, hopelessness, determination, humility and pain – and Lee Jung-jae ensures we feel the authenticity of every one.
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He's not the only actor to have brought an outstanding performance to the table. Praise should go too to Jo Yuri as Kim Jun-hee (player 222) and Kang Ae-sim as Geum-ja (player 149), whose performances throughout the show leave you in a kind of pained awe of their characters.
Not forgetting Park Gyu-young, who is able to make us feel deeply for No-eul's reserved compassion and Yang Dong-geun who steals the show in Yong-sik’s (player 007) pivotal moment.
Park Sung-hoon also continues to bring to life the love, loyalty and grit of Cho Hyun-ju (player 120), who is utterly impactful.
Even the morally grey characters can spark feeling in the audience.
Yim Si-wan's Lee Myung-gi (player 333) has been questionable since his first appearance in season two and yet you may find yourself rooting for him, not necessarily to survive and win but to do better, be better and to find his way.
The duality within him has him straddling the line between the two types of players in the games: those who have completely lost themselves in the pursuit of money and the desperate souls steadfast in their integrity despite their current set of circumstances.
He is on the cusp, his relationship with 222 acting as a needling reminder of who he could be and because of this his arc is captivating.
That's not to say that this was a completely flawless season. Player 222's journey, though ultimately satisfying (well as satisfying as Squid Game can get), asks of you to suspend disbelief. Consequently you may on occasion find yourself wondering whether or not the pay off at the end of her arc merits the deviation in the story.
Also, in the case of the VIP investors (whose presence was a lot more noticeable this season), less is more. Their scenes were too long and more often than not feel like an interruption. Still, neither detracts too much from the overall enjoyment of the season.
While we can't discuss how things work out in the end for obvious reasons it's probably safe to say Squid Game season three will surprise you.
As expected the show continues to traumatise fans with many heartbreaking losses, some felt more acutely than others (we're looking at you episodes two and three), however all of the losses are probably easier to digest than the way the season wraps up.
While there are many resolutions, certain things are left frustratingly open-ended. Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk's shocking finale twist is also so unsettling it makes you question if there was any point to bringing back the show after the first season, which felt more settled.
However, at its core Squid Game has always carried with it a deeply political message and in honouring that, the conclusion is rightfully truthful, even if there's a thread of bleakness.
The balm that mitigates this bitter aftertaste is the winner of the game. As Hwang expressed in an interview with Tudum: "I eventually came to believe that, no matter how hopeless and dark the world may seem, perhaps we still have a chance if we can find even a glimpse of hope within ourselves," and that is what the conclusion represents. Dark and light and everything in between.
Squid Game season 1-3 is available to watch now on Netflix.
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TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
