Somebody Somewhere Season 3 Review — HBO’s Most Underappreciated Show Concludes With Its Best Season Yet

The Duplass Brothers-produced series Somebody Somewhere has long been championed by critics and fans but didn’t receive any accolades on a major scale until it won a Peabody Award for its wonderful second season. This recognition will hopefully bring the show to a broader audience in time for its third and final season to warm and crush their hearts, as it is an incredible work of slice-of-life dramedy that somehow tops the already incredible first two seasons.

Somebody Somewhere Season 3 Review

This season follows the small-town Kansans we’ve come to know — Sam, Joel, and all their friends and loved ones — as they grow apart, each experiencing their own struggles. Although splitting up the cast of an ensemble-driven show like Somebody Somewhere is often a mistake, this approach feels incredibly and unexpectedly natural here because it is rooted in a thematic need rather than a narrative one.

Photograph by Sandy Morris/HBO.

Indeed, while past seasons of Somebody Somewhere were about trying to find your people in a world where you don’t fit in, season three is about growing out of the shell that had limited you. It’s poignant and often sad, yet also more complex and — dare I say — even more universal. It’s hard to find people you are comfortable with, but it’s even harder to let those people go when they have their own lives to live, and this season of Somebody Somewhere wonderfully captures the bittersweet emotions of this experience.

The other thing that makes this season feel different from past ones is that it takes a less overtly comedic tone — but that’s not a bad thing. This season is not about putting these characters into funny situations, but allowing them to be themselves. It just so happens that many of them are funny people. For example, every time Murray Hill’s Fred Rococo shows up on screen, you know you’re probably going to laugh. But it’s rare to see a show that doesn’t have to go out of its way to be funny.

Photograph by Sandy Morris/HBO.

Bridget Everett remains one of the most underappreciated leading ladies in television. Her turn feels almost effortless, made even more so by the fact that she has become more involved in the creative process throughout the show. Everett brings humor, vulnerability, and charm to the role but also has the command of her craft and chemistry with her co-stars to cede the spotlight to others when the story demands it.

Jeff Hiller is also still delightful in his supporting role. One of the things that has made Somebody Somewhere such a standout is its unique ability to depict the queer experience in small-town America in a way that feels incredibly honest and moving. Season three takes these themes even further by exploring queer domestic life — something that very few pieces of LGBTQIA+ media have shown. It’s refreshing to see a show offer such a unique, underrepresented perspective on a familiar story.

Photograph by Sandy Morris/HBO.

However, the unexpected standout of this season is Mary Catherine Garrison, who plays the protagonist’s sister. Although she has always been an enjoyable presence in the show, Garrison is given more to work with this season than usual, as her character has the most interesting arc of anyone. Her journey is the fertile ground on which the show builds its frank discussion of sexuality and identity, lending itself to a powerful subplot.

Is Somebody Somewhere Season 3 worth watching?

With its third and final season, Somebody Somewhere has managed to deliver one of the most beautifully bittersweet seasons of television you will see. It’s a poignant, beautiful, and moving dramedy that captures an experience that is far too often overlooked with uncommon honesty. Although saying farewell to these characters is hard, that’s almost the point.

Somebody Somewhere debuts on HBO on October 27 at 9:30 pm ET/PT, with new episodes airing subsequent Sundays at the same time. All seven episodes reviewed.

Written by Sean Boelman

Articles Published: 247

Sean is a film critic, filmmaker, and life-long cinephile. For as long as he can remember, he has always loved film, but he credits the film Pan's Labyrinth as having started his love of film as art. Sean enjoys watching many types of films, although some personal favorite genres include music documentaries, heist movies, and experimental horror.