REVIEW: On My Block, Season 3 (2020)
Even in the face of jeopardy, the core four of Netflix’s coming-of-age dramedy On My Block have successfully navigated friendship and relationships against a backdrop of poverty and gang violence, in a unique balance of unforgiving circumstances and universally relatable growing pains.
The unrelentingly sweet childhood notion, that friendship always trumps adversity, permeates the earlier seasons, where no matter how terrible the circumstances the audience is almost always certain that everything will work out in the end. In contrast, season three shows a version of Freeridge that has outgrown the safety nets of childhood, leaving its young inhabitants to actively confront their version of ‘normal’ and work together to come out the other end. On My Block is a true coming-of-age story to which we can all relate—change is inevitable, but a necessary part of growing up. Friendships are tested, values change, and the path to personal growth is paved with uncertainties that everyone must eventually face.
Season three picks up moments after the cliff-hanger of season two, where Monse (Sierra Capri), Ruby (Jason Genao), Jamal (Brett Gray), and Cesar (Diego Tinoco) were blindfolded and abducted soon after Monse declared that she was going to boarding school to finally leave them for good. At the opening of the season, the kidnapper is revealed to be Cuchillos (Ada Luz Pla), the infamous leader of the Santos, who had only been mentioned by name in the previous seasons. Cuchillos tasks the core four with finding her long lost lover Lil’ Ricky, who disappeared after hiding the RollerWorld money decades ago.
This season, tensions run high between the main crew, with rifts from the previous seasons continuing to grow. Monse drifts further away from her original friendship group and closer to Jasmine, who continues to be a self-esteem icon for teens and adults alike, telling Ruby in episode five, ‘I’m a whole life’s love, boo. Not just part of someone’s one-eighth life crisis.’
Jasmine and Jamal compete throughout the season for the position of who will lead the group’s mission—a mission filled with false leads and close calls, with the typical light-hearted but occasionally silly humour of the earlier seasons, which unfortunately falls short of the excitement promised. Many of the plot points seem rushed and, while the characters undergo tremendous growth furnished by inspired performances, it lacks some of the charm that made the previous seasons so bingeable.
The episodes contain bloated subplots, including ones about a rival gang posturing for disputed territory, the return of Cesar and Oscar’s father, a lot of talk about Cuchillos’ threat with little evidence of its gravity, and of course the Cesar and Monse drama. With all of this going on, and a convoluted main plot, it is hard to care about the extra frills that do not have immediate effects on the core four and do nothing to propel the story forwards. Furthermore, if they were explored in just a little more detail—perhaps through a traditional weekly episode release instead of the typical Netflix binge—the storylines could have intersected in a way that made a lot more sense.
Season three of On My Block has an unsatisfactory conclusion—with so much left unsaid, it did not live up to the hype generated by the previous two seasons, and fan-favourites, Ruby and Jamal, were left to carry the season on their backs. However, as always, the trauma, loyalty, and love between the four friends remain at the centre of the story and—no matter how it ends—they continue to be compelling enough to draw the audience back in for season four (even if it is just to make up for the disappointment of this season).
Star Rating: 3/5 stars
Summary: While still challenging the norms and expectations that are held about life in an inner-city, marginalised neighbourhood through a combination of comedy and drama, season three is worth a watch, but fails to live up to the hype of the previous seasons.
Article tags: | intersectionality | diversity |
While still challenging the norms and expectations that are held about life in an inner-city, marginalised neighbourhood through a combination of comedy and drama, season three is worth a watch, but fails to live up to the hype of the previous seasons. Image Source: On My Block / Netflix
Many of the plot points seem rushed and, while the characters undergo tremendous growth furnished by inspired performances, season three lacks some of the charm that made the previous seasons so bingeable. Image Source: Kevin Estrada / Netflix
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