The Third Day (2020) User Reviews (250)

Mixed reviews explained...

[katbodine · 5/10 · 6 October 2020]

I have watched the first 4 episodes so far. I agree with every single review here. So why are they so polarized?

Yes the cinematography is stunning. Yes the scenery is breathtaking. Yes the acting is wonderful and yes the plot is edge of your seat twisty...

But it is also over the top, makes me want to gag, long drawn out scenes that verge on, "where is the fast forward button" and outright confusion at times.

I think it has potential and may just need time to find its sweet spot. As a mini series it may not ever find it.

The bottom line is that it clearly is not for everyone. If you like artsy, mysterious, movies, you will probably love this. And if you prefer a more direct, fast paced, drama you probably won't.

Hope this helps.

Plot vs. Plot Twists

[jmancheski · 6/10 · 29 September 2020]

It's so hard to rate this, because it's one of the most intense and creative shows I've ever seen. There are some aspects that are really well done, and the cinematic effects (filters/lighting) carry a lot of the weight and accentuate Sam's experiences. Sometimes, though, it's a little overdone, much like my 14 year old self on Instagram with all the effects. And then there's the plot. Again, incredibly creative and intense, but any sort of character motivation is sacrificed to serve plot twist upon plot twist upon plot twist. It makes little sense at the end. The only character whose motivation I can follow somewhat clearly is Sam's, and there are many things in the first episode that should have been answered or referenced in the following parts of the series. Maybe they will be in the coming 'second half'. I really hope the 'Winter' segment is easier to follow, because every single character changing allegiances approximately 4 times per episode is making ME feel like I took LSD at a Celtic festival.

Starts strong then hits a brick wall head on.

[etmachina · 6/10 · 15 October 2020]

The first three episodes are fairly strong. It's basically Wicker Man meets the classic show The Island. Not super original, but done very well and all the acting is superb.

3 episodes in the pacing of the show is flushed down the toilet. Did you like the first 3 episodes? Well forget that now stay tuned for the same thing but with different characters. Um. It doesn't work. It's a gimmick. The tension is all gone. I'll stick by it but what a waste.

Style over substance!

[mariopilloni · 6/10 · 23 September 2020]

Some people seem to appreciate style over substance according to a lot of reviews. Only second episode in, I've never seen such abnormal, unnatural behaviour in a main character. It doesn't make sense how Jude Law's character reacts to his situation. There is a stellar cast, Jude Law is great, there is oodles of intrigue to keep you hooked. The cinematography is amazing but hopefully it will improve in the story. 4th episode in and Naomie Harris (who I'm not a fan of) is another character introduced whose character reaches higher levels of abnormal behaviour than what Jude Law did. This episode is home literally the most nonsensical, mystifying, stupid writing I have ever seen in what should be a well produced show.

Strange but riveting

[wendajones · 7/10 · 21 October 2020]

I've now watched the first three episodes and want to react before watching the next three. I must say it was very, very strange but very, very alluring viewing. Jude Law was absolutely magnificent, as in fact he always is but here he was just so good. Peculiar camera shots, reality lapses and all sorts of funny things but for Jude Law's performance alone I really enjoyed it. Still not sure about the "meaning" but am not worried about that too much! The next day! So now I've watched the next three episodes and my judgement remains. I can really understand why some people don't appreciate this. We all have really different tastes. But i found it compelling to use a word I don't normally use! In parts so exciting that I had to pause and do something else for a few minutes before continuing. The ending was a little disappointing but I don't know how else it could have ended really. The reality that was created was very gripping and as usual I managed to work in an allegory to some things in our real world! Don't watch if all you want is a straight forward horror movie though!

structure, structure, structure

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 11 December 2020]

Troubled Sam (Jude Law) sees a girl hanging herself. He rescues her and she directs him to her home, Osea Island with a causeway connected to the mainland only at low tide. The Martins (Paddy Considine, Emily Watson) run the tavern. Sam is thrown together with Jess (Katherine Waterston) and the island becomes more inescapable. The surrealism culminates in craziness at the end of episode 3. In episode four, new protagonist Helen (Naomie Harris) arrives on the island with daughters Ellie and Talulah.

This mini-series has mix of Midsommar and Get Out. Its problems may lie in its structure. The first three episodes is the Midsommar. It's interesting but episodes 2 and 3 surrealism gets repetitive. It's an 90 minutes movie stretched into a 3 hours TV show. The fourth episode comes in with a new freshness that hints at Get Out. The other structural issue is that almost all the exposition happens in the last episode. It may be meant as a reveal but some of the information needs to be presented earlier in the show. Quite frankly, it's not until the 'making of' section that I finally understand this community. The structure forces the audience to stumble in the dark for too long. The splitting of the show could work but the first part needs to be condensed. I like the first episode and I love the fourth episode. The second half is good but that may be due to finally getting answers. There are no easy fixes here and the structure is interesting in some respects but the problems it creates are problematic.

What a disappointing ending

[byrnensorg · 4/10 · 20 October 2020]

This is another of those series of two halves. The first , we'll say 4 episodes kept the suspense and creepiness at a high, then the last two, well what can I say, drowned in its own pretentiousness, leaving lots of unanswered questions, like what becomes of the island, who was the boy, why were there so many disemboweled people and animals, who were these mysterious island Celts, why is the island the center of the world, how did such crimes go unnoticed for such a long time and why do they have such a bug problem, but no answers were forthcoming in the last episode just lots of gruesome killings and gratuitous uses of the C word.

Quite a disappointing ending all round.

Creepy, mysterious with potent atmospherics

[ScoobySnacks66 · 8/10 · 15 September 2020]

Opens with Sam, a husband and father on a solo and sorrowful excursion in the middle of nowhere England memorializing what appears to be a dead child by throwing a small t-shirt into a stream, soon after he comes across a couple of kids playing in the woods - except they're not playing; one nearly dies in what seems like a freakish suicide attempt before Sam intervenes. He drives the recovering teenager home, to her small community on the island of Osea. There, things start to get weird, really weird. I've only seen the first episode and it's intriguing and super creepy. Jude Law is his charming, if not cowardly, self and he does a good job giving Sam an air of anxiety and desperation that starts to build a foreboding sense of doom. The villagers of Osea are a motley assortment, some are friendly most are weirdos. As the story unfolds the spirit of the island and Sam's destiny within it seem to conspire against his ability in ever leaving. If it were me in Sam's shoes, I'd be stealing a boat and getting the hell out of Osea pronto. It's going to be interesting to see where this creep-fest goes.

Exciting series

[mbrcf · 7/10 · 14 September 2020]

TIFF 2020 05

The Third Day

Having watched only two episodes of this 6 episode miniseries as part of the festival, I'd say this series is interesting to say the least. It has a top quality cast from some of the best British actors/actresses involved, it's greatly atmospheric and gothic which I really liked and the story seems engaging enough for 6 hours. Also this series is kind of special because a theatrical live episode is going to drop and broadcasted in about a month so I'm really excited to see how this project will shape out.

Hmmmmmm

[sugarplum-87726 · 4/10 · 20 October 2020]

Great actors ,great location even great filming but sadly rubbish story....

You'll love it or hate it

[oliverbm · 9/10 · 21 January 2021]

The overall rating (currently 6.4) doesn't reflect this. Fact is, you will either love this or hate it, which means the average rating will be mediocre. Personally I loved this show. Atmospheric and suspenseful, incredible acting and nice and dark. So many unanswered questions, enabling you to ponder long after the credits have rolled.

Strange happenings on a British isle...

[paul-allaer · 7/10 · 15 September 2020]

"The Third Day" (2020 release from the UK; 6 episodes of about 55 min. each) brings the story of Sam. As Episode 1 "The Father" opens, we are told it is "Summer" and we get to know Sam, a middle aged guy. He is frantically on the phone somewhere out in the English countryside. It appears his garden center back in London was robbed. By pure happenstance, he hears a young woman nearby, just as she is about to hang herself. He manages to rescue her, and offers to drive her home. Home turns out to be Osea Island, which can be reached only when the sole access road isn't flooded by the tides. As Sam drops the young lady off, he is welcomed warmly by her parents. But not all appears as it first looks... At this point we are 10 min. into Episode 1, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is a TV mini-series that consists of 6 episodes broken into two separate but related parts ("Summer" and "Winter"). Episode 1 takes its time to establish and other than what I described in the opening 10 min. I really don't want to give away much further. Suffice it to say that strange things are a-brewing on the isle. Jude Law (as Sam) is all over this, as he appears in virtually every frame of the episode. Keep an eye out as well for Emily Watson, the other big name in this series, as the mother of the young lady. But the real star of this so far happens to be Osea Island, off England's east coast. The photography is striking (with very vivid colors). Check out the aerial footage that clearly shows the sole access road when it is (or isn't) flooded by the incoming tide. The opening episode gets better as it moves along, and by the very end, things are feeling outright creepy if not paranoid. Can't wait to see where the next episodes will take us.

"The Third Day" premiered earlier this week on HBO and is now available on HBO On Demand and other streaming services. If you are in the mood for a different (and very British) type of mystery TV series, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

*UPDATE 19/7/20* Episode 4 "The Mother" starts the second 3 episode cycle (called "Winter") of this mini-series in a spectacular way. A mother and her 2 daughters (about 14 and 10) arrive on the isle having booked an Airbnb last minute reservation, only to be denied access when the owner sees that the family is black. With time running out, the mother is frantically searching for a place for them to stay. And what is the connection to the first 3 episode cycle? Just watch, it's an absolute stunner...

Dreadful

[jmsneddon123 · 3/10 · 30 September 2020]

Completely unbelievable main character whose decision making is cartoon like. Photography is great. Plot is awful.

Super spooky with brilliant writing and performances

[FilmFreakForLife · 20 October 2020]

Absolutely loving this twisting, gripping, theatrical drama with a strong Midsommar/Wickerman vibe. Some terrific performances, notably from Jude Law, Paddy Considine and Nico Parker. This atmospheric series gripped me from the get go and never failed to intrigue. As ever with Dennis Kelly's incredible writing, the audience have to do some thinking for themselves so this will never appeal to those who like their drama basic. Ignore the bad reviews and give it a go.

Oh what could have been

[shaun-35238 · 6/10 · 10 February 2021]

Starts off pretty good. Great to see a UK show without the usual BBC box ticking and overly PC'd. However I felt it didn't quite go far enough in weirdness. It's almost split into 2 three episode sections. I'd suggest just watch the first 3 and call it quits. The fourth episode is ok but from there it gets annoying, the new lead actress does some really dumb things a mother just wouldn't do and from there it leads up to a really stupid ending. A decent ending might have seen it get a 7.5 or even 8 from me.

The Good And The Bad

[JoelChamp85 · 7/10 · 18 March 2021]

I like the idea, always keen for a Wicker Man type story. Some nice visuals but I gotta say the writing could have been worked a whole lot better. Sometimes it's frustrating. What type of mother persistently ignores the locals warnings to get off the island, and still tries convincing her daughters that it's gonna be "fun" to stay here? I had no sympathy for that family. And that American woman did my head in.

That being said - everyone involved, the cast and crew, did an excellent job with the last episode. For that I give it 7 stars.

All downhill from episode 1

[MattHankinson · 7/10 · 15 November 2020]

Saw bits of the first episode on gogglebox and was instantly drawn in. The girl hanging herself in the woods, Jude law, I was really intrigued.

First ep was great, everything is very strange and you're wondering what's coming next however I feel as if it is too slow thereafter and when we get introduced into his wife in ep 3 she makes so many bad decisions and the story gets really diluted. I feel like it tries too hard to be eerily weird and cult like and it's gets a tad boring.

Sort of content with the ending but not blown away.

Disjointed, puzzling, annoying at times with overused closeups

[Xavier_Stone · 3/10 · 6 October 2020]

If that is what you're into then this show is for you. Most of us aren't interested in plot inconsistencies and baffling characters meandering through a mysterious town. Color scheme is off putting but different so that maybe a plus for some people.

Jude Law is the only reason I watched and continued to grind until episode 3, and couldn't make it all the way through. Just annoying decisions by him and enough with the closeups already. Is showing his face full screen somehow going to make me sympathize with him? Create terror and tension? Multiple times each episode?

Excellent 😳

[guycullen-29116 · 9/10 · 7 October 2020]

I can't believe people are slagging this one off. It's intense and compelling and the fact that the main characters make bizarre, unlikely choices is part its appeal. It hints that the main protagonists are either not in their right frame of mind or are existing and moving through realms outside of the temporal world. The acting is superb and the essence of mystery the whole package delivers is riveting. Many reviewers on here have suggested it has a Wicker Man vibe which is true but this seems to go deeper into the human psyche and is less inevitable in its direction. I wish I'd have waited to binge watch all episodes on a rainy Sunday afternoon with a big mug of tea and no interruptions This is definitely one I'll keep to watch again

What happened the third day?

[ayse_Cenikli · 6/10 · 4 December 2021]

Or any other day in this tv-show?

When i read the description of this tv-show I was so excited. I was like "yes!, an island, strange and weird people in a cult and of course Jude Law", but boy I was disappointed.

This was my experience:

Episode 1. Oh wow, he saved that girl. Okay girl is weird. Why does girl want salt and why does man have salt in his car. Man goes to strange Island and man doesn't leave even though he had the chance.

Episode 2. Stupid man, call your wife and don't sleep with that woman. Don't do drugs, and you shoul've brought a condome.

Episode 3. Stupid american woman. But honestly what was she even doing there? And all of a sudden her daugthers are there. And where the heck is her husband?

Episode 4. What the heck? New people, that must be his wives and kids even though none of them mention their father.

Episode 5. Mom: "don't tell them about us and our family" 9 year old girl: "my little brother Nathan died a while back"

Episode 6. Oh no funny man who always got dissed by his wife with glasses died!

Great acting just a shame about the ending

[lisaeveboden · 4/10 · 20 October 2020]

I was unsure whether to keep watching but every week I did tune in. After the full 6 episodes I can now honestly say I wish I hadn't bothered. I just don't feel like the ending showed me the reason for wasting 6 hours of my time tuning in each week. It was just one acid trip after another. The ending perhaps wasn't meant to be the end of it all? But if there is another series I definitely won't bother watching it. It's a shame because the acting was great and I wanted to like it!

Wicker man vibe

[urbanspider · 10/10 · 15 September 2020]

Only just seen the first episode and really enjoyed it, it reminds me of The Wicker Man / Midsommer. So if your into that sort of thing give it a go!

So far let down.

[maanikroda · 6/10 · 25 September 2020]

Well Jude Law is what made me watch the 1st episode but the movie is so weird and eery, I doubt if I'll continue 2 watch the series. I'm really not in 2 those weird type of shows. He rescues the girl but doesn't ask her how she got far from her island n the 1st place. Not saying walking all the way over to London from her island isn't possible but its definitely an hour or more walk on foot. The girl tells him the road that leads 2 her island only comes above the tide twice a day in the morning & evening yet he agrees 2 take her home where his wife & kids don't know where he is. Upon taking her home instead of getting in his car and going back down the road B4 the tide rises and covers the road he walks around the town trying 2 get a signal on his cellphone mind you a phone he wasn't getting a signal on when he was back on his side B4 he took her home. In a predictable way you can already tell, he never gets off the island and back across the road 2 where he lives. I maybe wrong but when he finally heads out to go home the tide comes in and covers the road trapping him on the island. Later he sees the curly haired little boy who helped the girl try 2 hang herself and he follows him through the valley spies on violent men then winds back up at the end where he dropped off the girl. You never see him go back 2 his car which he left out on the road where the tide closes. All kinds of inconsistencies. I actually think he's dead and maybe in hell. Episode 2 starts out just as weird.

In two minds

[morgan-659-312842 · 4/10 · 20 September 2020]

This is one of those programmes that can leave you in two minds. On the one hand there is the excellent cast. On the other is an appalling script. Would continued viewing be a waste of time or would everything come together? I started watching this because Jude Law is in it. All I can think of at the moment is 'Why is he in it?' What a waste of a talent. And Emily Watson and Paddy Considine. Surely they must have better things to do. I think I will stick with it, at least for a while but please don't let it be a Wicker Man scenario.

The history of Osea

[marcmeakin-83961 · 19 September 2020]

If you know the history of Osea you will see elements of Jack the Ripper in this and Walter Sickert famously used to go to Osea as a sort of rehab..... There is a rehab centre there now and Amy Winehouse has been there.

It is very atmospheric and there are lots of Tropes and camera angles used the were used in Utopia. It's worth sticking with