SHOOTER SEASON 3

                         Shooter Season 3: Like A Phoenix, It Rises.

While trying to finally put a stop to Atlas, Bob Lee Swagger uncovers more secrets that not only threatens the nation at large, but one capable of disintegrating his family's core.

The 3rd season picked up from where the second ended, with Bob Lee and his merry band of heroes trying to save the nation and uncover the conspiracy that is Atlas. Agent Nadine, Isaac and Harris finally decide to end the pretense and go for the Head of the hydra once and for all. As brilliantly as that would have seemed, the revelation that there was more about Atlas than they ordinarily knew made the season a whole lot more interesting. They season was perhaps more relatable than the first two installments due to the personal proclivities of the protagonist. It was interesting to see that while Nadine( Cynthia Addai-Robbinson) and Isaac( Omar Epps) had it in their hearts to want to rid the nation of Atlas and it's dark secrets, Bob Lee( Ryan Phillippe) is more concerned about family, the secrets that his father harboured and probably took to his grave, one that may have cost him his life, all the while stringing Harris( Jesse Bradford) along on this wild, captivating and rivetting tale as it unwinds towards an unpredictable and uncanny end.    What made this season so much better than the first 2 installments had to be the plot and the scripting. The conflict was a little more plain and simple than the first two seasons, but the direction in which the season was led made it the success it was. Even though the conflict was practically derived from that of the first season, it did come off as having more content, more power and vision than the first two combined. The new plot element and it's accompanying conflict breathed life into the series again, and we are inclined to say that the uncanny reference to 'project phoenix ' was not a mistake, but rather symbolic of what the show runners had done with this. This was a dead show, one which the new show runner had revived, as though it were a phoenix rising from the ashes.

  The season was one that started off slow, due to the storyline drag from the first two seasons, but as the series progressed, it ditched those lags and came into its own. In fact, at a point when the series began exploring the origins of the Atlas conspiracy, we felt as though this was what ought to have dominated the first season rather than the brainless and undirected action sequences of the first two installments.
   On the conflict aspect, we loved that the once upon a time simple conflict metamorphosed into something quite complex, with Bob Lee involved in a conflict of his own, while Nadine Memphis and Isaac were involved in theirs, two separate conflicts brought together as one by a stroke of a master story teller, a genius writer and a creative script writer. The production was nothing short of creative and ingenious. Why we felt the show was more relatable was due to the personal conflict within the Swagger family, and how in the face of undoubted family troubles the protagonist stayed true to character in pursuit of the truth.
During the course of the show, it did feel as though the script was written to utterly favour the protagonist as we were bemused as to why the weakness of Swagger was not being exploited by Atlas, or perhaps Atlas was not what the writers wanted us to believe. It left viewers wanting the exploitation of that one weakness; Family. It's exploitation however had to be one of the most iconic TV moments of 2018. It was breathtaking, it was shocking and above all it was thrilling and scintillating.
   The ending to the series was superb, and leaves room for the network to pick it up and renew for another season, or let it die as it stands. In either of the two situations, viewers won't be disappointed by the choice taken or not taken.
   The acting is one thing that must come into focus too. Though the cast remained basically the same, the actors stepped up their performances to a whole other level. Mention must be made of Cynthia and Omar Epps, as they brought their experience on the screen to bear. Ryan on the other hand was exceptional, both relative wise, conversational mastery and his combat mastery were all ridiculously brilliant. We could not have asked for better.   The support cast were on top of their game as well most especially Gerald McRaney(Red Bama) and Shantel VanSanten(Julie Swagger). Their performances as support were exceptionally good and stood out, as one of the things the script writers totally got right with this show.
   In all, this series is one that we will recommend to viewers out there, for one simple reason, this 3rd season can be seen without having recourse to the first 2 seasons. This 3rd season is that impressive and immersive. It's the type of experience you will expect from a master story teller and an ace show runner. This is a marvelous re-imaging of a brilliant work of art, and in itself it is a magnificent representation of creativity.
  It's story is good, the conflict is amazing, it's plot theme element is marvelously built up to a high point, taking the viewers on a spectacular journey of risk, action, Suspense and the ultimate heartbreak. Barring the wreck that was the first 2 seasons , the 3rd season is on a whole other level, and we absolutely wish to recommend to everyone out there. It is worth every dime of your credit card reserved for TV.

   

Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Shantel VanSanten, Cynthia Addai-Robbinson, Omar Epps, Gerald McRaney and Jesse Bradford.

Based on:  Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter
Developed by John Hlavin
Executive producer(s):
Lorenzo di Bonaventura
John Hlavin
Stephen Levinson
Mark Wahlberg
Producer(s): Ryan Phillippe

FCA AppR: 8.2/10