The pogues are back and ready to risk it all in the newest season of Netflix’s “Outer Banks.” Season three premiered Feb. 23 and the show has already been renewed for a fourth season due to popular demand.

The show follows a group of teens who call themselves the pogues – John B (Chase Stokes), JJ (Rudy Pankow), Pope (Janathan Daviss), Kiara (Madison Bailey) Sarah (Madelyn Cline) and the latest addition, Cleo (Carlacia Grant), as they hunt for treasure. In season one and two, we watched as the pogues pursue the royal merchant, a sunken ship filled with gold. The stakes are raised in season three, as they began the hunt for El Dorado — the lost city of gold.

Despite the plot being similar to the previous seasons, this season managed to differentiate itself with the introduction of new characters, as well as the development of character relationships, both romantic and platonic.

We get introduced to a new antagonist, Carlos Singh (Andy McQueen), a ruthless man from Gaudemolos, who competes with the pogues in their race to find El Dorado. While Singh helped to push the plot and raise the steaks, he didn’t have any unique character traits other than being the villain. Singh stated that he wanted to find El Dorado and use the riches to take revenge for crimes against his ancestors; however, I found that the motive was weak and didn’t truly fit the show.

Regardless of this season’s mediocre villain, I still consider this season the best one yet due to the development of old and new romances. I loved watching Cleo take on a bigger role this season by officially becoming a pogue and having more involvement in the hunt for El Dorado. Cleo also became a love interest for one of the pogues, and while it was unexpected, I welcomed the idea and can’t wait to see where this relationship will go in season four.

Besides the interesting plot, I was relieved that the quality of the show improved on many aspects such as cinematography and acting. When I found out the show was renewed for season three, I was excited, but a little worried. So many shows, like “Riverdale” and “The Walking Dead,” get repetitive as the seasons continue, and the acting seems to get cheesier. I was anxious at the possibility of Netflix ruining another great series; however, I felt like the plot was entertaining and the acting improved. I loved watching the character growth, and the chemistry between the actors in many of the scenes.

My favorite part of the season was watching my favorite potential couple finally get together. While their romance has been hinted at since season one, nothing officially happened, until this season. The two shared a first kiss and confessed their love for each other. This was the highlight of the season, and my inner fangirl was internally screaming for the rest of the episode.

Another notable mention from this season was its incredible soundtrack, featuring songs such as “Bad Love” by Dehd and “Welcome To Jamrock” by Damian Marley. Every season has a central song that goes viral, with season one having “Left Hand Free” by alt-J, season two with “Where’d All the Time Go?” by Dr. Dog and season three’s latest hit “Sold out of Love” by The Nude Party. “Outer Banks” continues to give exposure to underground artists, allowing their songs to be heard and go viral on various platforms such as TikTok, Spotify and YouTube.

“Outer Banks” has been my comfort show since its debut in 2020. With its summer aesthetic, iconic playlist and thrilling plots, it has continued to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. I can’t wait to see what season four has in store.