Quantico returns for a third season, April 26th on ABC.
By Ariba Bhuvad
ABC’s Quantico is back for its third season with a shortened 13-episode run. And this may not be a bad thing. I am a huge fan of Priyanka Chopra and have followed her work since her early days in Bollywood – and she is really the only reason to continue watching Quantico. In the three episodes released to critics, there isn’t anything exciting going on when our loveable, beautiful Alex Parrish returns to the screen. Season three picks up with Alex having been undercover for about three years in Italy. She has a boyfriend she is in love with (nope, it’s not Ryan), his child that she loves and adores like her own, and a quiet, peaceful life in a quaint Italian town. Things are perfect, right? Nope. In typical Quantico fashion, there is danger lurking at every corner and as could have been predicted Alex finds herself back in the whirlwind life of the FBI–dropping the new life she had built for herself.
When season two ended, Ryan and Alex were seen running away together–what we believe to be their happy ending. However, season three picks up with a mundane, boring pace when it comes to their love story. They were together, but Alex split, and now they’re apart again. This aspect of Quantico has gotten so boring and repetitive and I was really hoping going into season three, there was a better explanation for their drift, or that their was zero time spent on it. In an attempt to make the love story a tad bit dramatic, we learn that Ryan and Shelby are now married–yes, I couldn’t believe it either. It makes zero sense to me how and why this came to be, and in the first three episodes, there’s really no explanation. It just feels like another roadblock in the love story of Alex and Ryan, and by the second episode, Ryan is already trying to lock lips with Alex. Come on, Quantico. Come on.
This is not the only repeating element in Quantico’s third season. As I began watching, I was curious to see what exactly would lead Alex back to New York and what inevitable plot would unfold requiring her help. Lo and behold, yet another top-secret black ops group is formed which includes Shelby, Ryan, Alex, and is led by Owen. Sound familiar? It feels like Quantico is stuck in a cycle of repeating narratives, and they think that tweaking a relationship or the name of the group makes a difference. I really, really wanted this season to mix it up and bring us something different and exciting, but based on the first three episodes, I’m not so sure it’s headed that way. We are thrust back into their covert ops as they try and take down terrorists or the threat of TB, etc. There is not enough drama to justify watching them form another group, doing the same things over and over again.
And while the story is a tale as old as time, and the plot really hasn’t changed much, I do have to say that the cast is still fun to watch. It’s undeniable that despite the mediocre plot their chemistry is on point. It’s even a pleasant surprise to see some old faces come back for the third season, while others won’t be returning. There are still ten episodes left in the rest of the season that may potentially build up to something bigger and better, but I have to say I am just not convinced. It all feels a bit dry and overdone and I think my favorite moments in the first three episodes were those moments of peace and tranquility Alex had in Italy. It was something new and fresh and it was nice to see her away from the Ryan of it all. Here’s to hoping that the rest of the season shifts towards a more exciting, thrilling direction!
I give Quantico Season 3 a C.
TV and City 