Uh oh! Things are not looking good for Prime Video’s The Family Man Season 3. After a long wait of nearly four years, Season 3 has finally arrived on the streaming platform. Fans were excited to witness the return of Manoj Bajpayee’s Srikant Tiwari, but their excitement has been scattered like shattered glass on the floor.
Early reviews on X (formerly Twitter) are highly polarising towards Season 3, with many calling it a “mid” chapter and “weaker” than the previous seasons. In fact, some have even gone as far as calling the latest season “boring” and “flat”.
Manoj Bajpayee as Srikant Tiwari remains the soul of the series, praised for effortlessly slipping back into his dual role as a middle-class spy. His portrayal is still hailed as sublime and engaging, though some have pointed out the increased focus on his character’s vulnerabilities and insecurities this time, instead of his usual fun, sarcastic and wisecracking persona.
Sharib Hashmi’s performance as the ever-loyal JK Talpade continues to be a fan-favourite highlight, with the banter between the duo still providing the show’s signature smart humour.
The addition of formidable antagonists Jaideep Ahlawat (as Rukma) and Nimrat Kaur (as Meera) has been widely appreciated. Many users on X have highlighted Ahlawat’s menacing presence, with some even suggesting he outshines Bajpayee in terms of screen impact this season.
SPOILER WARNING!
The single biggest takeaway from the early reviews is the surprise crossover cameo of Vijay Sethupathi, reprising his character Michael Vedanayagam from the Raj & DK-created series Farzi.
However, many viewers have criticised The Family Man Season 3 for being the weakest season so far. Complaints include a sense of the story feeling like a “dragged sequel” with less suspense, with several finding the initial episodes “plain boring” or too slow until the action finally picks up. The storyline also appears more generic than the previous two seasons.
The most critical point of contention is the abrupt and unfinished finale. Multiple users have expressed disappointment with the ending, arguing that it betrays the build-up by catering to the increasingly common streaming trope of a major cliffhanger, leaving plot threads unresolved and offering no true conclusion to Srikant’s story.
Overall, The Family Man Season 3 suffers from inconsistent pacing and an unsatisfying, formulaic cliffhanger, preventing it from reaching the exceptional heights of the previous chapters, despite delivering strong performances. Stay tuned for more updates.
Check out some of the early reactions on X!