The Capture season 3 review: The best thriller on TV returns to provide Holliday Grainger’s finest hour

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A star rating of 5 out of 5.

While watching the first three episodes of The Capture’s third season (provided to reviewers), I became concerned about how the show’s trailer would portray the story.

It might seem odd to worry about this, but the first three hours of the season were so full of surprising twists that I started to fear the marketing team would reveal them, ruining the joy of discovering them for myself.

After watching the season 3 trailer, I’m happy to say viewers can go into the new episodes without worrying about spoilers – and trust me, they’re going to be amazing.

The best thriller on television has returned, and it’s bigger and better than ever! This season is even more over-the-top, fast-paced, and full of unexpected twists.

Look, I hate giving away too much, so I’ll keep this short. Basically, the new season picks up a year after where we left off in season 2. We find Rachel Carey, played by Holliday Grainger, now stepping up as the acting commander at Counter Terrorism Command. That’s all I’m saying – I don’t want to ruin anything for anyone!

Carey is leading a new initiative called Operation Veritas, which uses cameras to instantly identify and correct deepfakes.

But things quickly become complicated when she’s pulled into a conspiracy after a remarkably planned act of terror occurs, leaving only one person who saw what happened.

I should admit right away that I’m somewhat partial to The Capture, or it might just seem that way.

I don’t have any special connection to the people who made this – the actors or crew – so my opinion isn’t biased. I simply seem to enjoy it more than most.

After watching both seasons, I’ve been incredibly impressed with this show. It’s remarkably insightful about technology and keeps you on the edge of your seat with its thrilling plot.

While many people enjoy the show, quite a few simply find it good entertainment without being huge fans. They appreciate it, but don’t necessarily consider it exceptional or highly special.

If you enjoyed the first two seasons of The Capture but weren’t completely blown away, you’ll likely feel the same way about this new season.

This season follows the same winning formula as the first two, and executes it exceptionally well. It maintains the fast-paced energy that fans loved from the beginning.

Mysteries usually resolve themselves pretty quickly, or a new twist appears to make things even more complicated. Many thriller shows could benefit from this approach – often, they drag things out without offering satisfying answers or progress.

But what really sets The Capture apart, especially in this season, are the other clever twists and turns it has to offer.

The show remains surprisingly relevant and feels incredibly current – something many others attempt but don’t achieve. You might expect a topic like deepfakes to feel old news by now, but it’s actually become more important as the technology gets increasingly sophisticated and unsettling. This allows the show to continually explore new and unexpected territory.

The show doesn’t shy away from tackling current issues, even those viewers might expect it to avoid. This demonstrates its commitment to innovation and growth, constantly seeking to surprise and challenge both itself and its audience, rather than relying on past successes.

This season is being kept incredibly secret – we don’t even know who most of the new cast members are playing, as their characters haven’t been revealed yet.

So, everyone is doing a really great job, especially Killian Scott.

But what really stands out is Holliday Grainger’s performance. She’s been playing this role since the series began in 2019 and has consistently delivered excellent work.

This is undoubtedly her best performance yet. The current storyline finally places her at the heart of the action, as she deserves. While other returning actors like Paapa Essiedu, Indira Varma, and Ron Perlman continue to impress, she’s clearly been given the most challenging and demanding role, and she excels in it.

This season, the character faces deeply personal challenges, experiencing a wide range of intense emotions. She’s both frightened and intimidating, ultimately revealing the powerful strength she’s always possessed when under pressure.

We’ll have more to discuss after the first episodes air. It’s good that the BBC is releasing episodes weekly, allowing for the kind of speculation and discussion that classic mystery and thriller shows used to create – something we don’t often see with today’s instant-access releases.

I’ve only watched the first three episodes so far. Since the show is built around mysteries, and mysteries need satisfying answers, my opinion of the season could change completely depending on how well everything wraps up in episode six.

This is particularly true considering the show’s creator, Ben Chanan, has hinted this might be the last season of The Capture. While it’s a bit sad, it’s not entirely unexpected, and could actually be a good move to prevent the show from losing its originality.

Now, the show is really hitting its stride and delivering the suspense you’d expect from a great thriller. The plot is completely outlandish, but it’s so bold and unexpected that it’s captivating, rather than feeling unrealistic.

The movie is exciting as ever, with beautiful visuals, and its incredibly catchy theme song is still one of the best out there.

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I’m really curious to see how people respond to this new season – both longtime fans and those who are just discovering the show.

I’m hoping more people will come around to my point of view. But even if they don’t, I’m still really excited to watch the rest of the series.

The Capture season 3 will begin on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 8 March 2026.

Don’t miss out! Add ‘The Capture’ to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download it today for daily TV suggestions, exclusive features, and more.

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, an international television production company. He has a BA in English and Theatre Studies, as well as a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-03-06 04:05