Squid Game Season 3’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Already Better Than Season 2

As a passionate fan of “Squid Game,” I must admit that the anticipation for Season 2, which hit Netflix screens at the end of 2024, was almost unbearable after the long three-year wait. However, the second season seemed to experience quite a dip, leaving fans disappointed and yearning for more.

The initial announcement of Seasons 2 and 3 had kept us hopeful that the sophomore slump could be corrected. The revelation that “Season 3” was actually “Season 2.5,” the second half of an incomplete story, added to the pressure on Season 3 to wrap up the series satisfactorily.

Thankfully, early Rotten Tomatoes scores suggest that the creators are skillfully steering the plane towards a smoother landing with Season 3, leaving fans optimistic about the conclusion of this captivating Korean series.

At the moment, Squid Game Season 3 boasts a remarkable 89% approval rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, based on almost 30 reviews.

Critics believe that Season 3 of “Squid Game” handles the themes introduced in Season 2 more effectively. The show explores how capitalism distorts human compassion and moral values, yet its success paradoxically becomes a challenge. In Season 2, creator Hwang Dong-hyuk struggled to maintain the narrative while acknowledging the uncomfortable truth that a larger audience was watching and rooting for the gruesome games. However, in Season 3, the series seems to navigate this issue more successfully, balancing the desire to tell the traditional “Squid Game” story with commentary on its own popularity. Critics note that the representation of the VIPs is particularly significant in this regard, as it serves as a reminder that if we are merely entertained by the show’s gruesomeness rather than understanding its critique, we contribute to the problem. Roxana Hadadi of Vulture writes that “Squid Game” ultimately portrays the VIPs, not Gi-hun, as stand-ins for the viewer. The series implies that one side is on the wrong side of progress, and it’s not the character who risks his life to save others.

Are Fans Turning on Squid Game?

From another perspective, Angie Han of THR argues that there’s nothing commendable about the show “Squid Game”. Initially, its harshness was balanced by a strong sense of compassion for the characters caught in this labyrinth. However, now it’s just darkness and despair throughout. She also expresses that unfortunately, the third and final season of “Squid Game” serves to underscore the fact that we, like Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), should have permanently departed from that accursed island after his initial victory.

Regarding Angie’s observation, the third season of Squid Game currently has a worrisome audience rating of 45% based on more than 100 reviews. This raises an intriguing question about whether Squid Game will continue to be the worldwide sensation it once was, or if it will simply become one of those trends related to COVID-19 that we should put away for good, much like your sourdough starter kits.

Squid Game Seasons 1-3 are now streaming on Netflix.

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2025-06-27 20:11