Rob (Rob Delaney) and Sharon (Sharon Horgan) are back in season 3 of Amazon’s Original comedy Catastrophe. Things have changed for this couple. This is a review of season 3, with only minor spoilers.
Life is no longer about being carefree, child free, single, employed, and driven to screw at all hours. Nope. Now life is about having two kids, being unemployed, and maybe never having sex again because you are too mad or too tired.
It’s time to grow up and be adults in season 3. Rob and Sharon are not taking it well. They do the responsible things – mostly. Because they have to. Because they love their kids. Because they love each other. But it’s a rocky road.
Sharon returns to teaching, which as we all know doesn’t pay well. They may have to sell their house if Rob doesn’t find a job.
Rob out of a job is depressed. First he eats his depression, then he starts drinking his depression. Rob can’t drink – as in, should never take the first drop. He tried to tell Sharon he was drinking and needed help, but life intervened. When she finally discovered that he was drinking, it was because of a terrible event.
Sharon and brother Fergal’s (Jonathan Forbes) parents come to visit. Dad (Gary Lilburn) isn’t doing well. Mom (Frances Tomelty) doesn’t love Sharon the way she thinks she should be loved – namely, like they love Fergal. A lot of Sharon’s family trauma/drama is revealed in season 3. Dad has a stroke on the way home from the visit, which adds to the drama.
Fergal and his wife Mallandra (Marta Barrio) have been living in Spain. Fergal wants out of there. His parents’ situation brings him home.
Rob and Sharon’s friends Chris (Mark Bonnar) and Fran (Ashley Jensen) may be getting a divorce but definitely provide R rated comic relief. Carrie Fisher comes back as Rob’s mom in her last role before her death. She was as funny and wonderful as ever.
The humor in season 3 was different. Rob and Sharon were fighting at the beginning of the season because she might have been unfaithful. They slowly made up. Funny conversations between them late at night started back up as they talked more and fought less.
Season 3 was more serious in tone and themes than the first two seasons. It’s still well written, well acted, well directed – but evolving. Situations were more fraught than ridiculous. The emotions swirling around went deep.
I like both Rob and Sharon better now that they are dealing with harder parts of life. I love the comforting way Rob talks to Sharon in their late night conversations in the bedroom. I might actually be developing a bit of a crush on Rob and his big heart.
Have you watched Catastrophe? What did you think of season 3?