Dickinson Season 3 premieres on Apple TV+ with three episodes on Nov. 5.
The first episode of the third (and final) season of Dickinson tells us that “most people did not think of Emily Dickinson as the voice of a nation.” Similarly, when Dickinson first premiered in 2019, most people didn’t think of the Apple+ series as one that would make an impact.
But over the course of three years, showrunner Alena Smith’s innovative take on American literature’s most reclusive poet has done just that. Dickinson is a show that’s always been unafraid to break boundaries, and its final season drives that home via wild storytelling, clever bottle episodes, fun guest stars (an almost unrecognizable Billy Eichner makes an appearance as Walt Whitman, fully playing into his eccentrics) — and of course, epic needle drops (only Dickinson could make a sewing party feel like a rave).
If you’ve been watching the series for awhile, you’ll know that these are all things we’ve seen before. But while there might not be anything different about the season on a larger scale, the first three episodes make it clear that there’s something special that sets it apart. For one, each actor owns their character in a way that feels more distinct (Jane Krakowski is clearly out here living her best comedic life). There’s also a sense of finality; just as Death (Wiz Khalifa) and his carriage constantly hide in the shadows of Emily’s world, so too does the knowledge that this is the last time these characters will appear on our screens.
This is, after all, the end of Emily Dickinson’s story. And the world is a different place than when we left it in Season 2.
We start Season 3 with war, specifically the Civil War, which is hanging over the heads of the Dickinson family. Men are being drafted daily and women are doing their best to contribute to the cause while still being chained to an 18th century way of life. While America is falling apart on the battlefield, the Dickinson household is falling apart inside the walls of their Amherst homestead. Mr. Dickinson (Toby Huss) is re-evaluating what it means to carry a legacy, Mrs. Dickinson (Krakowski) is coming to terms with her own personal grief over a family death, and Lavinia (Anna Baryshnikov) is questioning her place as a woman and daughter who has had more than a few failed (and dead) relationships. Meanwhile, Austin (Adrian Blake Enscoe) has fallen into a self-destructive spiral that threatens to put a permanent rift between him and his wife, Sue (Ella Hunt) — not to mention his whole family.
And at the center of it all is Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld), who just wants to keep everyone together and write poems that mean something.
The first three episodes do a satisfying job of establishing the major plots that will carry us through all of Season 3’s 10 episodes while also making it clear what Emily herself is struggling with: the challenge of breaking out of “expected” female behavior and a desperate need to mend her family’s internal conflicts. The foundation of those struggles, as it has been for the past three years, is Hunt’s Sue Dickinson — Emily’s sister-in-law and her one true love.
In Season 2, Emily fought for Sue’s attention while she fulfilled her role as Austin’s wife and dipped her toes into the world of Amherst socialites, a story that culminated in one of the most intimate scenes the show has given us so far. In Season 3, the roles are reversed: Sue wants nothing more than to spend each moment by Emily’s side but the young poet can’t commit. There are family issues she needs to focus on, the world is at war, and of course, her poems come first.
That doesn’t mean Emily loves Sue any less though, and Season 3 starts with a very specific reminder of this. The two remain the heart of Dickinson’s final season, carrying their chemistry across every episode — even the ones that don’t directly involve their relationship.
As previously mentioned, every actor has a chance to do some of their best work, whether that’s an emotional exchange or a completely wild moment of performance art. It’s fun to finally see Enscoe tap into Austin’s personality more deeply and stretch beyond the limits of what he’s done with the character, while Baryshnikov — always supremely underrated for the comedic genius she is — goes all in showing off Lavinia’s personality (fans who loved Baryshnikov’s “stripper dance” last season? You’re in for a treat). Steinfeld, as always, shines, and it’s hard to think of another actress who could have so effortlessly channeled Emily’s charm, wit, awkwardness, and passion for the past three years. She commands the screen with the confidence of someone who has not only lived with this character but who clearly understands how she’s evolved as a woman, a writer, a sister, and a friend.
Overall, the first three episodes are delightful and engaging, with themes of legacy, pushing boundaries, and creating your own future at the forefront. With its final season, Dickinson accomplishes what feels impossible: it balances the tricky work of preserving the mystery of Emily Dickinson while giving us a peek into the life of one of the world’s most reclusive poets.
from IGN Reviews https://ift.tt/3wcCLrm
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