Note I'm writing this after viewing the 1st 3 eps, but my review for ep 3 is from a different angle due to the direction that ep took.
Season 3 faced the danger of becoming repetitive with Joe once again becoming obsessed with a stranger. Though I'd have liked the Natalie plot line to have been stretched out a bit with a little more detail given on her and her motives, Joe's usual obsession, as well as the overall narrative, have been given some interesting twists that show promise in keeping the story fresh.
For starters, becoming a dad has affected Joe deeply, and it's presented an opportunity to build on the complexity of Joe's character. Part of what makes Joe an appealing and even sympathetic figure, despite being a serial killer, is he's not a one dimensional character. He's capable of developing deep emotional attachments outside of his obsessions and has displayed some very protective instincts in the past. Watching him struggle to bond with his son offers deeper insight as well as some rather touching, poignant moments that juxtapose nicely with his more violent tendencies. We also get some nicely ironic moments like Joe and Love arguing over where Henry should be while they dig up a dead body, with Love stating not leaving a child in a car is parenting 101.
But parenthood is not the only new role Joe finds himself in. He's used to being on his own and in control. However, he's now married to Love, who knows him and recognizes the signs of his obsession manifesting, so he can no longer hide. Further, Love killing Natalie undermines his control on a number of levels. He's pledged himself to curbing his impulses, though given his psychopathy it's unlikely he can maintain it. However, he's then forced to deal with the consequences of Love's impulses.
This leads to possibly the best new element, couples therapy. Unlike many people who enter into therapy, Joe and Love don't completely hide their darker moments. They find ways to discuss the elements that are central to their conflict without revealing those that would land them in prison. It allows for the therapist to actually help them while offering some revealing insights, many of which are presented in a darkly humorous way. We also get a nice twist with Love, via flashback, revealing Joe had not actually been that successful in suppressing his obsessive impulses.
Ultimately this leads to the two identifying the root cause of much of their behavior, and it turns out to be the same - fear of abandonment. This allows them to rediscover the feelings that initially brought them together and to move forward as a team, though it's revealed they both still feel the need for a backup plan. I think this is a positive direction, as Joe's former animosity for Love could have only ended one way, one that would have been detrimental to the show. Bringing them together as a loving couple trying to overcome their psychotic sides and be good parents leading a normal life adds another layer to both of their characters. Watching them struggle with this against the backdrop of hiding the fact they killed their next door neighbor and buried the body is what promises to make this season worth watching.
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