“1670” Season 3 Review

• Originality & Freshness
• Humor & Wit
• Pacing
• Character Consistency
• Production Value (Visuals & Cast)
• Overall Story & Substance

5.5/10

“1670” Season 3: A Departure from its Brilliant Past

The third season of “1670” struggles to live up to the high standards set by its predecessors. While visually appealing with strong performances, it deviates significantly from its sitcom roots, adopting a slow, plot-driven narrative with less effective humor and inconsistent character development. It’s watchable, but ultimately leaves fans feeling unfulfilled and yearning for the brilliance of earlier seasons.

“1670” Season 3: A Departure from its Brilliant Past

I always approach series with a degree of apprehension when their first season is exceptionally good. Each subsequent installment faces immense expectations, and even a “pretty good” result can quickly devolve into “shame, embarrassment, and disgrace.” This sentiment perfectly encapsulates the experience of watching the third season of “1670,” a Polish historical mockumentary sitcom on Netflix.

“1670” Returns to Netflix, But Lacks Its Signature Charm

The third season of “1670” is now fully available on Netflix, arriving less than a year after the second season’s premiere. While a quick turnaround for a popular show might seem like a positive, it could actually be a core issue for this new set of episodes. It sounds absurd to complain about a great series getting a fast continuation, but this theory gains traction after watching the entire third season. For fans looking for other engaging content on the platform, check out our guide to Netflix’s Top 10 Movies and Series.

Watching the season isn’t particularly demanding – similar to previous years, it consists of eight episodes, each lasting about half an hour. This totals just over four hours of viewing, making it an easy binge for Netflix enthusiasts. I completed it over two evenings myself, yet despite the ease of watching, I was ultimately left feeling disappointed.

“1670” Sheds its Sitcom Roots, and That’s Where the Problems Begin

First and foremost, the third season of “1670” differs significantly from the second and bears little resemblance to the groundbreaking, witty, and hilariously funny first season. The initial season felt entirely fresh, a breath of fresh air that proved Polish creators could still produce compelling sitcoms. And that’s precisely the point… sitcoms.

The new episodes seem to have completely abandoned the premises of the first season. The creators focused much more on the overarching plot, developing character relationships, and cause-and-effect narratives, rather than a series of amusing gags, situational humor, or references to pop culture and historical events. This shift is particularly surprising because if the creators decided to “go for a story,” why did they so drastically alter the profiles of the main characters? I’m referring primarily to the behaviors of Zofia and Aniela. Even the beloved character of Father Jakub, cherished by viewers, behaves quite differently from the character remembered from previous seasons.

Nevertheless, what I believe to be a misguided change in the show’s artistic direction and character profiles pales in comparison to the biggest flaw of “1670” Season 3: its absurdly slow pace. If the creators are so keen on prioritizing plot, why does it unfold at such a sluggish speed? The action only truly picks up towards the end of the penultimate episode, reaching its peak midway through the final episode. All this culminates in a slow-burning intrigue across eight episodes, only to end with a monologue essentially saying: “What do you want, go home.”

Is this absurd? Absolutely, and it’s precisely for such moments that we fell in love with “1670.” But for heaven’s sake – not at such a critical point in the series. At this juncture, it felt as though the creators couldn’t decide whether they wanted these absurdities or if, during important events, a coherent plot continuity should be maintained. Speaking of absurdity, navigating its boundaries is another issue with the new season. Many times, the creators tediously drag out jokes, transitioning from one absurdity to another. Even for me, as a fan of controlled cringe, this caused mental discomfort.

Unfortunately, the jokes in the new season are also less brilliant and original than in previous installments. I often found myself understanding a joke, allusion, or wordplay, but ultimately, it didn’t land with the intended impact. Conversely, I frequently spotted ideal opportunities for references to contemporary times or historical absurdities, yet the characters frustratingly failed to address them. This unfulfilled potential is perhaps the most vexing aspect of “1670” Season 3. To stay updated on what’s trending, our Netflix Top 10 Guide offers daily insights.

Watchable, But Leaves a Sense of Unfulfillment

Let’s be clear – the new episodes of “1670” are not shoddy, generic Netflix filler, or a cynical cash grab. It’s evident that the creators poured a lot of heart into this project. The locations, set design, costumes – all are captivating. However, the overall package lacks the substance and specificity that characterized the first and second seasons. Beyond the production scale, the cast and guest appearances also deliver. Mirosław Zbrojewicz, Sebastian Stankiewicz, Cezary Pazura – you can feel the spirit (and budget) of Netflix in the organization.

I don’t want to overly criticize the new season of “1670,” as I would ultimately give it around a 5.5 out of 10. This lower score, however, is a direct result of comparison to the two previous seasons and my firm belief that the creators are capable of much more. Most likely, if Season 3 of “1670” had been the first, arriving with the same freshness as the initial season, its rating would have been significantly higher. Ultimately, it lacked the layers of humor within jokes, an appropriate pace (if they intended a plot-driven approach), and more sensible character development.

And circling back to the beginning of this review – perhaps the third season of “1670” was produced too quickly. Another year of script work might have allowed the creators to find a concrete direction for the series, enabling us to experience the same emotions as we did three years ago.

I fear that the more people watch the third season, the more its ratings will decline. It begs the question: will this be the final season of “1670”? Honestly, I wouldn’t be opposed to that. In my opinion, there’s a downward trend here, and it would be a shame to tarnish its reputation with increasingly weaker episodes. This way, we retain a “small legend” of Polish comedy, one we will surely revisit, regardless of whether we identify more with the peasantry or the Sarmatians.

Source: Original Article

Opening photo: Gemini

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Abhishek Labh

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