The Third Day (TV series)

The Third Day is a drama-thriller television series created by Felix Barrett and Dennis Kelly for HBO and Sky Atlantic. The series premiered in the United States on 14 September 2020, on HBO, and in the United Kingdom on 15 September 2020, on Sky Atlantic.

Premise
The series chronicles the individual journeys of a man and woman who arrive on a mysterious island at different times.

The production is split into three interconnected parts. The first, "Summer", directed by Marc Munden, follows Sam (played by Jude Law), a man drawn to a mysterious island off the English coast where he encounters a group of islanders set on preserving their traditions at any cost.

The second part of the production, "Autumn", was broadcast in the format of a twelve-hour live event on the island. Described by the producers of the show as a "major immersive theatre event", the live segment of the show aired in one continuous take and is intended to allow followers of The Third Day to "inhabit the story as it happens". It features Jude Law and other members of the series cast. Part 2 also features singer Florence Welch.

The third part of the series, "Winter", directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, follows Helen (played by Naomie Harris), a strong-willed outsider who comes to the island seeking answers but whose arrival precipitates a fractious battle to decide its fate.

Main

 * Jude Law as Sam
 * Katherine Waterston as Jess
 * John Dagleish as Larry
 * Mark Lewis Jones as Jason
 * Jessie Ross as Epona
 * Richard Bremmer as "The Father"
 * Paddy Considine as Mr. Martin
 * Emily Watson as Mrs. Martin
 * Freya Allan as Kail
 * Börje Lundberg as Professor Mimir
 * Florence Welch as Veronica
 * Paul Kaye as "The Cowboy"
 * Naomie Harris as Helen
 * Nico Parker as Ellie
 * Charlotte Gairdner-Mihell as Talulah

Recurring

 * Stanley Auckland as "Nathan"
 * Will Rogers as Danny
 * Amer Chadha-Patel as the preacher
 * Lauren Byrne as Mya
 * Tom Lawrence as Tomo
 * Anna Calder-Marshall as Margaret
 * George Potts as Alan
 * Hilton McRae as Janny

Production
The series was commissioned in June 2019, with the announcement that Jude Law was cast in the lead role. Marc Munden was hired to direct the first three episodes, with Dennis Kelly writing. In July, Katherine Waterston, Paddy Considine and Emily Watson were added to the cast. Naomie Harris and John Dagleish were added in August, with Philippa Lowthorpe hired to direct the final three episodes of the series. Kit de Waal and Dean O'Loughlin also joined Kelly to co-write two episodes.

The series is set on Osea Island and its causeway. Filming began on the series in July 2019 in the United Kingdom in Essex and Kent. Production visited many locations in Kent for filming, including Fog Signal Station at Dungeness, Allens Farm, Harty Ferry Road near Harty Ferry Inn in Swale, Walpole Bay Tidal Pool, St Clere Estate, Bedgebury National Pinetum Forest, Hever Castle, Grain Coastal Park on the Isle of Grain, Chislehurst Caves and Shellness Beach on the Isle of Sheppey.

Release
The series was initially set to premiere in the United States on HBO on 11 May 2020, and on Sky Atlantic on 12 May 2020. In April 2020, HBO and Sky pulled the series from the schedule due to post-production on the series being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was subsequently rescheduled for a 14 September premiere in the U.S., and 15 September in the UK.

The first episodes of both the "Summer" and "Winter" parts premiered as part of the Primetime section of the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival on 11 September 2020.

The "Autumn" live event was broadcast live in the UK on Sky Arts and streamed for free via the Sky UK and HBO Facebook pages, on 3 October 2020.

Critical response
For the miniseries, review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 79% based on 48 reviews, with an average rating of 7.00/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "With a sufficiently arresting atmosphere and captivating performances from stars Jude Law and Naomie Harris, The Third Day is an intriguing—if overly familiar—addition to the folk-horror genre." Metacritic gave the miniseries a weighted average score of 70 out of 100 based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".