Quick Verdict

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Season 3 opens with a confident, moody premiere that swaps France’s ruins for sun-bleached coasts and dusty byways. “Costa da Morte” balances purposeful setup with striking visuals and the easy, lived-in chemistry of Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride. It’s more prologue than full meal, but the appetite it stirs is real.

Spoiler-Lite Plot Snapshot

In the aftermath of a perilous channel crossing, Daryl and Carol find their plans knocked further off course, beaching them on new shores and into new trouble. The hour sketches fresh factions, a frontier-western tone, and a goal that feels both simple and impossibly far away.

What Works

• Cinematic vibe: The Spanish setting lends a dusty “border-western” texture—wide horizons, stark light, and a pace that breathes without dragging.
• Character chemistry: Reedus and McBride slide back into a rhythm that sells quiet beats as well as burst-of-violence action.
• Symbolism with bite: A recurring gag/totem (yes, canned hot dogs) doubles as a character tether and a season-long motif about sustenance, memory, and home.
• Production lift: Cleaner VFX and location work make the world feel larger and rougher at the same time.

What Doesn’t (Yet)

• Setup heaviness: The premiere is deliberately table-setting; some viewers may want a bigger swing or a major shock.
• Shorthand villains: A couple of antagonistic beats feel familiar; nuance will need to arrive in the next episodes.

Performances & Tone

Reedus plays Daryl with stoic warmth, letting micro-expressions do the talking; McBride’s Carol remains flinty, funny, and dangerously pragmatic. Together, they anchor the show’s lean dialogue and sand-scoured mood. When the episode leans into the “elegiac western” register, it sings.

Direction, Look & Sound

The direction embraces negative space and horizon lines, alternating tense, claustrophobic scrapes with open-air melancholy. Practical textures (weathered stone, rust, sea-spray) complement sparing score cues that add tension without telegraphing every beat.

Early Fan Temperature

First-wave reactions call it a “solid premiere” with stronger VFX and classic Carol moments—while noting it’s largely scene-setting. Expect momentum to build in episodes 2–3.

Should You Watch It?

If you bounced off season 2’s unevenness, this is the course correction: tighter focus, richer atmosphere, and a clear thematic throughline. Not a barn-burner opener, but a confident one that promises payoffs.

• Best for: Viewers who like character-driven survival with western flavor and loaded quiet beats.
• Maybe skip if: You need jaw-drop twists immediately—the premiere plays a longer game.

How to Watch

New episodes drop Sundays on AMC/AMC+. Episode 1 is titled “Costa da Morte.”