Popular Netflix Series Wraps Up Its Final Season

Photo courtesy of Netflix

The latest season of “Hemlock Grove” was released on Oct. 23 and is set to be the last of the season. Based off of Brian McGreevy’s novel of the same name, the show made its debut on Netflix in 2013. The story is based in the town of Hemlock Grove, Pennsylvania, and starts when a spree of vicious murders occur. Peter Rumancek (Landon Liboiron), a mysterious Roma boy who has just moved into town, is suspected as the culprit, and is also rumored to be a werewolf.

He is befriended by one of the wealthiest kids in town, Roman Godfrey (Bill Skarsgård), who is the heir to the Godfrey Institute for Biomedical Technologies. Rumors circle the institute, which is reputed to conduct secret experiments. As season one wraps up, secrets are revealed and true identities are exposed, leaving the audience to question whether what they've just witnessed is true.

The fan-base of "Hemlock Grove," which had grown by the conclusion of the first season, was excited when it was revealed that a second season was in the works. One of the many aspects of the show that was well-received was its great visual design: from the scenery of the town itself, to the many creatures featured on the show, the things that appeared on “Hemlock Grove” were things people had been wanting to see on TV for a long time. The aesthetic of the show helped to further push the storyline and made the ambiance of the show dark and grim.

Season two premiered in July of 2014, and most of the main characters from the previous season returned, along with some supporting characters who took on bigger roles. This season holds a new problem, something that is closer to Peter and Roman: a pack of people are making their way to Hemlock Grove in the hope of wiping out any supernatural creatures that may be lurking there.

With the second season, the show became more enjoyable to a wider audience because it incorporated traditional TV tropes that viewers enjoy: the love triangle, the internal conflict and the tried-and-true mystery and horror the show is known for. These additions gained the show even more fans.

This season takes many twists, and ends with a cliffhanger. For a long time a third season had not been talked about, which left many fans scratching their heads. Even in interviews with the cast, a third season seemed like it wouldn't be happening. Based on the season two finale, if a third season didn't come along, “Hemlock Grove” might have drawn ire for one of the worst television series endings on record.

Since the second season finished, the show faced much criticism for its ending. Season two’s final episode was indeed confusing: some scenes seem to imply a series finale, while some scenes appeared to confirm a third season. This blend left the standing of the show extremely questionable and maybe too much for the audience to process. The season as a whole was scripted very well, but the ended could have definitely been rearranged.

“Hemlock Grove” has a great blend of cast members, from well-known faces like Famke Janssen and Dougray Scott, to stars on the rise like Bill Skarsgård, Landon Liboiron, Madeleine Martin and Tiio Horn. Although at times the plotline is overly convoluted, it is the details that allow the show to reach new heights in the genres of sci-fi and horror. Now that season three can be viewed by fans, only time will tell if the show will hold up in the eyes of the audience and critics.  

kcruz2@ramapo.edu