The Third
9 Oct 2019.

The Third is a six-part series currently available on Dekkoo. It was previously released as Triads back in 2017. It’s about three guys - an old lech, a stunned kid, and a friendly bear - in a three-way polyamorous relationship. If you ask me, the old lech is having the best time, though he is forced to try the hardest. The stunned kid knows he’s in too deep. His tell-it-like-it-is roommate says as much. He’s at odds with his parents, but finally breaks down to ask the dad for advice. “Color me intrigued,” replies the dad in dialogue clearly not written by a straight guy. The friendly bear is hiding a tawdry affair with a total bitchy queen, is an alcoholic, and harbours some terrible secrets in his past. It’s a full plate. 

Most serial storytelling depicting romantic entanglements can’t help but be soap operas, and The Third is no exception. It’s occasionally fun, often preposterous, intermittently sexy, and a bit predictable. None of these are reasons not to watch it. The worst thing about it is that it tries so hard to illustrate all the in’s and out’s of polyamory. The Third was created by Matthew Lynn, a cinematographer by trade, and was directed by Matt McClelland. They bring an interesting look to the series. The performances are a mixed bag. I both liked and disliked Australian actor Corey Page, who played the older man, Carl. I had no trouble with Ryland Shelton as David, the nice-looking bear, and I’m smart enough to understand that Sean McBride as Jason the kid had a tough role, having to channel naivety and strength, often in the same scene. The best actor is Fatimah Taliah as Katelyn,  a black woman who seems to know all and understands the true meaning of love. Wow. (Is she one of those “magical Negro” characters we keep hearing about in movies like Green Book?) A comedian in real life, she brings a breath of fresh air to all her scenes. 

The Third is lightweight, but it’s also not much different in its goals as Scenes from A Marriage. Both set out to explore how relationships develop over time. The moral seems to be that when used as a stopgap for a failing relationship, a third won’t make things better. But three-ways are not mathematical triangles. They are living, breathing things fuelled by fear and desire.

All I can say is, if you are in a triad, dear reader, I hope it works out for at least the length of this series.