Source The Indian Express
MUMBAI—The highly anticipated third season of the Amazon Prime Video series, ‘The Family Man,’ premiered on November 21st, bringing back Manoj Bajpayee as the iconic intelligence agent Srikant Tiwari (Image of Manoj Bajpayee as Srikant Tiwari in The Family Man). After a four-year hiatus, the new season has met with a divided response from both critics and ardent fans, who are grappling with a story that has been labeled “watchable but incomplete” and an ending that has left a massive cliffhanger.
📉 Mixed Audience Reaction to Season 3
While the series retains its signature blend of high-stakes espionage, action, and middle-class family drama, early reviews indicate a drop in the unanimous praise enjoyed by the first two seasons.
Praise: Many viewers applauded the stellar performances of the returning cast, particularly Manoj Bajpayee and Sharib Hashmi (JK), alongside new antagonist Jaideep Ahlawat (Rukma). The season’s move to a politically charged backdrop in Northeast India was also praised for its compelling geopolitical layering and sharp action choreography. A notable highlight was a much-discussed cameo by Vijay Sethupathi, reprising his role from a related series, which sent the “TASC universe” into a frenzy.
Criticism: The main complaints centered on pacing issues, with some netizens calling the season “slow,” “stretched,” and lacking the raw suspense that defined the earlier instalments. Many felt the storyline, revolving around ‘Project Sahakar’ and a new threat that compromises Srikant’s family, was too predictable at times.
“It was good, but could’ve been better,” commented one social media user, summing up the general sentiment that the season fell slightly short of the high expectations set by its predecessors.
Unresolved Cliffhanger Confirms Season 4 Buzz
The most polarizing element of the new season is its finale. Unlike earlier seasons that offered a clear, if tense, conclusion, Season 3 ends abruptly with a dramatic and unresolved cliffhanger.
The conclusion sees Srikant Tiwari, severely wounded after a brutal confrontation with the antagonist Rukma, collapsing right before his fate is revealed. Adding to the unresolved tension, Rukma manages to escape, and key personal storylines—including the much-speculated ‘Lonavala incident’ and Srikant’s marriage—are left hanging.
This deliberate lack of resolution has frustrated a segment of the audience, who feel the season is “half-cooked” or simply “part one” of a longer story arc. However, the ending effectively guarantees a fourth season. In a recent interview, Manoj Bajpayee effectively confirmed that ‘The Family Man Season 4’ is inevitable, leaving fans to endure another wait to see the resolution of Srikant’s fate and the TASC mission.
The Family Man 3, directed by creators Raj & DK along with Suman Kumar and Tusshar Seyth, is currently streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
