Summary
Many TV shows are canceled in their prime, but I’ll never forgive Starz for cancelingHightownahead of what should have been a great ending. Unfortunately,Hightownseason 3 didn’t get the time to conclude the show satisfactorily. Throughout its run, it had a lot of stakes for a crime drama, but its most significant quality was how it devoted equal time to both the good and bad characters. This engaging tactic allowed me to see how their crimes affected those related to the villains. It also touched upon how one mistake from the police could lead to severe ramifications.
There’s also the fact thatHightownwouldn’t have been possible without a fantastic cast. Every actor turned in striking performances to drive home the severity of the storylines. The acting and strong writing resulted in a highly addictive series that deserved another installment to wrap things up. Despite Starz’s claim the series finale would bring the show to a satisfying conclusion, the episode was more open-ended than I expected. However, it was the ideal set-up for a fourth and final season.
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Jackie Vs. Ray During Hightown Season 4 Would Have Been A Fantastic Reset
Monica Raymund And James Badge Dale Would Have Delivered Great Performances
Jackie (Monica Raymund) and Ray (James Badge Dale) were close allies throughout the first twoHightownseasons, but season 3 marked the first time their friendship was tested. Due to the distance between their characters, Raymund and Dale didn’t share the screen as much, which was a real shame, in my opinion. Although they were still cordial throughout the season, Jackie and Ray were pulled in different directions. This would have intensified in season 4 due to Jackie’s realization that Ray could have been responsible for Frankie’s murder.
Hightownseason 3’s ending seemingly set up Jackie to arrest Ray in season 4, which would have been a fascinating change of pace for the show.
The pair had often relied on one another for support, so seeing their relationship in such a sorry state was upsetting. The tricky aspect of navigating this kind of dynamic is that it has to be believable, which could have been achieved with Jackie realizing the profound similarities between her and Ray. Jackie made many of her own mistakes in the past, so I would have enjoyed seeing her wondering why she held Ray to such a high standard.
Hightownseason 3’s ending seemingly set up Jackie to arrest Ray in season 4, which would have been a fascinating change of pace for the show. That said, I realize Ray had done some terrible things, but it was about time one of the police officers in the show got some form of comeuppance. Ray played in the gray area, allowing Dale to add more depth to such a complicated character. Despite being on opposite sides, they would be forced to find a shred of common ground because of the inevitable influx of new villains.
Frankie’s Death Would Have Welcomed New Villains To Cape Cod
Frankie Was The Overarching Villain Of The First Three Seasons
Frankie was the overarching villain forHightown’s first three seasons, so his murder after getting out of prison shocked me. The series subverted expectations by leading me to believe he would call the shots in Cape Cod again. Considering his history, this would have been a bit of a retread. Frankie did some heinous things throughout the show but always seemed to bounce back. Thus, killing him off was the ideal way to usher in a new era of crime for the show.
Despite countless criminals in the area, few had the influence and street-smart to cross him. Even when Frankie lost his allies, he always found a way to get other people on his side to even the odds. I realize this takes a certain level of skill. Without him,Hightownwould have been forced into uncharted territory as a new wave of criminals would step up to cause problems. Seeing a drastically different Cape Cod would have been an excellent backdrop for one last season of drama.
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Hightown Needed One Final Season To Have A Proper Ending
Hightown Could Have Ended On A High
My biggest gripe withHightownseason 3, episode 7, is that it played out like a season finale. While the finale ended with a couple of storylines resolved, it set up many others forHightownseason 4. That would have been a perfect ending point had creator Rebecca Cutter known that the end was coming. Still,I’ll never forgetHightownfor its well-written charactersand their importance to the plot.
Shows often feature characters who serve no purpose, but everyone is necessary to bringHightown’s storylines to life. With one last season,Hightownwould have brought Jackie, Ray, Renee, and Osito’s storylines to more satisfying conclusionswith actual repercussions. My ideal ending forHightownwould have found the gangs being weeded out of Cape Cod, giving the residents a more hopeful future. The show had been building towards such a conclusion since season 1.
