Harry and Asta, along with Bridget and a surprising accomplice, try to stop D’arcy from making her grand gesture, while Kate is determined to rescue her baby.

Here we are at the season’s conclusion, written by series creator Chris Sheridan and producer/director Robert Duncan McNeill. It’s a script with a lot to get done in just 45 minutes and for the most part does it well. I do feel that an extra five or ten minutes would have been beneficial; it’s supposed to be pacy but the back half especially goes at quite a lick in order to fit everything in.

Being the conclusion I won’t reveal what any of that is, other than to say that goalposts are moved to set us up for a potential season 4. There’s no word of a renewal yet, although signs are promising as the show has become a huge hit on Netflix in the USA. Indeed unlike last season there’s no real attempt to wrap anything up in case this is the final episode and there’s plenty here to keep fans on tenterhooks.

Speaking of fans, I took some time this last week to have a look on the show’s Reddit to see what they’re making of it. There seems to be a big split – many (me among them) are happy with the shorter season and the ditching of most of the more soap-opera storylines that made season 2 feel like it was treading water some of the time. Conversely, a lot seem to miss that stuff, people obviously care about these characters beyond just what their connection, if any, to the SF elements of the story are. I still think I’m right, in fact bringing the main cast into the SF world makes me care more. Ben and Kate for instance now feel like proper people, not just funny mayor and generic wife/mom. D’arcy (who in a neat moment this week confirms how to properly spell her name, thank you) has become someone with something to aim for and something to prove, rather than mostly being just there for someone for Asta to talk to.

There’s never been any official explanation about why this season was short (for a US series anyway). One theory that makes sense is that the writers’ strike was looming and getting in eight final draft scripts meant the show could go into production without fear of having to shut down part way through. Another is that the less than stellar ratings on SyFy for the second half of season 2 (sadly this season seems to have fared little better) caused cold feet and an understandable reluctance to bankroll the proposed twelve episodes. Both theories could be true, or untrue, of course.

Whatever the reasons, I feel it’s worked. I was ready to give up on the show and really only bothered again because I was asked to do these little reviews. I’m glad though, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed revisiting Patience this year and look forward (fingers crossed) for more to come.

One tiny little mini-spoiler before we go, since it’s easy to miss with the superfast end credits. The inexplicably English Mr Hogan, working for the Major, is played by Peter Hogan, co-creator and writer of the original comics. Although entirely different in almost every respect they are excellent and well worth checking out if you haven’t already.

Verdict: A busy episode which ties off more than one emotional arc while setting up big changes to come (hopefully) 9/10

Andy Smith