Jurassic World: Chaos Theory season 3 really scratched the itch I had for more from the dinosaur franchise, making me even more excited about its impending live-action return this July with Jurassic World Rebirth. While I know most of the focus goes on the movies, which are always sure to be popular, the animated adventures set in the Jurassic World franchise are just as entertaining. They provide a deeper understanding of the films, their overarching story, and present a great found family dynamic.

I've been with the Nublar Six since they were kids in Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous. Now, the third season of their adult adventures in Jurassic World: Chaos Theory shows how much they have evolved, and I'm glad Netflix has given us the chance to follow these characters for so long. After season 2's Brooklynn storyline ended in a dark moment, I was hoping we could see things change this time around. As expected, her portion of the story is key to season 3's events, and it turned into one of the best seasons of the show so far.

The Return To Jurassic World Presents Gorgeous Landscapes & Gripping Dinosaur Action

There Are Plenty Of Horror-Oriented Moments In Season 3

Recently talking about Jurassic World Rebirth at CinemaCon, Scarlett Johansson mentioned how their goal was to bring scares back to the franchise. That is something I felt was missing from some of the Jurassic World movies, but Chaos Theory season 3 does its best to make sure the horror roots of the franchise are honored. One of the best uses of that darker tone comes from the introduction of the Pyroraptor to the series. The dinosaur is vicious and whenever it is onscreen, a sense of danger flows through the air.

There are plenty of references, locations, and even characters that harken back to Jurassic World Dominion, the finale of Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard's trilogy.

Now that the kids have grown up, the sequel series can go all in on a dark tone, which I have been enjoying since Jurassic World: Chaos Theory season 1. The new season of the dinosaur series makes the most of that, with a few shocking death scenes that can sometimes feel abrupt. While the deaths themselves are not fully shown like they are in the live-action movies, the animated series does a phenomenal job of building up tension through its score and the frightening nature of certain dinosaurs to make deaths effective.

For those hoping Chaos Theory season 3 could help set up the franchise's impending live-action return, I would say this is very much still set in the past. There are plenty of references, locations, and even characters that harken back to Jurassic World Dominion, the finale of Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard's trilogy. There is a surprise character return that I found delightful, and as a fan of the first Jurassic World trilogy, I enjoyed the connections and how they shed new light on events.

Season 3 Tests The Nublar Six Over A Personal Matter

The Animated Series' Cast Is The Most Well-Developed In The Franchise

While I love most of the main characters we have seen in the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World franchises, the development the Nublar Six have gotten is second to none. We are essentially in the eighth season of these characters' adventures, having gotten to see them mature as they went from kids to young adults. Sure, the gorgeous visuals, intriguing story, and dinosaur action are all splashy factors that draw attention to Jurassic World: Chaos Theory. However, none of that would work without strong characters, and season 3 shows why the cast is so good.

The Handler gets a bigger role this time around, and I liked how we got to learn a bit more about the character, whose presence always brings a creepy air to any scene she's in.

As with every family, it is difficult to watch them fight and I expected some kind of turmoil following the season 2 finale. After Brooklynn made the decision to leave with Soyona Santos, abandoning the rest of her group after having pretended to be dead for a long time, I wondered how they would take it. The answer is different for each character, as there is a clear divide between the Nublar Six regarding how to handle the Brooklynn of it all going forward. I felt like their varied motivations made a lot of sense, so splitting up was necessary.

Aside from the main cast, there are quite a few characters who help make season 3 thrilling. Dichen Lachman's villain turn as Soyona Santos is always on point, making the powerful villain feel as smart and threatening as she claims to be. The Handler gets a bigger role this time around, and I liked how we got to learn a bit more about the character, whose presence always brings a creepy air to any scene she's in. The newcomers, Gia and Nonna, were both delightful. Finally, season 3 ends with a great hook that makes me want season 4 immediately.