Season 3 is a step up in terms of writing, narration, acting, camerawork and characters. The difference in quality and quantity is so obvious and unavoidable that it almost overshadows what the first two seasons had achieved.
It introduces awkward, idiotic and hilarious characters like Nicola Murray and Peter Munnyion & co. who not only are punching bags for abusive overlords like Malcolm Tucker and but existing characters like Ollie, Terri and James and anybody else seem so much better. The dialogue is sharper and wittier (not to mention so much more nasty) and director Armando Iannucci and DOP James Cairney have produced an art form of political satire that will rarely be matched ever again until somebody as talented as them comes along.
This is another decent season of the thick of it. I feel the best word I could use to describe this show is steady. It consistently is good and, whilst it never quite reaches amazing status for me, it is definitely still worth the watch.
This season is very much like the previous two with the same humour and vague story themes (government is incompetent shock horror!). However, there are two things that I particularly liked this season. Firstly, I think Nicola is a more interesting protagonist than Hugh Abbot so that's a strength. Secondly, I like the more developing storyline including the more dramatic bits in episode 7; previous seasons felt like each episode was a bit disconnected from the earlier episodes of that season. However, these aren't enough of an improvement to warrant a higher score.
I really did not like season 3 at all. After two season of the show, It gets very boring watching the same old rehashed stuff each episode. Sort of disappointing but it is what it is.