In our Stitchers Roundtable Season 3 Review, we fight over what made this the best one yet

Stitchers season three was our gift from Jeff Schechter, the writers, and the cast of the show. In only ten episodes, they gave us the memories, shocking twists, and tender moments that will last forever. Starting three days into Kirsten’s quantum entanglement, her friends discover a painful but effective way to break the bond between mother and daughter. While furious about the deception at first, Kirsten eventually forgives everyone, especially her eternally faithful friend turned boyfriend Cameron Goodkin. Unfortunately, between stitch fogginess due to elevated oxytocin and mommy and daddy issues on both sides, Camsten does not have a smooth journey. Still, they never lose sight of what’s important - their love for one another.

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Meanwhile, it’s not all fun and games at the stitch lab, and the team gets back to business doing what they do best - solving crimes through dead people. After wading through a myriad of unique and challenging cases, they become curious as to who actually selects their stitches. Maggie leaves Cameron in charge while she takes on the new role as director of the program, which creates tension with Camille who feels overlooked. Fisher must decide if his newly rekindled romance with estranged wife Stephanie is worth the risk of losing his lab family. Above all, the real threat of Daniel Stinger follows them, with Ivy the wild card in this twisted game of cat and mouse.

There were so many things to see, hear, love, and hate in just 10 episodes, so we shouldn’t waste any time! Our roundtable is assembled and here for your reading entertainment:

Jennifer (@Storytellingdoc) - Doctor, Author, and Senior Writer at TVAfterDark.

Allie (@alliejlanning) - Stitchers fandom Jane-of-all-trades.

Lauren (@laurensloves13) - Australian made, Stitchers enthusiast, cat mom.

Wanda (@WandaDeane) - Tax Administrator, Paralegal and Mom.

Tess (@CamstenCupcake) - Administrative Assistant. Watching Stitchers & Camsten feels like home.

Heather (@xoheatherkw) - Quality control scientist, dog mom, and fangirl extraordinaire.

Larissa (@ladame_) - Accountant with a serious love for beauty, fashion, Marvel movies, and T.V. shows….especially Stitchers!

Manuel (@Make_The_Bounce) - Web designer & consumer of entirely TOO much caffeine. Unabashed Sci-Fi nerd!

Lauralea (@DExHooker) – Writer, dog momma, Stitchers obsessive, Camsten addict.

Bruce (@bruceeaton88) - Sci-fi, mac n’ cheese; yells at TV; usually polite, frequently lost.

1. We’ve seen a lot of character growth this past season, but who surprised or impressed you the most?

Jennifer (@Storytellingdoc): I’m going to say both Kirsten and Ivy, which I know are two people - but hear me out. I see them almost like two sides of the same coin. Ivy is what Kirsten would have been like had Stinger been part of her life from the beginning. Seeing these two sisters for family in their own ways was just stunning.

Allie (@alliejlanning): Kirsten, always. I’m continually impressed with Emma and her portrayal of Kirsten. I feel like all the characters are beginning to balance out and really find their voices and that’s major props to the writers, but also to Emma, who has taken a woman with Temporal Dysplasia and has humanized her.

Lauren (@laurensloves13): This season I fell in love with Kirsten Clark for the first time, and I honestly believe it was because I was watching her fall in love too. Her growth in an emotional, caring and beautiful soul was a pleasure to watch.

Wanda (@WandaDeane): I think Camille has grown the most. Looking back on this season, she has moved from a mostly independent, scared to commit woman to someone ready to move in with her significant other.

Tess (@CamstenCupcake): Cameron impressed me with how he grew in his director role and how he dealt with his fear for Kirsten during the Stitches.

Heather (@xoheatherkw): I’m going with Cameron on this one because he didn’t ask for the promotion, but he handled it really well. He always looks out for the team, knows when to step down when he had Camille pilot a few stitches, did a pretty good job of leading the team, and always made Kirsten and her safety a priority, even prioritizing saving her mother over his own love life.

Larissa (@ladame_): I would have to say Ivy! Granted she came in during season 2, I’ve enjoyed seeing her character develop.

Manuel (@Make_The_Bounce): From a pure surprise standpoint I would have to say Ivy. I thought the writers did a phenomenal job weaving her arc so that, up until the very last minute you were doubting her loyalty and Sarah Davenport was SO GREAT this season!

Lauralea (@DExHooker): Camille. Watching her go from someone who has always had her own back, to finding love and finding her place on the team was just phenomenal. I look forward to watching her move even further forward in Season 4.

Bruce (@bruceeaton88): Camille. For bravely sprinting into the relationship minefield, failing, then summoning every ounce of emotional courage and trying again. This is series defining stuff.

2. There’s been so many interesting cases this season, including MI6 agents, love dolls, and even aliens. Which was your favorite?

Jennifer: I would have to say that it’s a toss-up between “Paternis” and “Just the Two of Us.” The former because we were given a glimpse into what drives Linus, Camille, and Cameron and how they are so similar. The latter because as a psychiatrist, we often don’t get to see how capable and unique autistic individuals are in the media, and Jeff and Matt managed to convey that without ever showing Tom in life.

Allie: My favorite was 3×01. It’s an episode that reminds me why I love Stitchers. I mean, each episode tends to do that and it’s probably tied with 3×07, but the first episode of the season is what stood out for me. It shows the sacrifices that this team is willing to take with each other and how hard they are willing to keep their family.

Lauren: The autism stitch was by far the best case this season. It was so well acted, beautifully written, and perfectly handled and explored. Jeff and Matt deserve all the praise in the world for this one.

Wanda: “Just the Two of Us” was my favorite episode this season, and not because Cameron and Kirsten were highlighted so much. I loved that Kirsten had to truly dig deep to understand the significance of the events unfolding in the stitch.

Tess: The 3×03 love doll case, because it was the most original & the most surprising case!

Heather: I’d have to say Tom’s case in “Just The Two of Us,” although the MI-6 case was a close second! The different perspective on how his brain processes emotions and information was really intriguing, that he couldn’t just “tell” Kirsten who murdered him. I’m still surprised at how time perception worked in his brain as well and that it was DAYS for her, but only 3 seconds for the team.

Larissa: The case involving Cameron’s dad!! Notice episode five was “Paternis,” and 10 was “Maternis?” I love this show.

Manuel: Hands down my favorite was the case with Tom the autistic victim in episode 3×07. Beyond how cool the actual stitch was, we learned a lot about how Kirsten feels about those around her, and that scene when all the past victims/stitch cases walked in..powerful stuff! One of my favorite episodes to date!

Lauralea: Actually, I loved the MI6 agents. For some reason I found that episode the most engaging – perhaps it was the jealousy play within Camsten, but I loved the action, adventure and romance that came with that particular stitch.

Bruce: The case centered around ‘Just the Two of Us’, 3X07. This episode is so uniquely compelling that it transcends everything that came before and after it. Even the deeply emotional finale. Yes, I said it.

3. We know there were many scenes that we loved, but was there one you really hated or struggled with?

Jennifer: I have to say the scene where Camille pours her heart out to Amanda and she is just left sitting there alone. For someone who claims to understand why Camille is so guarded, Amanda completely missed the mark by abandoning her. It felt unnecessary and I still haven’t forgiven her for it!

Allie: I’m going to be thrown in the pits for this one, but the moment Cameron betrayed Kirsten. I know, I know, I understand that it was an accident and that the location of her mother slipped from him. But this is a man who has spent the past two and a half seasons trying to earn the trust of the woman he loves. For him to ‘slip’ that information up seemed a little out of character for someone who was nicknamed “Cautious Cameron.” We know he chooses his actions and words carefully.

Lauren: I personally struggled with the scene where Camille told Amanda that her life made sense with her in it, because of it’s placement in relation to the relationship it referred to. It was out of character for Camille and it just felt rushed and wrong, and to be honest I’m still not really over it.

Wanda: I very much disliked that Camille opened her heart up to Amanda, told her she was willing to take a chance on her and Amanda literally just walked away. I probably didn’t like it because I didn’t understand her position.

Tess: I could never hate any Stitchers scene and I don’t, but seeing Cameron & Kirsten hurting makes me hurt.

Heather: The one I really struggled with was probably Cameron getting Kirsten to bounce in the season premiere. To see the conversation between him as “Jacqueline” and Kirsten made me cry, and then the aftermath of it was even more heartbreaking! For scenes that I’ve hated- pretty much any that involved Daniel Stinger because he’s shady af.

Larissa: This is hard….very hard. I guess the Ivy bashing felt a bit old after a few scenes at the end of the season? But I still enjoyed it? Only Stitchers could do that!

Manuel: I am still struggling with Amanda’s apparent about face in the finale. She went from “lose my number” to “let’s move in together” so unless they are setting something up for season 4, that seems a bit unrealistic.

Lauralea: Honestly? I’m not a fan of Amanda asking Camille to move in. Call me old fashioned, but I’m with Kirsten on this one – one minute they’re splitsville and the next minute Amanda is crying forever? No… something is up with her. I think we’re going to find there is a lot more to Amanda than we’ve been led to believe this season.

Bruce: Blair trying to strongarm a lab takeover. Just incredibly unbelievable and lacking any real dramatic impact. Holding a borrowed pistol on Camille? Seriously misplayed.

4. There’s an insane number of great geek references packed into 10 episodes. Which were your top three?

Jennifer: Well, let’s see. I would have to say by far the leader is the Han/Leia reference and the Rogue One Star Wars references, followed by Star Trek. Honestly, I love them all and let out fangirl squeals every time I catch one, but I would say these were definitely up there!

Allie: Oh, I’m particularly terrible at this. The Star Wars one will be in my list and probably everyone else’s, but I honestly would’ve rioted without an ‘I love you’ this season. As far as another one….I liked the Chucky reference. I only saw that movie once when I was a child and not much else that’s been referenced this season. I feel out of the loop. I should probably watch some movies.

Lauren: Seriously, only three? I liked when Camille said that Agent Scully was her first crush, because I was at DragonCon last year when Allison fangirled out over Gillian Anderson. Then, “I’ll be Rogue One, you can be Rogue Two.” And finally, of course, the Han/Leia ‘I love you’ moment in the finale.

Wanda: Obviously my favorite was “I Love You. I know. Well Played”. “I feel the need, the need for speed.” “Can you hear me Buzz.. was that an astronaut reference or a Toy story reference… Induce stitch synchronous on my mark in 3, 2, 1, blastoff.”

Tess: My #1 is of course the Camsten ILY/Star Wars Reference. I haven’t made up my mind about #2 & #3 yet.

Heather: I’m pretty much the worst with picking up references, and I know I’m not the only one who will say this but- the Camsten I love you/I know in the season finale was my favorite. Then Camille’s crush/X-files reference in 3×08, and Cameron being called a newb in 3×06 - totally not true, he’s the geekiest of them all.

Larissa: The Star Trek reference and the Star Wars references in the finale (duh), as well as the Donkey King reference with that guy in the video game episode. So clever.

Manuel: Oh yeah…because it’s possible to narrow it down to just three 😉 Okay okay let’s go with 3) Tron on young Cameron’s computer in “Paternis” in 3×05 2) Uhura Star Trek references in the finale - awesome 1) Star Wars “I love you” - “I know” scene before the finale stitch! Great job with these this season writers!!

Lauralea: “I love you.” “I know.” *rolls eyes, obviously. “I’ll be Rogue One, you can be Rogue Two.” “Oh, there’ll never be a Rogue Two.” “Help me help you.” - I laughed so hard at this because I have to use this line daily in my job. So funny.

Bruce: Yikes! I probably missed or forgot most of them. “Open hailing frequencies”. Goes way back first to Lt. Uhura in the original Star Trek TV series, of course. (Relax, y’all…Stitchers is better) Cameron’s “Quid pro quo, Clarice”. From the deliciously evil Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs. Not really S3, but I have to give a nod to Kirsten’s reaction to her new stitch bodysuit: “I have to dress like Catwoman?”

5. Other than the cliffhanger, which moment or twist really stayed with you?

Jennifer: The moment in “Just the Two of Us” where the Cameron projection tells Kirsten that “I guess that means you love me.” Keep in mind that this is basically Tom, an autistic individual who struggles to identify emotions, connecting with Kirsten and helping her to figure this out. It was beyond touching.

Allie: Linus’s dad dying. For some reason, that struck me incredibly hard. I think it’s because Linus, who has been so pure, has now been tainted by death and loss like the rest of the team. His family loves him very much and in a show, where families are so messy and broken, it was nice to have that escape. I mean, he always has his mother, but having that one strong family unit was kind of worth it for me.

Lauren: Camille’s song performance in ‘Kill It Forward’. I play the video on repeat constantly, and I’m desperate for someone to put the song up somewhere online so that I can make it part of my permanent collection.

Wanda: Ivy helping Maggie and Fisher trap Stinger was amazing and for me unexpected. I loved that scene! I’m still somewhat worried about her intentions though.

Tess: The epic flashbacks in episode 3×05 and seeing how the childhoods of Cameron, Camille and Linus are still affecting them.
Heather: When we first found out about it, Ivy running the anomaly of little Cameron. I have always really liked Ivy’s character and I’ve wanted to trust her, so that reveal made me think that if and when Kirsten found out that it would ruin their relationship beyond repair.

Larissa: Cameron’s dad. That really stuck with me! I always enjoy paths for a character I didn’t think would play out the way they did.

Manuel: I was really into Ivy’s arc this season so when it was revealed that she was the one that trapped Kirsten in the stitch that was a big twist for me. I had been riding the fence as to whether she was good or bad and at that moment it didn’t look so good for her.

Lauralea: Camsten’s kiss in the season premiere. That will forever be my favorite moment of the series. I could watch it on repeat forever – it was such a raw and beautiful moment.

Bruce: Linus revealing his father’s death and missed memorial service while in the lab lockdown. Just emotionally crushing. Maybe because I’ve been through it.

6. If you had to pick one person as your scene stealer this season, who would you choose?

Jennifer: This was REALLY hard for me. I wanted to step away from the core cast since it’s no question that they do a phenomenal job. Tim, of course, got some of the best lines of the season. However, my vote goes to Sarah Davenport as Ivy. Not only did she have to keep things completely under wraps about which side she was on, but the pain and fear she had to convey as Ivy was so beautifully done.

Allie: Everyone is going to say Kyleand I will give him his kudos, because he did one hell of a job. But I’ll also have to go with Damon this season. We really got to dive a bit more into Fisher and saw him loosen up a bit more. We were able to see more emotional sides of him with his ex-wife, and it definitely kept me engaged this season. Shout out to Damon, and really to everyone because they brought their A-game.

Lauren: From “You should see the other guy” right through to those awe-inspiring lightning reflexes, Damon Dayoub held my attention every time he was on screen. Fisher was often a B-storyline this season, but when there was the threat that he might be leaving the program, it became obvious that he was so important to so many people, and I’m very happy he’s sticking around.

Wanda: For me this year Kyle Harris was my scene stealer. His emotional range was so amazing to watch. Anger, fear, sadness he absolutely portrayed each emotion beautifully.

Tess: Both Cameron aka Kyle Harris AND Kirsten aka Emma Ishta, cause they just blew me away in every scene they’re in, together and apart! Their chemistry is simply outstanding and these two are so incredibly talented.

Heather: I’d have to go with Anna Akana (Amanda). Not only is she adorable with the serenade to Camille in 3×03, she’s also a badass, she’s seriously smart with extrapolating the message in the sand, and she’s a DJ on the side. That girl can pretty much do anything!

Larissa: Cameron’s mom definitely make an impression when meeting Kirsten. I really hope to see more of her next season.

Manuel: Without a doubt Tim! But the scenes Cameron Britton was featured in during the first couple episodes were PURE GOLD! Hopefully we see more of Tim and the lab team in season 4!

Lauralea: Cameron Britton (Tim). He’s awesome. End of.

Bruce: Bypassing our stock ingénue couple, I’m going with the scene-chewing Camille. Allison Scagliotti is so naturally incandescent and persuasive, this is an easy choice.

7. Besides finding out who made Kirsten lie to Cameron, what other storyline would you like to see in a season four?

Jennifer: Well, assuming Stinger can be reasoned with (or even if not) at this point, I would love to see Jacqueline, Kirsten, and the team work together to take the Stitchers program even further and maybe redirect it away from the NSA ideal of weaponization and mind control.

Allie: More about Maggie. We saw some of it in 3×09, when she told a bit about her previous days working for the CIA, but I’d still like to see so much more of that. How she met Jacqueline, Daniel, and Ed. How she joined the program and how she worked through everything from then to now.

Lauren: A big part of me wants more relationship development, but to be honest, I actually want to learn more about the history of the Stitchers program. With Stinger, Jacqueline and Maggie all on deck, it’s a viable option to explore.

Wanda: I’d like to see more of our favorite characters learning to defend themselves and I can’t wait to see if Jacqueline and in turn Kirsten will have a “super brains” since they both have nanobots in them.

Tess: I’m excited to see how the Stitchers program will continue, now that they’ve accomplished their main goal of stitching into Jacqueline, and to see the amazing character journeys continue.

Heather: Probably SO many (especially in regards to ships) - but assuming Kirsten is staying with the program - is what is next for the program? They saved Kirsten’s mother which was the main purpose, so will they just continue to map the brain in its entirety, or would they try to figure out how to adapt the technology for additional stitchers/additional locations? Or will the NSA revisit Project Grasshopper to try to replicate Jacqueline’s evolved brain, and how exactly does that affect Jacqueline now that she’s woken up??

Larissa: Sorry everyone, I’m super #TeamCamsten, but I really hope to see more of other relationships and partnerships develop, as well as cases side by side, if that makes sense. Either way, it will still be a great season! Hopefully everything turns out alright…for Camsten and the fans!

Manuel: This is a toss up between Maggie and Mitchell Blair. We saw a small glimpse into Maggie’s past and it was compelling while story-wise I don’t feel like we have seen the last from Blair, both actors are AMAZING and I would love to see more of them for season 4!

Lauralea: I honestly hope that it’s not Jacqueline behind the lies to Cameron – I would like to see Kirsten find more of herself while developing a proper relationship with her mother. They are basically the same age at this point – it’ll be much like Snow and Emma in OuaT – she has an opportunity to have her mother as a close friend – something most of us don’t find until we’re much farther on into our lives.

Bruce: We’re on track for a re-energized Linus/Ivy. What could go wrong there? More back story on Maggie. Oh, and how about a change of venue? The program is shut down and the lab dismantled. The restaurant upstairs is closed by the health department. Kirsten goes missing. Kidnapped? (Jeff, I’m available to write for S4)

Final Verdict: It’s not about whether Stitchers season 3 was the best, but that we know it was made with love

It’s no secret that without the fans, there would not have likely been a season three of Stitchers. Jeff Schechter, the writing team, and the cast wanted these ten episodes had to represent all the appreciation, love, and respect they have for the show and its audience. Now that the season is over, we can safely say that they did all of that and more. There was never compromise on the quality of the content or the realism of the drama, even as they giddily filled each moment with pop culture references and geeky humor. With that jaw dropping last minute addition to the cliffhanger ending, it’s impossible to ignore how much they also hope for another season. So, without further ado, go forth and tweet, post, and sign petitions!