Island isolation: Jude Law stars in HBO’S eerie drama ‘The Third Day’

The disturbing and captivating new series “The Third Day” premieres Monday, Sept. 14, on HBO. The thriller was originally scheduled to premiere May 11 of this year, but the project was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe, which made production almost impossible and delayed the show’s release.

“The Third Day” follows Sam (Jude Law,“the Nest,”2020),a man who travels alone and ends up on a mystical island off the British coast in the dead of summer. In a separate but connected dimension, another outsider named Helen (Naomie Harris, “Black and Blue,” 2019) also finds her way to the island.

The series features other stars, including Katherine Waterston (“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” 2016), Paddy Considine (“How to Build a Girl,” 2020), Emily Watson (“Chernobyl”), John Dagleish (“The Gentlemen,” 2019) and Freya Allan (“The Witcher”).

The series is divided into three distinct yet interconnected plots. The first batch of episodes, entitled “Summer” and directed by

Marc Munden (“Utopia,” 2013), follows Sam as he explores the mysterious island. He’s met there by locals who are keen on preserving their traditions, no matter the cost.

The second chapter, “Autumn,” will be a live event broadcast from London, England. It’s been described by producers as a “major immersive theater event.” This live installment of the series, which features Law, Harris and the rest of the cast, can be viewed on a single take, and it’s meant to let the audience step inside the story as it unfolds.

“Autumn” offers the audience a deeper experience of the mystical island, allowing them to view it in a real-time broadcast. This interactive segment runs in a single, uninterrupted, cinematic take that showcases the locals’ rituals and traditions and how they blur the lines of reality.

The third batch of episodes, “Winter,” was directed by Philippa Lowthorpe (“Three Girls”). It focuses on the strong-willed Helen, who arrives on the island in search of solutions. But when she inadvertently creates a bigger conflict, it eventually leads to a battle that will determine the future of the island and its inhabitants.