2024 is set to be an exhilarating year for Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Reynolds is on the brink of a major box office triumph with Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine, while McElhenney is back in action with the fourth season of his Apple TV+ series Mythic Quest (and the seventeenth season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia at some point). But what's truly thrilling is their joint sports venture, which has been a resounding success. The anticipation for their triumphs in the third season of Welcome to Wrexham is palpable, as it returns with a double-episode premiere on Thursday, May 2nd, at 10/9c on FX.
(FX)
Wrexham A.F.C.’s fifteen-year curse is finally broken as the team makes a triumphant return to the English Football League. We left them at this pivotal moment in season two, and season three picks up the emotional journey with a recap episode of the time between seasons, titled “Welcome to the EFL.” Last season, we glimpsed the profound changes in the lives of the team and its fans, both on and off the field. This season, those changes are magnified as Wrexham A.F.C. embarks on a series of summer “friendlies” in the United States before the 2023-2024 season kicks off.
Season three has eight episodes, about half the length of the previous two, and there are also a few changes to the format. None of the previous balls in play have been dropped, but what’s new is unfiltered access to locker room conversations. And, boy, do these get heated. Welcome to Wrexham has always carried a TV-MA rating due to language, but the addition of these moments feels like they double the number of expletives when these scenes are introduced in the second episode, “Goals.” New last year was the additional coverage of Wrexham AFC’s Women’s Team, which you won’t find in the double-episode premiere, but they will return on May 9th in the third episode, “Notts Again.”
At the heart of the series, balancing the sports-heavy core, are the human interest stories. Welcome to Wrexham delves deeper into the lives of Wrexham A.F.C. and Wrexham AFC’s Women’s Team players and support team as they navigate the highs and lows of the 2023-2024 season. As a viewer who doesn’t typically follow the sport, I found myself once again emotionally invested in their journey, rooting for their success simply because I’ve developed a deep attachment to these individuals. The series continues to capture the human interest heart that has made it such a phenomenon, with more spotlights on members of the Wrexham fan community.
Welcome to Wrexham’s third season arrives early this year to fill the summer gap in the EFL season. The episode release schedule is set to last through July 13th. While I don’t otherwise watch football (either form), it’s never a bad time for more of this feel-good series. In its third season, it continues to deliver emotional highs, heartwarming stories, and comedic analysis by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as they make 2024 one of the best years of their lives.
I give Season 3 of Welcome to Wrexham 5 out of 5 Hugh Jackman cameos.
Season 3 of Welcome to Wrexham premieres with two episodes on Thursday, May 2nd, at 10/9c on FX. Episodes will stream the following day exclusively on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in other markets.