It's unfortunate that On My Block doesn't receive the same level of press coverage as Stranger Things and Netflix's other coming-of-age series because it is arguably the best young adult series the streaming service has to offer. The immensely charming half-hour dramedy, whose third season is now streaming, blends an absurd sense of humour with the emotional realities of growing up in a crime-ridden and violent area of South Central Los Angeles, and as a result, the series is like little else on TV. The eight-episode third season picks up right where season two left off, quickly revealing that Monse (Sierra Capri), Cesar (Diego Tinoco), Ruby (Jason Genao), and Jamal (Brett Gray) were kidnapped by Cuchillos (Ada Luz Pla), the leader of the Santos, because she wants them to find Ricky, the leader of the gang who was involved in the RollerWorld heist in the 80s and whom she believes is very much alive. Series creators once again brilliantly mine the seriousness of the situation for comedy without ever losing sight of the stakes or the emotional toll they take on the show's young protagonists, and as the season progresses, harsh but necessary truths are revealed as the boulder-sized task on their shoulders tests their loyalty and threatens to crush them beneath its significant weight. And yet, the show never feels like it's drowning in darkness. Much of the comedy is again channeled through Jamal – Gray's expert line readings and comedy remain some of the show's biggest assets.