In Season 1 of HBO’s Peabody Award-winning drama “Somebody Somewhere,” Sam Miller (Bridget Everett) dealt with her grief and anger in the months following the death of her older sister Holly. In season 2, she struggled to find her place in her hometown again as she had her first big blowout with her best friend Joel (Jeff Hiller) and struggled with a secret Holly had kept from her. Now, in the third season of this great series, Sam is finally settling into her small community and trying to make changes without retreating into old habits of isolation and self-loathing. As magical as ever, the final season of ‘Somebody Somewhere’ is a stunningly honest portrayal of friendship, grace and courage.

Set in Manhattan, Kansas, ‘Somebody Somewhere’ captures the tranquility, charm and monotony of small-town life. Rather than being patronizing, creators Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen offer a hilarious and beautifully compassionate look at this particular place, and the people who call it home. Potlucks, Bible study and gossip are important parts of the show, but the love and connection between the residents are the crown jewels of the series.

As season 3 begins, Sam is at her new job. In addition to helping her sister Tricia (a fantastic Mary Catherine Garrison) with her event planning and Etsy businesses, Sam works at the local dive bar, the Cock n’ Bull. Although she would never claim to be a people person, Sam thrives as a bartender, chatting with regulars, keeping the glasses full and earning a lot of laughs with her crude humor. Yet her new job is not the only change she has to deal with. With her mother in an assisted living facility and her father (the late Mike Hagerty) retired in Michigan, Sam and Tricia have rented the family farm to the stoic and towering Iceland (Darri Ólafsson), who seems content to live among the relics. from the Miller family’s past. Sam seems to be following these developments closely, but when Joel announces that he is selling his house and ending their rental partnership to move in with his friend Brad (Tim Bagley), Sam realizes that her friendship and financial situation will change forever.

Now that Joel and Sam’s boyfriend Fred (Murray Hill) are officially coupled up, Sam and Tricia, a recently divorced empty nester, are at similar stages of life. The relationship between Sam and Joel is the heart of the show, but it is very fascinating to see how the sisterhood between Sam and Tricia expands and strengthens. Episode 4, “What If It Spreads?”, follows the two to the Great Plains Expo in Wichita. After a day of networking and stall shopping, Tricia’s angry revelation about her sex life haunts and amuses Sam, and it proves to be a turning point for the pair. Sam tends to view her sister with some disdain, but she also admires Tricia’s sheer courage to leave an unhappy marriage behind and forge her professional path with her events and “shitty” pillow business. (Tricia makes a lot of money designing artisanal throw pillows with vulgar sayings embroidered on them.)

While the sisters have their pinot grigio-filled kissing bubble, Joel and Sam’s friendship has never been better. Everett and Hiller are individually fascinating; together they are magnetic. For two seasons, audiences watched Sam lean against Joel. The bond between the duo was a balm that covered holes in other areas of Sam’s life. This season, however, she finally shows herself how important she is to Joel. In episode 5, “Num Nums”, Sam, a drunken Tricia and their friends gather for Thanksgiving at Joel and Brad’s house. When Brad reveals details about his past, Sam discovers that true love has no rules. She begins to realize that to achieve this, she must be willing to take terrifying risks—uncovering a vulnerability she has long buried deep within.

Throughout the series, Sam struggles with precarious finances, health problems, Fred’s meddling wife, Susie (Jennifer Mudge), and a surprising new love interest. Sometimes she resorts to her coping mechanisms, shutting down and turning to negative self-talk. But with Joel and Tricia as her anchors, she surprises herself with her willingness to try new things.

Sam has gotten better at dealing with the unexpected, but Joel’s shocking crisis of faith leaves viewers and Sam puzzled. When Joel witnesses various aspects of his dream board come to fruition while grieving the loss of others—and confronted by a complicated figure from his childhood—it’s proof to Sam that even the most optimistic among us can stumble and falter . By stepping into the role of “strong friend,” she shows that it’s okay to be exactly where she is.

Of course, this wouldn’t be “Somebody Somewhere” without Everett’s signature vocals. The actress is a trained comedian, but Sam’s fear of public appearances is a common thread throughout the show. This season also features emotional outbursts, raunchy sex jokes – and a few tears. These elements make the series feel like a homecoming and set it apart from almost everything else on TV these days. Through beautiful surprises and devastating setbacks, Sam learns that it’s okay to go ahead and ask for what she wants, even when she’s not sure she deserves it. After all, life is not always about major transformations. Sometimes you just long for more and take small steps to move forward.

Season 3 of “Somebody Somewhere” premieres on HBO on October 27, with new episodes released weekly on Sundays.