If you've been following British police procedurals for a while, you know the vibe. Usually, it's all about a high-concept murder or a detective with a drinking problem and a messy divorce. But The Tower season 3 feels different. It’s messy, but in a way that feels like actual police work—tedious, politically charged, and deeply frustrating.
Based on Kate London’s Gallowstree Lane, this third outing (subtitled Gallowstree Lane in the UK) dropped on ITV and BritBox with a lot of weight on its shoulders. It had to wrap up character arcs that have been simmering since that first terrifying incident on the roof of Portland Tower.
Honestly, it delivered.
The season doesn't waste time. We're two years down the line. Sarah Collins (Gemma Whelan) is deep into a cold case that feels impossible to crack, while Lizzie Adama (Tahirah Sharif) is trying to balance being a detective with the reality of being a mother. Then you’ve got Steve Bradshaw (Jimmy Akingbola) deep undercover, which is where things get truly hairy.
What Actually Happens in The Tower Season 3?
The plot centers on the stabbing of a teenager. It sounds like a standard "case of the week" setup, but it’s really a gateway into the brutal world of organized crime and "County Lines" drug trafficking.
Sarah is investigating the death of Spencer Wiggan. Meanwhile, Bradshaw is embedded in a gang led by the terrifying Shakiel Oliver. The tension comes from the fact that these two investigations are on a collision course. Sarah wants justice for a dead kid; the undercover operation wants to take down the whole kingpin.
Sometimes, those two goals don't align. In fact, they usually clash.
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The brilliance of writer Patrick Harbinson (who worked on Homeland, and you can tell) is how he handles the bureaucracy. Most shows make the "Internal Affairs" or the "higher-ups" feel like cartoon villains. Here, the conflict is just... reality. If Sarah pushes too hard for a murder conviction, she might blow a two-year undercover sting. It's a high-stakes game of chess where the pieces are real human lives.
Character Growth or Character Collapse?
Lizzie Adama is the standout for me this season. When we first met her in season 1, she was the naive rookie. Now? She’s hardened. She’s better at the job, but she’s also more cynical.
Watching her navigate the fallout of her past mistakes while trying to do "good" work is fascinating. She’s not a superhero. She’s a tired woman trying to survive a system that isn't designed to help her.
Then there’s Kieran Shaw (Emmett J. Scanlan). He’s still the guy you love to hate, or maybe hate to love. He’s ambitious, slightly corrupt in that "the ends justify the means" way, and his personal life is a total train wreck. His dynamic with Sarah is the engine of the show. They respect each other's competence but loathe each other's methods.
Why The Tower Season 3 Stands Out from the Crowd
Most TV shows about cops are about "the catch." This show is about the cost.
- The Realism Factor: Kate London was a real Met police officer. That’s why the dialogue doesn't sound like a Hollywood script. It sounds like people who spend too much time in cramped offices and interview rooms.
- The Stakes: It’s not just about who pulled the trigger. It’s about why the kid was holding a knife in the first place and why the system let him down.
- The Pacing: It’s only four episodes. That’s it. No filler. No "B-plots" about a cat stuck in a tree. Every scene pushes the Gallowstree Lane investigation forward.
People often compare it to Line of Duty, but I think that’s a mistake. Line of Duty is a thriller. The Tower season 3 is a drama. It’s less about "who is the secret mole" and more about "how do we live with the choices we made."
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Dealing with the "Gallowstree Lane" Adaptation
The transition from page to screen is always tricky. In the book, the internal monologues give you a lot of context regarding Sarah's isolation. Gemma Whelan manages to do that with just her face.
She plays Sarah Collins as someone who is fundamentally "uncool." She doesn't have a catchphrase. She doesn't wear designer suits. She’s just a very good, very stubborn detective. In an era of "girlboss" protagonists, Sarah's plainness is her superpower.
The show also doesn't shy away from the racial tensions inherent in modern policing. Seeing Steve Bradshaw navigate his identity while undercover in a predominantly Black gang adds a layer of complexity that many other shows shy away from. It’s not handled with a heavy hand; it’s just there, baked into the narrative.
Is Season 4 Happening?
This is the big question everyone is asking after finishing the finale. As of now, there hasn't been a formal "yes" or "no" from ITV. However, Kate London has written a fourth book titled The Postmortem.
Wait, actually, The Postmortem was the first book. My bad.
The book series actually goes:
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- Postmortem (Season 1)
- Death Message (Season 2)
- Gallowstree Lane (Season 3)
- The Misinformation (Potentially Season 4)
If they follow the publication order, The Misinformation would be the next logical step. Given the ratings and the critical reception, it’s highly likely we’ll see Sarah and Lizzie back on screen. The ending of season 3 left just enough threads hanging—particularly regarding the personal fallout for Sarah—to warrant a return.
What to Watch Next if You Loved the Tower
If you're feeling a void now that the credits have rolled on the finale, you should check out The Responder with Martin Freeman. It has that same "everything is broken" vibe. Or, go back to the source and read Kate London's novels. They provide a much deeper look into the procedural elements that the show sometimes has to gloss over for time.
Basically, if you want your crime shows to be "easy watching," this isn't it. But if you want something that makes you think about how the law actually functions (or doesn't), it's the best thing on TV right now.
Next Steps for Fans
If you've finished the season, the best way to support a potential season 4 is to watch the official streams on ITVX or BritBox. High "completion rates" are the metric networks care about most.
Check out the original novels by Kate London. Start with The Misinformation if you want to get a head start on where the story might go next. The books offer a more internal look at Sarah Collins' psychology that the TV show simply can't capture in four hours.
Follow the cast on social media for behind-the-scenes insights. Jimmy Akingbola and Tahirah Sharif are particularly active and often share details about the filming process in London that provide context to the show's gritty atmosphere.
Finally, keep an eye on official ITV press releases. Usually, renewals for British dramas are announced about 3-6 months after the season finale airs. Given the 2024-2025 release cycle, an announcement regarding a 2026 production schedule should be imminent.