VC Andrews’ Dawn Part 3 Review: Twilight’s Child

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the limited series being covered here wouldn’t exist.

This is the most improved episode of this limited series thus far. However, it still needs help focusing its plot. VC Andrews’ Dawn Part 3: “Twilight’s Child” has a lot more fun than the previous two movies. It also shows an improvement in acting and chemistry.

The actors seem comfortable and familiar with their characters now.

Brec Bassinger and Khobe Clarke manage to make Jimmy and Dawn’s romance feel believable and actually really sweet, caring, and entertaining. You can almost forget that they were once siblings.

“Twilight’s Child” showcases Dawn and Jimmy’s chemistry in a way that makes it hard not to enjoy them together. The strength of this episode is their scenes, because nearly everything about their romance works on this part, even some of their conflicts.

The acting in this part also feels more captivating. When Dawn discovers that she lost her baby, you genuinely feel for her. It’s a tragedy that goes beyond the soapy nature of the show and gets to the heart of something that feels more grounded in real life.

Now whether this plot point feels necessary, besides making us hate Clara Jean, is up for debate.

Even characters like Michael Sutton feel more 3D on this part. Now that he’s not hiding behind a mask, it’s clear who this man is.

He’s another loser and predator who tries to dull Dawn’s spirit.

“Twilight’s Child” also doesn’t seem to take itself as seriously as the previous two films. It’s downright hilarious in some parts. Yes, I am talking about the Clara Jean dies scene.

And clearly, Jacquie Gould, the director of this part, wants you to find this death comical. The way it flashes from Clara Jean falling off the cliff to the funeral is just comedy gold, especially with how Laura Jean makes it all about herself.

Dawn finds the whole thing slightly amusing too because she hides a smirk after seeing Philip’s fresh scar. Elyse Maloway deserves a lot of credit for creating such an annoying and wicked character that you can’t help but clap at her demise.

Clara Jean is a character you love to hate.

“Twilight’s Child” really delivers the series’ strongest acting and tone. However, the limited series still suffers from too many unnecessary storylines.

The addition of Fern could have been interesting, but she almost feels like a villain of the week in Dawn’s life. With Lillian and Emily gone, as Jimmy even states, Dawn needs some more villains.

She gets that in the form of Clara Jean, Fern, Philip, and Michael Sutton. No one needs all those villains in their life to suffer.

Philip in particular seems the most unnecessary and unrealistic of Dawn’s tormentors. Frankly, it’s surprising that he makes it to the final episode without giving us another hilarious death. But I am sure Fern and he will be the villains of the week for the final episode, so there is still time for that death.

Because “Twilight’s Child” focuses on multiple bad entities in Dawn’s new life, it doesn’t feel like there is enough focus on any of them, so it all seems like random storylines woven together by the loose thread that Dawn needs antagonist now that the wicked grandmother has died.

“Twilight’s Child” screenwriters Richard Blaney and Gregory Small are using material from the books to create these plots but maybe it would have been a stronger narrative if they focused on one or two bad guys and developed them more.

The episode throws Michael Sutton in at the end, but he had the greatest adversary potential. Joey McIntyre really makes the character a lot more interesting when he switches from a fake nice guy to this true bad guy.

His ties to Dawn are also the most interesting because the scars cut deep when someone you once loved uses, abuses, and abandons you. Additionally, one of the best parts of “Twilight’s Child” is when Dawn goes full theatrical and reveals she recorded him.

We could have had more empowering moments from Dawn with Clara Jean and Michael Sutton as the only two villains on “Twilight’s Child.”

Clearly, each storyline works to show Dawn’s growth, especially from a naive young girl to a fierce woman. However, the use of fewer villains could convey the same message.

VC Andrews’ Dawn Part 3: “Twilight’s Child” shows the limited series’ potential. The humor, theatric moments, and light romance remind us of Lifetime at its best.

It’s melodramatic but entertaining when it doesn’t take itself too seriously. For the final episode, Dawn needs to lean more into the humorous melodrama and less twists and turns to showcase terrible people in Dawn’s life.

Stray Thoughts

• Dawn really just needs to kill Philip at this point or send him to prison.
• The costumes department does a good job at clearly conveying the era transition. Clara Jean represents it the best.
• However, the makeup didn’t do enough to showcase the ten-year time change. The hair feels like the only way the characters age. They’re still young but they barely look a day older when we get to the 80s.
• Randolph’s death is equivalent to the “yes, very sad…anyway” meme. The character really gets the worst treatment for no reason.
• Laura Jean’s tragic backstory didn’t make her suddenly less infuriating.
• I would read Luther and Charlotte’s romance story.
• Tricia and Dawn’s scenes remain some of my favorites in the entire Dawn series.

What did you think of this episode of VC Andrews’ Dawn? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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VC Andrews’ Dawn airs Saturdays at 8/7c on Lifetime. 

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