According to Rotten Tomatoes, the third season holds a 96% approval rating with an average score of 8.62/10, based on 23 reviews; the site's critical consensus said, ""Halt and Catch Fire" finds its footing in an optimistic third season that builds on the fascinating relationship between a pair of emerging protagonists." David Sims of "The Atlantic" said "Halt and Catch Fire" was "one of TV's most elegantly crafted shows", "the best drama on television", and the most underrated. Sims praised the series for creating emotional investment in the characters' ideas, for its depiction of teamwork and the act of creation, and for using "[Joe] MacMillan to satirize the Jobsian cult of personality that defines so much of the tech world". VanDerWerff, writing for "Vox", said, "This is the rare recent TV drama that's both as good as it is and as optimistic as it is." She praised Cantwell and Rogers for continued character development and highlighted the series for leading the movement of what she called "empathy dramas". Daniel Fienberg of "The Hollywood Reporter" called out the Donna–Cameron partnership as the highlight of the show, writing, "There's nothing like it on TV." He praised the lead actors' performances and the nuanced characters, and called "Halt and Catch Fire" "one of TV's best-directed shows". Maureen Ryan of "Variety" called the series "both a retro pleasure and a forward-looking gem" that was bolstered by its performances, soundtrack, and individual episode story arcs. Ryan said the characters' failed attempts to connect with each other resonated because of the series's "compassionate approach to its core characters". Jen Chaney of "Vulture" said the third season "covers familiar thematic ground while remaining a very good period piece that traces the rise of digital technology and simultaneously uses it as a metaphor to explore its characters' frailties". Chaney said the series earned its "should-watch status" through its cast, use of restraint, and depiction of characters on the verge of technological breakthroughs. Poniewozik, writing for "The New York Times", said the season "makes its past future feel dewy and new" and that despite some initial slow pacing, "The character dynamics are solid... and the '80s details continue to be spot on." Hank Stuever of "The Washington Post" said, "The show's bugs and glitches also persist, but, if nothing else, "Halt and Catch Fire" has become an above-average specimen of 'slow television,' should you want such a thing in your life."