Non Non Biyori S3 rewatched:

I think this was a merciful stopping point for the series.  The original cast was four girls -- Komari, Natsumi, Renge and Hotaru.  In season 2 they introduced Konomi, a high school girl neighbor they used to share a classroom with before she graduated from middle school.  And in season 3 they went so far as to introduce one of Konomi's schoolmates, Akane.

So we're talking about a former acquaintance's schoolmate as the only connection between the nucleus of the story and what we're now talking about.  This is obviously way too far-ranging to make any sense.  You may as well just start a new manga at that point.

There were even entire episodes, or I suppose half-episodes, where no one from the original cast even appeared.  You've completely given up on a story when the people the story is supposed to be about no longer even matter.

Not to say the season was entirely worthless.  There was a great sequence where Hotaru built a mecha Komari plushie riding on a mecha dog that wandered the wilderness in a surreal 'great adventure.'  There was the time Komari got freaked out by a weasel and hid in a closet.  Renge and Shiori (another new character but at least she interacts with someone from the original crew) discussing what the true meaning of round is was fantastic.  Natsumi first pretending to be a villain to the 'cosmo cops' Renge and Shiori and then, when she was about to get sprayed by a hose, quickly claiming she was an undercover agent and actually a member of the cosmo cops was classical Natsumi always trying to lie her way out of trouble.  Every now and then there were still beautiful, sweet, or funny moments.

But it pales in comparison to the movie which was an actual tearjerker.  The best days of Non Non Biyori were clearly behind it, so stopping now before it became totally disappointing is a good thing.  The final episode of the series seemed to stress that -- everything moves on, everyone comes and goes.  You meet people, they go away, you move on, life moves on.  It was time for Non Non Biyori to move on too.

This rewatch catches me up with the winter season of 2021.  Now all I have to do is watch a few episodes of Tropical Rouge Pretty Cure, Edens Zero, Boku no Hero Academia S5, Battle Athletes Restart and Grisaia - Stargazer and I'll have rewatched all great anime in existence.  I'm right on the heels of what's being released right now.  It can't take much longer before I reach the magical words of 'full clear.'