Summary
FX’s hit show returned for its third season, andThe Bear’sincreasingly stressful vibe completely reverses my favorite episode. AlthoughThe Bearseason 3 debuted to mixed reviews, there are still plenty of memorable moments, but one episode completely reverses my favorite outing of the entire series.The Bearhas several best-episodecontenders, but there is one that stands out as my absolute favorite; however, season 3 completely flips what made it so special.One of the show’s latest outings expertly took the best elements of this episode and cleverly reversed them, creating another excellent piece of television.
While I can appreciate the brilliance of this strategy, I’m still devastated to see these great themes turned on their head. AlthoughThe Bearseason 2’s endingset up a bleak season 3, I was hoping to see some more uplifting moments in the latest installment, but unfortunately, the show is even heavier than ever.There are still some hilarious interactions as well as some positive new additions, but season 3’s tone is predominantly pessimistic- even byThe Bear’s standards - and one episode epitomizes this while painfully reversing one of the series' most positive displays.
The Bearseason 3 has a 93% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Bear Season 3, Episode 3’s Chaos Reverses The Hope & Unity In “Forks”
“Doors” Completely Flips The Atmosphere Of The Bear’s Best Episode
The Bearseason 3’s third episode takes the unity and hopeful vibe from “Forks” and turns it into a far more divisive and chaotic showing. Despite the likes of “Fishes” and “Review” being among my favorite episodes, “Forks” still takes the crown thanks to its positive vibe and strong character development.Olivia Colman’s guest appearance helped set the tone with a more calm and optimistic approach to the kitchen, which was perfectly captured throughout “Forks”. Watching Richie work in a more peaceful and encouraging atmosphere got the best out of the character and made the episode so compelling.
Since then, Richie has been far more likable, and while he still retains some of his flaws, he is arguably a better mentor and leader than Carmy. “Doors” helps prove exactly this, as the unity and teamwork that was shown in “Forks” is completely missing, with the core characters making constant mistakes due to the stressful environment. Although the episode starts on a more somber note due toMarcus' mother’s eulogy, things quickly intensify when it comes to the restaurant, with the smashing of plates, spilled drinks, undercooked food, and overall lack of organization being at the forefront of “Doors”.
The contrast between “Forks” and “Doors” couldn’t be more apparent, and while both episodes thrive due to their differing tones, I’m still heartbroken seeing things go so south. Season 3 always seemed like it would be stressful, but with Carmy becoming an increasingly worse boss, the entire restaurant suffered as a result. Although Richie does contribute to tensions escalating, I’m still devastated at watching him go from a more organized and calming environment last season to complete chaos and anarchy in season 3.
The Real Meaning Of The Bear Season 3 Focusing On The Dropped Fork
Richie’s Glance At The Fork Symbolized How Chaotic The Bear Has Become
One shot inThe Bearseason 3, episode 3, focused on Richie looking at a dropped fork which appears to have a deeper meaning. While at first glance the dropped fork symbolizes the restaurant’s chaos, it also emphasizes how different the atmosphere is at The Bear compared toChef Terry’s restaurant, Ever. During a particularly stressful moment,Richie looks at the fork lying on the floor, which is an obvious nod to season 2’s “Forks”. The complete difference in tone between these episodes is reflected through this one shot, proving how much The Bear must imporve as a restaurant.
While Richie tries to get through to Carmy, he doesn’t listen, leading to more conflict and chaos both in and out of the kitchen.
Despite Carmy wanting perfection, he is completely oblivious to the chaos happening outside his station, showing his lack of overall leadership. While Richie tries to get through to Carmy, he doesn’t listen, leading to more conflict and chaos both in and out of the kitchen. Richie looking at the fork is a reminder of Ever and how different things were compared to his current situation.While Ever’s entire system worked efficiently, The Bear’s is dysfunctional, and I think the dropped fork is the perfect little detail to remind the audience about how different the two restaurants are.
The Bear Season 3, Episode 3 Is A Harsh Reversal Of Episode 2’s Opening Montage
The Bear’s Peaceful & Optimistic Atmosphere Quickly Changed In The Space Of A Single Episode
AlthoughThe Bearseason 3’s second episode delivered a hopeful and uplifting montage, the next episode provided a brutal reality check. Episode 1 never really dived into the story, but it did offer plenty of insight into Carmy’s past and how he developed as a chef. With episode 2 delivering a peaceful montage to kickstart the episode, I had some small belief thatThe Bear’s third season was going to be optimistic, but episode 3 provided a harsh reversal. The episode offered its own montage that consisted of arguments and mistakes, quickly flipping episode 2’s opening sequence.
I Love Tina’s Episode Of The Bear Season 3 Even More After Learning This Secret
The Bear season 3 was full of surprise celebrity cameos, but one is much sweeter than the others, and it comes during just the right episode.
With the majority of the main characters being consumed by stress and sinking as a result,“Doors” took the happy feeling at the start of “Next” and turned it on its head, just like it did with “Forks”. This makes episode 3’s sequence feel like the complete opposite of episode 2, showing just how quickly the atmosphere can change in the show. Despite it reversing some great elements from my favorite episode, “Doors” is still one of the highlights ofThe Bearseason 3 and its ability to invert these happier moments makes the episode heartbreakingly brilliant.
