Summary
By the end of its 10-episode run, it becomes apparent thatThe Bearseason 3’s greatest strength is also indicative of the show’s biggest problem. Created by Christopher Storer, the frenetic and often-stressful comedy-meets-drama series is fresh off its impressive glut of Emmy wins. WhileThe Bearbecame hugely popular well before earning well-deserved accolades, there’s no denying the particular pressure that comes with being the “it” show. As a result,the series takes some big swings, and while it doesn’t strike out,The Bearseason 3’s divisive Rotten Tomatoes scoresare certainly telling.
While critics gaveThe Bearseason 3its lowest rating yet — a still-impressive 89% — the aggregate of scores from the show’s viewers is concerning. The show’s first two outings nabbed 92% and 93% scores respectively, while the third season was saddled with a shocking 54% approval rating from audiences. Needless to say,viewers are split overThe Bearseason 3’s approach. From its first episode — an artistic sizzle reel of Carmy’s (Jeremy Allen White) greatest chef-in-training hits —The Bearspotlights its strengths and weaknesses, which, frustratingly, persist throughout the rest of the season.
The Bear Season 3’s Best Episodes Are Standalone & Character-Driven Like “Napkins”
Season 2’s “Forks” Inspired The Bear’s Best New Episodes
Taking cues from one ofThe Bearseason 2’s best episodes, “Forks,” the show’s third outing includes more character-driven standalone episodes. In “Forks,” a bottle episode focused on Richie’s (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) week-long training session at the upscale-dining restaurant Ever, the season’s overarching narrative doesn’t take huge leaps forward. Afterward, viewers are still waiting for The Bear to open its doors. However, the trade-off is well worth it:“Forks” adds to Richie’s compelling character arc and personal transformation, all while providing more insight into Carmy and Richie’s relationship via Chef Terry’s (Olivia Colman) insights.
The Bearseason 3 replicates this winning formula in “Napkins” [and “Ice Chips”].
Another standout,The Bearseason 2’s haunting family Christmas episode, “Fishes,” pulls a similar trick. Set five years before The Bear restaurant is set to open,the chaotic holiday dinner flashback informs the present-day storyline, as well asThe Bear’s cast of characters, in profound ways.The Bearseason 3 replicates this winning formula in “Napkins,” which chronicles Tina’s (Liza Colón-Zayas) hard-won journey to working at The Beef with the late Mikey (Jon Bernthal), and “Ice Chips,” which centers on Sugar’s labor and her relationship with the troubled Berzatto matriarch (Jamie Lee Curtis).
One The Bear Season 3 Detail Proves Carmy & Richie’s Conflict Is Far Worse Than We Imagined
While it is evident in The Bear season 3 that Carmy and Richie’s conflict has gone too far, one subtle detail confirms it is even worse than expected.
Very Little Actually Happens In The Bear Season 3’s Present Story
Carmy & Sydney Are Stuck & The Season’s Narrative Reflects That
AlthoughThe Bear’s third outing boasts incredibly compelling character-driven episodes like “Napkins” and “Ice Chips,” the season’s other installments do very little to drive the paper-thin plot forward. AfterThe Bearseason 3, episode 1, “Tomorrow” — which favors style over plot —Carmy outlines his 27 non-negotiables, offers Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) the chance to become part-owner of The Bear, and refuses to apologize to Richie — who’s also not interested in making amends afterThe Bearseason 2’s explosive ending. By the end of season 3,none of these threads have a satisfying resolution.
…not much actuallyhappensin the present storyline ofThe Bearseason 3.
The fourth episode reveals that a food critic fromThe Chicago Tribunehas already visited the restaurant. The twist certainly raises the show’s stakes and compounds the growing tension in the kitchen, but, frustratingly,the restaurant review plotline isn’t really resolved either. Instead,The Bearseason 3’s cliffhanger endingteases Carmy’s reaction to the review — a flurry of positive and negative pull quotes and a shouted curse word that could honestly go either way in terms of indicating his frustration or relief. In other words, not much actuallyhappensin the present storyline ofThe Bearseason 3.
Why Sydney Doesn’t Tell Carmy About Her Job Offer In The Bear Season 3
Sydney was left with a major decision in The Bear season 3’s finale, one she was afraid to talk to Carmy about because it would end their partnership.
The Bear’s “Napkins” & “Ice Chips” Create A Pacing Problem
The Standalone Episodes Make The Lack Of Narrative Progression More Obvious In The Bear Season 3
Unfortunately, the greatness of character-driven, standalone episodes reiterate the underwhelming nature ofThe Bearseason 3 as a whole.Carmy, Sydney, and Richie all spin their wheels, refusing to take decisive actionwhen confronted by what haunts them. While Richie waffles over whether to attend his ex’s wedding, Carmy grapples with reaching out to Claire (Molly Gordon), and Sydney, of course, wonders whether she should sign Carmy’s co-owner contract or ditch The Bear for a seemingly less toxic work environment. Ultimately,The Bearseason 3 doesn’t answer most mysteries— a move that’s both shocking and frustrating.
The Bearseason 3, episode 6, “Napkins,” is alsoAyo Edebiri’s directorial debut.
In some ways, the season’s lack of story progression in the present echoes the characters' inability to move forward or take action. Looked at from that perspective, the spinning-the-wheels narrative approach and structure is commendable. However, since viewers don’t get resolution toanything,The Bearseason 3’s bold choices don’t quite work as intended. The standalone episodes become even bigger outliers when compared to other episodes, which devolve into comedy showcases forThe Bear’s Fak familyor often-pretentious montages of perfectly plated meals. This contrast not only underscores the show’s glaring issues, but creates a pacing problem.
The Bear Season 3 Makes Me Certain The Show Will End With This Tragic Twist
After watching the story developments and character beats in The Bear season 3, I am almost certain that the FX show will end with this major tragedy.
The Bear Season 4 Needs To Learn From Season 3’s Mistakes
The Bear Season 3 Took Big Swings That Didn’t Always Succeed
Given the way the third outing went,The Bearseason 4 is all but guaranteedto avoid season 3’s biggest problems. AllThe Bearseason 4 needs to do is resolve some of season 3’s major cliffhangers, pushing the as-of-now glacial plot — and its stuck characters — forward. If season 4 learns from past missteps,it could still feature standalone flashbacks or character-driven episodes— and maybe even prompt a reappraisal of season 3 altogether. If every second counts,The Bearmust learn to use its time more wisely.
