In The Bear Season 3, Every Second Counts and They’re All Spectacular

The third time around, we start with the past—pinpointing the exact roots of passion and pain—as we watch some of the most impactful moments of Carmy’s (Jeremy Allen White) journey that made him the exceptional chef and messed-up person he is today. The premiere is almost like a recap (since we’re familiar with many of the places and the faces he encountered), but is different in pivotal nuances. It’s basically a mini version of the entire season in how it seamlessly connects past and present while revealing new nuggets of information, giving each character another layer. We see motivations (fresh and old) and traumas (professional and personal) that are the building blocks of the protagonists’ personalities. It’s a fascinating character study on its own, presented in a mix of the turbulent and contemplative style The Bear has so expertly captured along the way.

But of course, it’s the usual and expected calm before the storm. From Episode 2 onwards, the tension is immediately cracked up to 11 as our beloved crew deals with the repercussions of last year’s “catastrophic” finale that shattered hearts like a bulldozer. Claire (Molly Gordon) is gone, Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Carmy are fuming at each other, and the rest of the team stands between them, trying to cool things down. This has always been the constant back-and-forth status quo, and we get a big portion of it once again, but it’s clear that the characters are evolving, taking a shot at bettering themselves in their own individual ways.

They definitely need that because the current goal from a professional standpoint is to get a Michelin star for the Bear, which means impressing food critics and frequently changing the menu like prestigious high-end restaurants do. At the same time, despite having a full house almost every night, the business isn’t turning a profit because it costs too much to be that good. Professionalism and excellence have a price. It’s a catch-22 that slowly grinds the nerves of everyone, pushing them to their limits and onto the verge of burnout.

Due to that high-octane intensity, the season peaks a little early, leaving less meat for the second half, but it’s a welcome and natural variety of pace and drama. Storer isn’t trying to top the anxiety-ridden climaxes of past seasons, but rather work through them. Season 3 serves as a time for self-reflection and processing all the heavy stuff (grief, break-up, divorce), a sort of recovery to heal from the mistakes. To do that, however (not just for Carmy, but for everyone), Storer needs to focus on each character individually and give them enough screen time to break them down, layer to layer. And he does just that—going all in on all our favorite figures, further building arcs that pay off in the most rewarding ways. 

Sometimes, this means episodes that unfold in only two or three long sequences, almost like a stage play. It’s drama at its very essence, combined with a few tools that television provides. And the performances are staggering, even outshining the writing at times, with no exception. A big part of the magic comes from the methodical and magnificent use of guest appearances. Due to the past-and-present angle, Storer can build on the connection and relationships the protagonists have with people from their past. Many supporting characters return and become more integral to the ongoing story, which makes their arcs feel genuine and complete. Plus, we get brand new guest stars, who are much smaller in scale (I mean, you can’t outdo the insurmountable cast that “Fishes” had), but precisely because of that, they work as fun and low-key surprises.

Speaking of which, the humor that’s here to relieve the admittedly heavy drama is tuned to perfection. The Fak brothers were always bonkers and entertaining, but their chemistry, timing, and delivery have never been better. They get to do slightly more than before, channeling their inner troublemaking and endless benevolence in just the ideal amount of what the show needs and can carry (the best cameo is also related to them).

What Season 3 lacks, though, likely on purpose, is an ending. This might be because Storer shot the last two seasons back to back (which may offer the possibility of seeing more of The Bear in 2024), but it’s hard to ignore the fact that we don’t get real closure in the finale. Still, as a forward-looking, carefully hopeful, and emotionally mature build-up to what’s to come, it doesn’t get any better than these 10 episodes. The Bear Season 3 is the pinnacle of Storer’s work, a loving dedication to food, restaurants, the city of Chicago, and most importantly, the people who fill it with life. So enjoy every bite.

All episodes of The Bear Season 3 are streaming now on Hulu. 

Akos Peterbencze is an entertainment writer based in London. He covers film and TV regularly on Looper, and his work has also been published in Humungus, Slant Magazine, and Certified Forgotten. Akos is a Rustin Cohle aficionado and believes that the first season of True Detective is a masterpiece. You can find him talk about all-things pop culture on Twitter (@akospeterbencze) and Substack (@akospeterbencze).

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