The Bear (Season 3): The food looks great, but doesn't taste as good
The Bear remains one of the best shows on television, but season 3 left me hungry for more.
Season 3 of The Bear was a fantastic achievement in artful direction. Performances from Jeremy Allan White, Ayo Edebiri, Elon Moss-Backrach, and Liza Colón-Zayas are as impressive as ever. The writing of each episode masterfully shows off their range as actors. However, The Bear’s main narrative takes a back seat in season 3, often focusing more on showing the complexities of Carmy’s inner mind. This approach created a rather slow and dragged out plot structure that probably could’ve been condensed into half the number of episodes.
The emotional depth of The Bear’s main story is one of the big reasons why this show is so popular. The tragedy that struck Carmy’s family and his subsequent response to it is as much gripping as it is relatable. The idea of using his incredible talents as a chef to revitalize the family business while also rekindling relationships with his family is a story people want to invest in.
Where we leave Carmy at the end of Season 2 and where we leave him at the end of season 3 is virtually the same, however. He feels isolated and alone, still very bad at managing his restaurant. His very little personal growth made a few episodes in season 3 feel very mundane. This is a let down after how good the narrative was in the first two seasons.
One of the season’s brightest spots is the incredible guest acting performances across the board. Jamie Lee Curtis, Joel McHale, and John Cena were the biggest stand outs to me. They’re all so different, and so quirky, but it just works so well. Only in The Bear!
A positive thing about the nature of season 3 is the payoff we will likely get by the end of season 4 is going to be that much more rewarding. I think Christopher Storer has earned the right to craft this show however he wants. Trust the process, as they say.
The Bear is available to watch today on Hulu. You can check out all my other reviews at Blitz’s Backlot. Let me know your thoughts on the season in the comments below. What is your rating?
