“The Bear”: An intense cacophony of familial love, pride, food porn, loyalty and friendship. The show is a claustrophobic mess of fast-paced scenes that deliver raw and beautiful moments of life that cannot be translated in any other way.
The show follows Carmen Berzatto, or Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), in his struggles to rebuild and improve his deceased brother’s restaurant. Season three was long-awaited after the second season left viewers in stunned silence, and it managed to deliver a true treat.
The audience cannot help but root for the ragtag team of short-tempered miscreants that own the screen. Viewers smile when the characters succeed and cry when they feel pain. It is easy to get drawn into the simple moments of life that “The Bear” showcases, stripped down to the familiar hardships that many people face.
Writers of the show, including Christopher Storer and Catherine Schetina, know how to tell a story effectively — for example, the use of soft piano music elevates what would otherwise be a boring, quiet start to the season to a beautiful ballad that shows Carmy in his element. Episode one, “Tomorrow” is a love letter to the art of cooking, with over 15 minutes of piano accompaniments playing over a montage of Carmy’s culinary education years prior.
The episode is a warm welcome back into the world of “The Bear,” equipped with heartache and a desire to see Carmy succeed, despite his flaws. The end of the first episode cuts to a young Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Carmy’s sous chef in the present day, trying his food for the first time, which leaves the audience feeling emotions that only “The Bear” can cook up.
From long, drawn-out arguments to stressful service scenes, every scene leaves the audience watching with bated breath, which sometimes carries over to the next episode. Every episode is anxiety-inducing, and viewers are never entirely sure what is going to happen or if a character might finally snap.
Strangely enough, season three did not score well across the board when compared to the near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes scores earned by its previous seasons. Critics alluded to an emphasis placed on “vibes over plot” and a lack of movement in the storyline.
As valid as these concerns are, an underlying storytelling mastery still brings season three forth, despite its less-than-fancy exterior. The speciality of this season is not exceedingly fast-paced events, but rather the true turbulence of the restaurant business and the beauty of familial love.
A new magnifying glass is placed on side characters in this season: Liza Colón-Zayas, as Tina Marrero, delivers a beautiful performance in episode six, “Napkins.” The episode, which was directed by Edebiri, is a remarkable showing that follows Tina’s arrival into the world of “The Bear” as she struggles to find a job in a diminishing economy.
Viewers see the beloved character make efforts to provide for her child while staying optimistic in a world that is looking for younger and faster employees. When it feels as though all hope is lost, she enters the original sandwich shop run by Carmy’s brother Mikey (Jon Bernthal) and both Tina and the viewers are reminded of why they love this business so much. Edebiri’s creativity seeps through her directorial debut.
There is much to be said about the soundtrack that accompanies the series as well, which follows the storyline musically and lyrically. Each episode features a specific song, whether it is Taylor Swift’s “Long Live” playing when Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) comes to terms with his ex-wife’s new engagement or the ever-so-classic “New Noise” by Refuted, that has followed the show every season so far.
When stripped down, “The Bear” is built on the idea of family. Siblings Carmy and Natalie (Abby Elliot) are the children of Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis), the most confusing and unstable character on the show.
Curtis is brilliant on screen. Donna is a painfully arduous and broken individual that robs viewers of forming any possible sort of opinion on her due to the sheer complexity and width of her character.
Episode eight, “Ice Chips,” follows Natalie’s journey to the hospital to give birth to her child, and she is stuck with no one else to call but her estranged mother. The episode is a beautiful tangle between Natalie and Donna re-discovering their love for each other while the audience tries its best to hold back tears. Curtis and Elliot convey nothing but raw emotion, which is enough to leave viewers absorbed by their complicated relationship.
Of course, “The Bear” is not without its flaws. There are quite a few storylines that are left unfinished or key plots that have been placed on the back burner. Edebiri’s character is unfortunately a little more sidelined in this season, so viewers did not get to see the talented actress shine the way she normally does.
Viewers also saw less of Carmy’s ex-girlfriend Claire (Molly Gordon). Her character formed a major storyline in the preceding season, yet she is only mentioned in hushed tones and very briefly seen in the final episode.
The final episode of the season did not deliver the answers that viewers wanted, nor did it end cleanly in any way. Yet, it housed a spectacular performance from Allen White in a scene with his tormentor and previous boss, David Fields (Joel McHale). Through White’s astounding performance, viewers could not only see the irreconcilable damage that McHale’s character did to the young chef’s psyche but were also faced with an uncomfortable truth that Carmy himself may have been an abusive mentor to his own employees — a continuation of the tyranny that Fields put him through.
Bumps and all, season three is still a viable successor for the so-far brilliant series, with a total of 23 Emmy nominations for this year. From the way the final episode wrapped up, it is clear that there are some things left to be seen, and viewers are eagerly anticipating the release of season four, which is set to be released in June 2025.
Until then, every second counts.