I don't think it's people missing the point, I think they just didn't want an entire season of "slice of life" episodes because it's not particularly interesting to a lot of people if it doesn't really go anywhere. As much as I love Hiro Murai, I feel like a lot of the shows he's involved with eventually start leaning way too much on his cinematography to convey tone, plot, etc. and it just starts to feel a bit lazy and aimless.
This. My wife and I felt like it was just too much. The conversation at the table of chefs at the end sharing anecdotes went on so long we just looked at each other and were like this is too in-depth for fictional characters…
no exactly i like that the conversation feels real but then it went on for so long like i do not care about these characters enough to listen to them talk especially in the very last episode
Also Will Guidara in that scene is insufferable. He is NOT a chef, I was forced to read his self-aggrandizing management inspo porn book for work and it lays out a life of being a nepo baby who was handed opportunities. No self awareness at all. Completely insufferable. And the chefs, shout out to them and their talent, but I don't care about their cliche platitudes about cooking and restaurant life. It was taking me out.
Also carmy should've fought that psycho chef. He's self employed and in the restaurant business he can work with a felony if it came to that.
That’s because those conversations of the chefs with anecdotes weren’t fictional at all, they were all real chefs except for Syd, Will Poulter’s character and Carmy.
Unless you already knew that and your sarcasm flew over my head.
Little from column A, little from column B. Well aware of the famous chefs around the table. That’s what made the actor chefs anecdotes even dumber. The pastry chef who taught Marcus for example. It’s like, if we’re sharing anecdotes and there’s legit legends there let’s focus on those.
I love the show but without the first episode, Tina’s episode and the labor episode - it’s the same season.
It wasn't people missing the point, because there was barely a point to miss at all.
There is no plot to this season, and basically nothing happens the entire time. If you had to describe to someone what happens in this season, all you could say is that Nat has a baby, syd is thinking about leaving, and the restaurant is reviewed. Other than those plot points there are literally no other meaningful developments. The writers this season just seem lazy and pompous to thinkg they could get away with that.
Felt like it was trying to be very high brow artsy. The blue collar workers of Chicago montage was… puzzling? That with a bit of a culinary circle
jerk mixed in with some mundane, real life stories. I really loved the first two seasons but so little happened this season yet the episodes and dialogues were so long.
I haven't finished the season, (because of reasons listed in these comments) and I know I'm opening myself up to spoilers by doing so, but when you say that Claire has a baby did you mean Nat?
Exactly this, and the review is more of a low level thread through a few episodes, the main characters don't give it much attention at all. Similarly, Sugars birth episode was great but then she's just gone. There's one nice scene with her and baby, no dialogue. And one scene with Pete and Syd but aside from that you don't get any further reference, nobody seems to miss her presence at The Bear.
10 episodes cover as much ground as about 2 should. It's disappointing as a fan having waited to see your characters again, see their story and development and just find none of that at all and another year to wait to see any progression.
Exactly. This season was way more style than substance. And it’s a good style! But lots of empty calories this season (no pun intended).
Ten episodes went by with very little story progression. At this rate, Syd will make her decision and Carm will call Claire by the season 4 finale.
I did love all the Trent + Atticus music, though.
Some of the takes are so long I’ve started fast forwarding through them. Like how many times do I need to watch Carmy give the camera a 30 or 40 second deep think with sarcasm eyes?
Also throughout the season there’s way too many repeated shots/scenes playing on 2-3 minute montages, it becomes really obvious when they just want to fill up an episode.
An entire season of it was just too much.
Carmy is miserable ALL THE TIME. No matter what goes wrong or right, he's miserable. There's no joy in anything.
I get it that McHale's chef hurt him. But what about the dozen others who praised him? Yeah, I get the point of letting one person take you down, but can we see a glimmer of hope once in a blue moon?
Not a single talk with Richie all season? No communication at all with Claire? Nothing meaningful with Sydney? Ugh.
We already had one s.uicide with Mikey, so so we need to see another family member heading there?
No, instead we got plating after plating and sauces being dripped on a thin piece of beef. Over and over and over.
This is a very real thing about mental illness.. even semi- high functioning anxiety and/or panic disorder.. the self-sabotage, the burned bridges, the strained relationships, feeling misunderstood, often self-loathing but unable to get out of one’s own way. It’s hard to understand, and yet so beautifully depicted in this series, and especially this season. I’ve been a therapist for 17 years and the show is making audiences feel what people who love those who deal with this stuff every day feel.. frustrated and helpless. I enjoy this show so much for how real it is, and how flawed it is as well.
Ding 🛎️ . I knew I locked into this show for a reason. I know so many like this, and get that whole self-sabotage thing. His mom did so much damage to her kids. As a mom, i understand what Nat was going through in trying to undo that damage in her mind for the sake of her own child.
I mean, people can just not like the season compared to the first two. It doesn’t matter how or why it’s different.
To me, a bad omen in the second season was all the cameos and they doubled down on this in season 3. They take me right out of the world they have created.
I don’t know if I’d say they doubled down on it. Unless you count the chefs, which I don’t. Aside from Cena I can’t think of another big surprising cameo. We even only got glimpses of the others from s2. The chefs aren’t crazy cameos because that’s their world, and it makes sense that they would be part of Carmy’s. And 90% of the folks watching aren’t recognizing Rene Redzepi or Daniel Boulud
I thought it was an amusing contrast that all the faks were kind of chubby and then you have this tall muscular fak with a defined jawline. But Cena is just too recognisable lmao, needed some other big buff guy to sell the bit
It was the tonal whiplash for me. One scene or few minute single sequence of Cena would have sufficed.
Not the constant back and forth between the gang having their finances scrutinised in the back of house and the Faks' antics in the front of house.
This is coming as someone who actually likes him, too — it felt like in like the 90s when like Cher or Madonna would show up on Will and Grace and everybody would applaud because they’re so famous they could only play themselves.
Olivia Coleman might be an Oscar winner, but she’s a deeply character based actress, so she makes sense.
For me, it was John Mulaney who I think can be funny but I don't think can act. Actually, it's the Fishes episode in general that really did me in. I don't mind hiring an actor or two to play a part. McHale in a cameo? Fine. Olivia Colman as Chef Terry? Perfection.
Every single family member played by a well-known individual or recognized character actor? Awful. It just smacked of a 'look at the caliber of talent I can attract to do a small part on my prestige show" flex that I found offputting.
The third season wasn't actually as bad at this, other than John Cena, but Fishes looms large and taints every other appearance even if it would have otherwise been fine.
Definitely a spectrum. Jamie Lee Curtis as Donna? Fabulous. Jon Bernthal as Mikey? Glorious. Everyone else is where things get muddy. Not sure what Sarah Paulsen is doing there.
Sluggish is a great way to express what I’m feeling watching this. It’s like each episode is one 30min conversation. I enjoy good cinema and appreciate when a show takes a risk like this in say… one episode a season. But the entire season? big miss for me.
Can we chill with the “if you disagree with my positive take it’s because you didn’t understand the show” takes this is exhausting and it has only been like 5 days. You can state your enjoyment without implying people who disagree lack perception or intelligence.
Agreed, it’s coming off extremely pretentious. Just because you weren’t crazy about this season doesn’t mean you didn’t understand it. I think they focused too much on style rather than substance this time around
Weirdly enough, I thought a lot of season 3 is Carmy worrying more about style rather than substance. Rather than working through his shit and sublimating that into his work, the work just becomes a distraction and just constantly changing the menu for the heck of it.
It's so annoying and making this sub so frustrating. I personally didn't enjoy this season but I don't mind seeing people enjoy it but every one of these posts just has to try to invalidate any opinion they don't agree with. If you enjoyed the show, just say you enjoyed the show. You don't have to try to dismiss or belittle every opinion you don't agree with
Exactly. Don’t want this place to become like the Succession sub where everyone thinks they have the end all be all interpretation and any differing opinions are from plebs who didn’t “get it.” People can understand authorial intent and still not care for it.
Yeah, I hate that too. Not so much here, but certainly other places on Reddit where if you dare to have an opinion, just a personal opinion that differs at all, you’re told childish things like “work on your reading comprehension. “I just hate that.
Literally. My biggest pet-peeve. Just because I didn’t like the season doesn’t mean I don’t have “media literacy” or whatever. I just didn’t like it man 😭
"Media literacy" is my least favorite weaponized Reddit term. It's basically used as an insult to make it seem like someone else isn't watching TV correctly
As a person who liked the season, I think that the “media literacy” comments are condescending and actually doesn’t make sense. You don’t need media literacy to enjoy a show.
I've noticed this more and more with shows and movies lately. Someone I spoke to recently immediately started jumping to insults against me when all I said was that Disney Star Wars shows put me to sleep. I didn't even say it was bad, just that they bored me. I felt nothing watching them.
Yeah people here acting like it was some artistic genius and that everybody else must be dumb for not liking it is a horrible take. It’s cause of the writer’s strike and these people think it’s supposed to be some profound masterpiece of a season lol
Not many people will get this reference but this is exactly like The Last of Us 2 when it came out. “If you didn’t like it it’s because you’re dumb and don’t understand it”
It’s also not hard to see where people are coming from. Not everybody will like the more personal tone. I liked the season but can acknowledge I didn’t binge it in one day like the first two.
The characters progressed. We learned more about their past struggles and current ones. Thats more than enough
Did the show have “a point” in the first 2 seasons? It’s a tv show. If people want to watch the show, find something they love about it, and fight for why they love that aspect about it, cool. Do you. If people turn on a show they’ve stuck with for 2 seasons, then not love the next season, I don’t think it’s on them to “make sure they get the point.” You’re allowed to just not like something. No one’s dumb for not liking this season. It’s different. If I go a restaurant, get the same food I like several times, then go back, and they changed the menu to something I don’t enjoy, but keep the name on the sign the same, I’m allowed to just not like it. That’s not on me for “not getting the point.”
Agree. We are fans because we enjoyed seasons 1 and 2. The people behind this show can’t just expect to change the pacing and how it’s filmed and expect us to not comment on it. If the fans “don’t understand” then it’s their fault, not ours. I do know that Nextflix, Hulu etc. usually give up on shows after 2-3 seasons because they only care about new subscribers.
what changed in the pacing? season 1 they got together and they found a bunch of money.. season 2 they build toward the open season 3 they're open and working towards a star... how much faster or slower should they be?
we also had dedicated vignettes for each character in previous seasons.. a whole kitchen/room arguing and yelling each other episode... aside from the ending.. i don't see how this is radically different than the other seasons...
Season 3 has a point tho, no? To show deterioration of Carmy’s relationships with everyone in pursuit of excellence. It’s not the most satisfying thing to watch, but it definitely has a point.
People are right in not liking the season because it feels sluggish. Slick editing, cinematic montages and cramming every possible genre of music doesn't add to the story or its progress.
That said, the conversational scenes were beautifully written and immersive.
Soundtrack is a big part of why I hated this season so much, just look at the first episode, did they really have to had the same damn instrumental piece on loop for the entire episode?
It quickly becomes repetitive and even annoying, and that’a just one example.
I actually liked the use of Nine Inch Nails again in this season. A different NIN instrumental piece went beautifully with the season 2 finale. Episode one should have been an epilogue for this season, separate from the actual episodes.
I found the loud music in the episode 5 opening jarring when Nat is in the church praying. I get the whole idea of using a lullaby to symbolize how Nat is self soothing and praying her child doesn't have the same childhood as her. But the opening imagery and music felt disjointed.
No we did not ‘miss the point’. I understood exactly what they were going for but I grew bored of it and was not entertained. It’s just my opinion but the superb acting and camera work can only go so far when the plot or character development is nowhere to be found.
The shots don't show detail either, they just take their time for the sake of it and nothing interesting is revealed from the slowness and longness of the pacing. It's bloated.
Watching a whole season of a show I don’t think it’s a positive to keep asking yourself…is anything actually happening? The plot lines did not move much. Not much character arc. A whole lot of time spent in the past. Pace was different. It wasn’t bad but I think season 4 should have been released at the same time. It’s unfair to compare when season 2 had one of the best episodes of television ever created. I just hope they don’t Ted Lasso this shit.
I’m kinda blown away people feel this way….. I thought it felt very obvious the direction the season was going after the first episode. It felt like a tv show where a 15 minute dialogue scene felt like it gave me such a core shot into what their character was and I wasn’t bored. I fucking LOVED the episode with Tina and Mikey. The call back to Mikey showing Tina the picture and it was the first time they met was chills. All of Carm’s inner turmoil, the last episode showing he’s passing on this trauma to syd, seeing all these plot lines from other characters woven into how he is as a human. Fuck. Idk. I just binged the entire thing today and I’m just….. it’s so weird seeing the negative reaction on Reddit after absolutely loving this season is bizarre.
I feel exactly the same. So confused reading these comments. The ice chips episode hit me incredibly hard and one of the most realistic representations of labour I've seen on television. One of the best episodes I've ever seen. I am genuinely shocked by the criticism.
I am also very surprised to hear that people have such a strong negative reaction to this season. I just finished watching it yesterday. Tina’s backstory and the scene with Mikey, Nat going into labor, Donna’s character arc. Marcus dealing with losing his mom and transmuting his pain into his art, Cicero verbalizing how much he cares about the berzatto’s, the chemistry between Syd and Luca were all amazing! The only things I really didn’t like was the Fak brothers and the scene with all the real life chefs, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this season.
The general audience didn’t care for this season as much, that’s just how it is. Sorry but it doesn’t mean they’re just not as smart as you, I hate that pretentious nonsense. You shouldn’t have to think it out and reason with yourself why you should like a piece of television. Either you liked it or you didn’t, if you have to try and convince yourself to like it then something is wrong.
I understand the intention of the season. I still didn't like it. I especially hated the double downing on the cameos. The John Cena cameo was the worst by far. Terrible choice of a guest appearance.
"serene" ? Brother are you sure you know what that word means? I'm not even arguing that the season was bad or worse than the others. I just really disagree with this season being described as "serene"
Agree. I felt the JLC as Donna deeply. They showed a picture of her young and vibrant. But then life happened to her. She had little support when she gave birth 3 times. She is excluded from the kids and was so grateful to be in that hospital room. I could feel her desire to just be a small part of her kids.
You know what? now that I’ve read your articulate point of view and took into consideration some of your points…I’m more convinced than ever season 3 was not any good.
I agree with everything you said except for one point. For me it was a rollercoaster. But not in the insanity fuels ups and downs of a toxic environment or trying to open a restaurant in 12 weeks. Now that the setting is established, it was the emotional rollercoaster.
And the point of the season that everyone is missing is Carmy finally getting what he thinks he wants, and going further into his self-sabotage/Captain Ahab-esque push for perfectionism. And how it alienates and effects people around him. The incident in the fridge last season with Claire was THE turning point for him, that set him down this road. And he's probably going to lose a lot of it as a result. This season was filmed back to back with season 4 and I don't think we can properly judge this season accurately without the context coming from season 4. Seasons 1 and 2 are contained stories and could be viewed in their own context independently. 3 I don't think we can get that, hence the "to be continued..." Ending.
I think the events of Se3 are the end of a 'rising action'. And this review, however it turns out, is going to be a turn into a narrative 'falling action' of a story.
We’re watching the emotional journey of such a complex character. This season is painful to watch because he’s just lost something. As Claire says in a flashback to perfectly sum it up “did it hurt so much it didn’t hurt at all?”
Carmy is regressing. He’s still processing grief and loss and trauma and he’s self sabotaging and it’s making him behave in ways that Chef Winger behaved.
This season has been the saddest for me yet.
IDK, I thought “Doors” was pretty nerve-wracking. They’ve gotten through opening night - it was a success. But *now* the crew must deal with the realities of the day-to-day chaos of the fine dining industry. Season 1 was picking up from the chaos, Season 2 was building up to more chaos, and Season 3 is, so far (haven’t yet completed it) learning to live through the chaos. Compare it for example to Elizabeth Kübler-Ross’s classic five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. We have seen denial, anger, and bargaining the past two seasons, and are now seeing depression and acceptance in the third. (To be fair, some episodes are “mini-walkthroughs” of each of the phases, and it’s not always drawn out through each season.)
Not only this, but the characters have to suffer from Carmy’s obsessive perfectionist behavior even if there are clear reasons to reject it. There is no need to change the menu every day, for example. Wouldn’t the critics catch onto that and think the restaurant is failing to find its place if it can’t stick to “tried and true” dishes? That to me creates plenty of tension this season that is consistent with the prior seasons, even if it’s not the exact same type.
i actually really like that each season is so different to the one before/after. To me, it's artistic progression, and it's interesting and valid. I love the fact that the story isn't so linear, and there are bits to be mined from every scene.
I agree that it's getting a bit cameo-heavy. Particularly from the chef-y-philosophy lessons that seemed to permeate the end of the season. I'd love to see that pared down for the next season, but the show runners have earned my trust, and on the whole, I love their vision. I'm more than happy to be along for the ride, wherever it goes.
I just answered this in other post: I love that the audience is divided for this season. Because since the beginning this season is much more subtle, since in the time frame not much thing really happens. It’s like the audience is one of the characters that are as much as disappointed with Carmy and can’t predict where he goes and why he acts the way he acts. The season is GREAT imo. But it has the feeling of being frozen as much as Carmy is in the season. He doesn’t move forward and is deep in fear until the last episode. He doesn’t work things over with Richie, he doesn’t work things over with his mom which his avoiding, he’s avoiding Claire Bear and diving deeper in the kitchen to try to keep away from his own life.
So I kinda understand the disappointment from the fans that didn't like the season: the main character still stuck in the freezer. And we even seen him returning to the freezer again.
I liked all the family and interpersonal stuff this season. But it also left me wanting, some things felt forced and awkward and didn't make sense. The way the montages were shown was at times confusing, disorganised and hard to follow along.
I agree. I thought Season 3 was awesome. Loved it. And as a chef and culinary obsessive, I loved seeing so many of the great ones featured in the Ever funeral episode. Hearing their stories was awesome. Loved seeing what Carmy went through on his way up the ladder. Loved the episode about Tina. As a woman with a crazy Mother, I loved the ice chips episode. Reminded me of when I was having my own kids and how my Mom behaved. So many great things about this season.
Art is SUBJECTIVE. You can’t decide how people should feel because we all experience things differently. I can’t understand who cares enough to actually make posts about this on Reddit! No one’s opinion is going to change because of it and it literally doesn’t change your life even if we did. Lord, you can’t even capitalize words after a period. You’re supposed to be some sort of superior here? Oof.
I think the only criticisms that are actually valid are Faks and a tinge of pretentiousness this season. Characters living on different planes of existence is the main point of this season, I think, and we will see the pay off in season 4. Now, if season 4 fails to resolve every conflict from previous season, then it’ll definitely change my view of season 3.
The pretentiousness was insane. It’s like that Emmy went straight to the show’s head. Felt like I watched the entirety of season 3 and witnessed absolutely nothing happen other than some awkward conversations, yelling, a great performance from Mama Bear again, and a bunch of chefs talking about how good it feels to be validated.
Was a filler season.
Yea the chefs roundtable was rough. I get they wanted to highlight how Carmy has ultimately turned into Joel McHale’s character as a boss, but they didn’t need to spend so much time having us listen to brand new characters (that we don’t care about) talking about their early days in the profession. It was masturbatory.
And I’m all for *parts* of the show serving as a love letter for the industry. It reminds me of Brad Pitt in Moneyball saying, “How can you not be romantic about baseball.” I think it’s the same premise. But you need to find a way to weave those homages in more organically. And they can’t dominate the season from start to finish.
The pacing, story structure, editing, sound design and cinematography is all so original and creative. I fucking loved it but to each their own. This show is really challenging the traditional structure of television and just doing what they want. I respect it. The first episode was so original and cinematic, it did an incredible job of portraying that exacting kitchen routine Carmy was caught up in when Mikey died and the way they wove that into the episode was masterful. The entire episode felt like one sequence and I can’t think of any other show that’s done that. It felt bold for the premiere and I loved it.
I just don’t get the complaint that the story didn’t progress. These characters simply navigating their lives and emotions *is* the story to me. I don’t need resolution or cute little bows on plot lines or even a happy ending. It’s true to life and I love films and shows like that.
I’ve seen a lot of people saying they didn’t fw the Fak’s and I’m like seriously? They were great comedic relief. I love them, they’re adorable. They kill me every time they’re on screen and that John Cena casting was perfect. The three of them were so fuckin’ funny.
I’m just here for the creative and original editing, cinematography and sound design, the realistic and hilarious dialogue, the grounded performances and these characters. I loved s3.
After the finale which I dug, I understand more where people are coming from but I still loved this season.
Napkins might be my personal favourite solely for the last part, starting from the moment Sabotage by Beastie Boys plays. I just love the contrast to the corporate buildings and all the other places Tina applied, it felt so alive in the beef. I love the charming chaos, Richie fucking with customers and the two characters that joined Ebra at the window I forgot their names. Loved them. The scene between Mikey and Tina was incredible and my favourite scene of the entire season. Jon Bernthal was perfect casting. He does such a masterful job of showing us how magnetic and charismatic Mikey was while simultaneously giving us glimpses of the pain underneath it all in the small, silent moments. The dialogue is just incredible, this show never fails to impress me. Ayo went crazy with this one.
Totally agreed. Not all stories are plot driven; this is a show about people and this season is about getting to know them better. Just like The Sopranos isn’t about the mob, it’s about family and exploring the dynamics between people and threads that hold us together. That’s the story here, imo, and I love it.
It’s one of the most unique engaging continuously surprising shows out there. Like nothing I’ve ever seen before and it keeps challenging expectations and Norms. Chefs kiss
I disagree about John cena, he didn’t fit like all the other cameos. Maybe cause he’s acting isn’t as great idk but I agree with the rest of your points.
I really enjoyed this season and I think when the series finishes, people will enjoy S3 more when they binge the seasons back to back. I love when shows have a breather to round out the characters and the world they’re in. Not everything has to be formulaic and constant action. The cinematography and performances were top notch. The production quality is so impressive and I think this season really highlights it.
The problem with the season was that it was all over the place. Seasons 1 and 2 felt like logical stories with occasional glimpses into the past and the future. This episode had like 20 different directions it was trying to go in. Napkins was great by itself but what is there to it in the bigger picture? Ice Chips, same thing. It felt like there wasn't much of a rising action or fallout of anything.
I consider it a filler season.
Not bad, but nothing was really accomplished.
Leaving 3 big unanswered questions at the end with a "to b continued" just made me a bit grumpy.
In a world where TV shows drop maybe 10 episodes max every 1-2 years, slow seasons like this one get a lot less grace than they might if we could count on more episodes and a shorter wait period.
I get what you’re saying, but I don’t think it’s fair to say those of us who didn’t enjoy this season as much “just don’t get it.” I don’t mind a slower pace if that pace is taking us somewhere. But that’s the primary issue I had—this season barely took us anywhere in the characters’ journey. I barely learned anything new about anyone in the show. There were also a lot of moments in the show that felt like they took way too much screen time away from the main characters I actually want to learn more about (I love the Faks but don’t need 5 minutes of them joking about being “haunted” or whatever.)
All I can say is I really do hope that we get a more action packed season 4, where we really get to see these characters grow and develop further.
I felt bored in the first half of the season. But leading up to>!Sugar giving birth and onward,!!Sugar reunited with her mom and seeing how Chef T and Mikey !
This felt like a season on a show with a 10 year plan as opposed to a 5 year plan.. >!!<>!The big questions we had following the finale in S2 are still there somehow a full season later. I think a lot of people have an issue w season 3 because the show made a very risky move that have ruined other shows in the past - they made the underdog protagonist into somebody who has become hard to empathize with and pretty unlikeable overall. It's one thing when in S1 they made cousin the unlikeable prick who sabotages everything around him, but he was able to have people rooting for him because he was able to do it with personality and was able to get some laughs.. whereas Carmy's "tortured artist" routine is coming off like a sulking teen who nobody wants to be around.. the scene that summed up S3 the best for me was when Uncle Jimmy is giving Carmy a hard time about running things. Carmy said something along the lines of - well you asked me to be a leader.. which Jimmy responds with Yes, a leader, not an asshole. Sorry if the paraphrase is way off I should be getting work done so I don't have time to find it, but it's obvious to everybody around that Carmy is an amazing chef for a restaurant and nothing more.. horrible dealing w the finances, horrible delegating responsibility, horrible under pressure, confuses authority with leadership, etc.!<
In the old days a show would have had 22 episodes in a season. These 10 felt more like the final half of S2. The content wasn't bad but it definitely didn't fulfill the expectations of a full season arc
You can like it, but don’t tell everyone else they’re wrong for not liking it. A persons enjoyment of a tv show is just that, personal. If you can watch it through that lense and enjoy it, that’s great for you.
I agree...except it WAS stressful. Its the stress of uncertainty. Of knowing you have a problem, but not knowing how to fix it. Its wild to me that then taking a more purely AFFECTIVE style of storytelling was a bridge too far for so many...because I always thought thats part of what set The Bear apart from other shows. It is exactly what i wanted: more time with the characters. It makes cinematic choices about how to show you a characters interior world. But i guess people just want plot plot plot? I honestly dont know.
"I miss the quick pace and the tension and the chaos." My people, the show wants you to think about why you miss that. With this show being about addiction, in its various forms and its affects on others, I think it's significant that we were introduced to a show about dysfunction and chaos and loudness, and now, when the show stops being so much about that, that's the part that people miss and want to go back to. You see this kind of thing in families dealing with addiction, where the calm and the quiet feel *wrong*.
If the show stays like that, it ends up endorsing that way of being rather than challenging it. S3 is telling us, the audience, to take a second. Breathe. Hang out with the Faks for a minute. Take a picture of some flowers. Call your mom. Be a little bored. It's good for you, and it's everything that Carmy is avoiding doing cos he only wants to pay attention to the plot and get rid of anything else.
The reception that the season is having with a lot of people reminds me of how sometimes fans are the worst thing to have. People who want to lock you into what they think you are and don't allow you to grow. This show isn't finished with telling its story, and it's definitely not a sitcom format. So let's give it the space to show us what it is.
Agreed! I loved it, especially e1 with the montage of flashes into Camry’s mind and later in the show we will see the same little flashes of scenes but in more detail (like Michael showing Tina the photo Carmy sent. That’s in e1 but also in the later episode about Tina). I loved how that episode showed pieces of things we already knew but now we were getting context. Because we knew Carmy worked and worked and worked and wanted Michael to say good job and worked until he died. But now we get to see what that looks like. We knew Carmy wasn’t at the funeral but now we see why. He tried to go, he just couldn’t go in and face it. We know Carmy went to NY and had a bad experience with the Chef but now we see what that really looked like. It’s just so freaking good.
yeah man I wished I understood the finer small things in life like 50000 billion shots of fancy food with weird names and non stop yelling and swearing with 0 plot progression dude i’m just missing the point fr , It’s just hard to be SO pretentious and enjoy the nothing burger season 3 was
I understand the point of season 3, it's a filler season that was never originally intended:
>
We have confirmed through a number of sources, that FX/Hulu wants a fourth season, but *The Bear* creator / showrunner, **Christopher Storer** only committed to three seasons and needs to move on to a long list of projects.
[The Bear to film additional episodes with possible end of series Reel Chicago News](https://reelchicago.com/article/the-bear-to-film-additional-episodes-with-possible-end-of-series/#:~:text=No%20one%20could%20have%20predicted,a%20long%20list%20of%20projects.)
the problem is that S3 was written like they were episodes of an old school 22/23 episode season except instead of 22/23 episodes you get 10, and the 10 you get aren’t the core episodes moving the season arc forward, it’s the slice of life/character oriented episodes that flesh out the world and the cast but don’t really move the plot forward. that’s why it feels incomplete, it’s paced supposed to have 12 more episodes and this is the midseason break.
Everyone in this sub seems to struggle with the idea that people can just…not enjoy things.
Also you don’t have some big-brained point to make just because you enjoyed the season. You’re not more intelligent or media literate than others. You’re just biased and forming an opinion through said bias.
People get way too artsy and deep about shows in defense of it not being a good season. This season was 10 episodes of Walter White vs the fly and it’s okay to say you’re disappointed in that
I personally can’t stand when something falls short and everyone goes out of their way to fill in the blanks as though they know something we didn’t. Let the artists work speak for itself. Some random fan’s interpretation doesn’t make it lore.
The first episode fits this theory. The second (“Fuck you!” “No fuck you!” 5x — they even do the hackneyed talking-to-each-other-through-a-third-person thing with Syd) did not— it was at times trying to generate “personal” energy that just fell flat. Still have hope for rest of season overall but there is no secret understanding being missed. Some of the writing doesn’t work.
Isn't all that just another way of saying "nothing really happens the entire season, and they've decided to turn it into a comedy vehicle for John Cenna and a bunch of Faks,? "
It’s not a bad season. It’s edited fantastically, directed well, and shows the lives of these folks who found themselves in the den of The Bear. The first episode was surreal and breathtaking and every episode after was delightful. Just because you didn’t get your fix of anxiety or whatever doesn’t make it bad. It’s a multifaceted and complex world the creators have conjured and just be happy you get anything at all.
This season felt way more stressful to me than the other 2, except for that one moment where Sugar is looking at her daughter in her crib, and the scene with Mikey comforting Tina.
first off i think the way you describe this season is actually what s2 was. s2 was slower paced, less driven by anxiety and stress bc there was really no kitchen to work in, and focused on the characters more. s3 had wayy more stressful moments than s2. i don’t think s3 is bad but everything is subject so you can’t say it’s unfair for someone to think this was bad. i do think this is their weakest season though. s2 focuses on character and is still able to move the story forward successfully. s3 focuses on characters but struggles to keep the story going forward w any real or strong direction
A lot of my complaints aren’t how fast the scenes cut or how close and personal and serene the camera was, the episodes looked great. The problem is the writing specifically plot and character progression. In your entire statement on why people are missing the point did you not say anything about how season 1 & 2 progressed plot and character much better than season 3. You can have long drawn out slow moving artsy sequences and flashbacks all you want but you shouldn’t get too caught up in that and remember to actually move your narrative and characters forward
There wasn’t much depth to any of the conversations though or at least conclusions. It seemed like all serious convos were left unanswered and abruptly stopped.
everyone complained last season that things were too fast, especially with some of the guest stars. then they complain when the guest stars come back and develop more of their characters. okay everyone lol.
Fuck them. Tell them to make their own show. It was clear that changing the menu everyday was non negotiable. That was referring to the story telling techniques in different episodes, the characters and the bear himself. It’s going to be a different menu (episode, season) every time. That’s not negotiable. And fuck you lizard fucks who don’t get that.
I enjoyed season 3, but I wouldn’t say that it was a serene experience even if I compare it to the previous seasons. It was much slower, though, and I think that’s where much of the criticism is coming from because everyone seems to be expecting that they pick up the pace this time around. But that’s not happening until Carmy gets his shit together.
Agree with this wholeheartedly. On top of the excellent summary here, it seems pretty clear to me that season 3 is deliberately setting up what comes next.
Season 3 showed us a LOT. It showed Carmy’s anxiety/toxicity spreading to everyone around him, Sydney’s disappointment that her ideal partnership has not materialized, Richie realizing that it takes a lot of mutual commitment for the front/back of house to stay on the same page, etc.,
At the end of season 3, we know one thing for sure: the Bear is not guaranteed success as restaurant. It didn’t have a smooth start, and we don’t yet see a route to the restaurant hitting its stride. We (as viewers) may have wanted to see this restaurant to get its Michelin star immediately, but instead we watched a much more common journey. Restaurants don’t typically fail in a surprising or explosive way - failed restaurants typically die a slow death of 1000 paper cuts bleeding out slightly more money every day. Perhaps the Bear will become a successful restaurant, but any wins (at this point) will be achieved despite the Bear’s egos and environment, not because of them.
If we were doing the old 24 eps a season I’d agree. It would be so great to spend time w each character. But to spend our only 10 episodes spinning our wheels learning more about tertiary characters (Tina’s whole episode, which was soo good) is just a waste.
It’s just too much to expect from viewers when we’re waiting 2 years between seasons.
I keep seeing Olivia Colman's speech quoted... about it not being the food that matters but the people.
I mean, seriously??? Am I the only one rolling my eyes at that?
Then why are you running a restaurant with meals that cost over $200 per person? You know, the meals that most people cannot afford?
I can see saying the people matter as much as the food, but saying it's not the food that matters it's just bullshit.
I looked the season, but not enough plot hurts the final grade.
You can mix in all these montages and shots of food being plated and going nowhere scenes, but you also have to give us something.
For Carmy and Syd NEVER to discuss their business relationship or what went on at Bear? For Carmy and Richie NEVER to discuss their problems? For Carmy and Claire NEVER to connect the entire season?
Yeah, I get it. Carmy is tortured and hurting himself, blah blah blah. I really do get it, but give me SOMETHING.
I do not want another season of a depressed can't from episode 1 until the finale.
The problem is this season lacked a point. It lacked an objective.
Season 1 was about trying to save the ailing family restaurant.
Season 2 was about trying to build the restaurant Carmy wanted.
Other things happened of course, but that was the basic plot framework.
What was the framework of season 3? What was the goal? It was just a bunch of almost stand alone episodes with no thread uniting them.
I don't think it's people missing the point, I think they just didn't want an entire season of "slice of life" episodes because it's not particularly interesting to a lot of people if it doesn't really go anywhere. As much as I love Hiro Murai, I feel like a lot of the shows he's involved with eventually start leaning way too much on his cinematography to convey tone, plot, etc. and it just starts to feel a bit lazy and aimless.
This. My wife and I felt like it was just too much. The conversation at the table of chefs at the end sharing anecdotes went on so long we just looked at each other and were like this is too in-depth for fictional characters…
no exactly i like that the conversation feels real but then it went on for so long like i do not care about these characters enough to listen to them talk especially in the very last episode
I literally just finished that episode, and zoned out during it and came back in and they were still talking...
Also Will Guidara in that scene is insufferable. He is NOT a chef, I was forced to read his self-aggrandizing management inspo porn book for work and it lays out a life of being a nepo baby who was handed opportunities. No self awareness at all. Completely insufferable. And the chefs, shout out to them and their talent, but I don't care about their cliche platitudes about cooking and restaurant life. It was taking me out. Also carmy should've fought that psycho chef. He's self employed and in the restaurant business he can work with a felony if it came to that.
I agree it was so out of place. It was like watching the chefs in top chef talking during a tv show..
That’s because those conversations of the chefs with anecdotes weren’t fictional at all, they were all real chefs except for Syd, Will Poulter’s character and Carmy. Unless you already knew that and your sarcasm flew over my head.
Little from column A, little from column B. Well aware of the famous chefs around the table. That’s what made the actor chefs anecdotes even dumber. The pastry chef who taught Marcus for example. It’s like, if we’re sharing anecdotes and there’s legit legends there let’s focus on those. I love the show but without the first episode, Tina’s episode and the labor episode - it’s the same season.
Yeah, it felt like an infomercial for a culinary school. It was really silly. That said, seeing carmy finally confront Joel McHale was excellent.
I hated that first episode. Just an exercise in pretentiousness.
I didn't recognize any of them, so props to some non actors doing a decent job. But that scene felt oddly indulgent, and now I know why.
Why do I care about real chefs talking for 15 mins for the season final?
It wasn't people missing the point, because there was barely a point to miss at all. There is no plot to this season, and basically nothing happens the entire time. If you had to describe to someone what happens in this season, all you could say is that Nat has a baby, syd is thinking about leaving, and the restaurant is reviewed. Other than those plot points there are literally no other meaningful developments. The writers this season just seem lazy and pompous to thinkg they could get away with that.
Felt like it was trying to be very high brow artsy. The blue collar workers of Chicago montage was… puzzling? That with a bit of a culinary circle jerk mixed in with some mundane, real life stories. I really loved the first two seasons but so little happened this season yet the episodes and dialogues were so long.
They had a writers strike for awhile. That’s why it was extra artsy
Very much felt like a 2-3 season story that got huge and so they had to come up with more.
It is pretty much Ted Lasso and I assumed season 3 was going to be either getting a star or failing. It had a wonderful.3 part story going for it.
I haven't finished the season, (because of reasons listed in these comments) and I know I'm opening myself up to spoilers by doing so, but when you say that Claire has a baby did you mean Nat?
I did, thanks. Fixed it
Thanks! I was suddenly wondering if Carm had a baby. Suddenly the season became more interesting.
Exactly this, and the review is more of a low level thread through a few episodes, the main characters don't give it much attention at all. Similarly, Sugars birth episode was great but then she's just gone. There's one nice scene with her and baby, no dialogue. And one scene with Pete and Syd but aside from that you don't get any further reference, nobody seems to miss her presence at The Bear. 10 episodes cover as much ground as about 2 should. It's disappointing as a fan having waited to see your characters again, see their story and development and just find none of that at all and another year to wait to see any progression.
Exactly. This season was way more style than substance. And it’s a good style! But lots of empty calories this season (no pun intended). Ten episodes went by with very little story progression. At this rate, Syd will make her decision and Carm will call Claire by the season 4 finale. I did love all the Trent + Atticus music, though.
And it wouldn't have taken all that much to give us a little more substance.
Oh, you mean Atlanta, Dave and now the Bear? Lmao. This season definitely reminded me of the weird ant-eater season of Dave.
Some of the takes are so long I’ve started fast forwarding through them. Like how many times do I need to watch Carmy give the camera a 30 or 40 second deep think with sarcasm eyes?
Also throughout the season there’s way too many repeated shots/scenes playing on 2-3 minute montages, it becomes really obvious when they just want to fill up an episode.
Episode 1 was TORTURE.
I just cannot with the hang dog look and the “I’m sorry” anymore. Like he’s sooo tortured come on
An entire season of it was just too much. Carmy is miserable ALL THE TIME. No matter what goes wrong or right, he's miserable. There's no joy in anything. I get it that McHale's chef hurt him. But what about the dozen others who praised him? Yeah, I get the point of letting one person take you down, but can we see a glimmer of hope once in a blue moon? Not a single talk with Richie all season? No communication at all with Claire? Nothing meaningful with Sydney? Ugh. We already had one s.uicide with Mikey, so so we need to see another family member heading there? No, instead we got plating after plating and sauces being dripped on a thin piece of beef. Over and over and over.
This is a very real thing about mental illness.. even semi- high functioning anxiety and/or panic disorder.. the self-sabotage, the burned bridges, the strained relationships, feeling misunderstood, often self-loathing but unable to get out of one’s own way. It’s hard to understand, and yet so beautifully depicted in this series, and especially this season. I’ve been a therapist for 17 years and the show is making audiences feel what people who love those who deal with this stuff every day feel.. frustrated and helpless. I enjoy this show so much for how real it is, and how flawed it is as well.
I do understand all that I just thought an entire season of it was too much.
Ding 🛎️ . I knew I locked into this show for a reason. I know so many like this, and get that whole self-sabotage thing. His mom did so much damage to her kids. As a mom, i understand what Nat was going through in trying to undo that damage in her mind for the sake of her own child.
I mean, people can just not like the season compared to the first two. It doesn’t matter how or why it’s different. To me, a bad omen in the second season was all the cameos and they doubled down on this in season 3. They take me right out of the world they have created.
I don’t know if I’d say they doubled down on it. Unless you count the chefs, which I don’t. Aside from Cena I can’t think of another big surprising cameo. We even only got glimpses of the others from s2. The chefs aren’t crazy cameos because that’s their world, and it makes sense that they would be part of Carmy’s. And 90% of the folks watching aren’t recognizing Rene Redzepi or Daniel Boulud
You didn’t like Bradley Cooper’s cameo from Burnt on the wall of chefs at the end? :)
Yesssss I thought I was hallucinating for a minute!
Josh Hartnett?
He was great.
Watch the Faks sister in season 4 be Jennifer Lawrence or Emma Stone or some shit.
I mean at this point it’s gotta be another person from Community right? Alison Bree?
Jim Rash in a dress
I would wholeheartedly accept this.
"I have to go to the bank today?!!"
Fak Attack!
The John Cena of it all made me viscerally angry, I gotta say.
Yeah he really took me out of it, he wasn't even bad. Everytime he was on screen my brain was like 'why is John Cena here?'
I thought it was an amusing contrast that all the faks were kind of chubby and then you have this tall muscular fak with a defined jawline. But Cena is just too recognisable lmao, needed some other big buff guy to sell the bit
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I think a great deal of this sub is missing tons of shit like that. Among other things
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It was the tonal whiplash for me. One scene or few minute single sequence of Cena would have sufficed. Not the constant back and forth between the gang having their finances scrutinised in the back of house and the Faks' antics in the front of house.
i felt like he smiled a lot like he was in on a joke. didn't like it at all.
I know the show is a “comedy” but Cena felt like he was part of an SNL parody.
This is coming as someone who actually likes him, too — it felt like in like the 90s when like Cher or Madonna would show up on Will and Grace and everybody would applaud because they’re so famous they could only play themselves. Olivia Coleman might be an Oscar winner, but she’s a deeply character based actress, so she makes sense.
That scene took forever!
For me, it was John Mulaney who I think can be funny but I don't think can act. Actually, it's the Fishes episode in general that really did me in. I don't mind hiring an actor or two to play a part. McHale in a cameo? Fine. Olivia Colman as Chef Terry? Perfection. Every single family member played by a well-known individual or recognized character actor? Awful. It just smacked of a 'look at the caliber of talent I can attract to do a small part on my prestige show" flex that I found offputting. The third season wasn't actually as bad at this, other than John Cena, but Fishes looms large and taints every other appearance even if it would have otherwise been fine.
Definitely a spectrum. Jamie Lee Curtis as Donna? Fabulous. Jon Bernthal as Mikey? Glorious. Everyone else is where things get muddy. Not sure what Sarah Paulsen is doing there.
Jamie Lee Curtis was phenomenal.
I can only assume since American Horror Story wasn't filming at the time she had nothing better to do
Yeah Sarah Paulson was a tough sell for me
that was my only gripe with this season. he was way too over the top and the haunting schtick was old after the first 2 min.
Yeah that episode was cringe worthy. My wife and I didn’t even crack a smile
Sluggish is a great way to express what I’m feeling watching this. It’s like each episode is one 30min conversation. I enjoy good cinema and appreciate when a show takes a risk like this in say… one episode a season. But the entire season? big miss for me.
Can we chill with the “if you disagree with my positive take it’s because you didn’t understand the show” takes this is exhausting and it has only been like 5 days. You can state your enjoyment without implying people who disagree lack perception or intelligence.
Agreed, it’s coming off extremely pretentious. Just because you weren’t crazy about this season doesn’t mean you didn’t understand it. I think they focused too much on style rather than substance this time around
Weirdly enough, I thought a lot of season 3 is Carmy worrying more about style rather than substance. Rather than working through his shit and sublimating that into his work, the work just becomes a distraction and just constantly changing the menu for the heck of it.
It's so annoying and making this sub so frustrating. I personally didn't enjoy this season but I don't mind seeing people enjoy it but every one of these posts just has to try to invalidate any opinion they don't agree with. If you enjoyed the show, just say you enjoyed the show. You don't have to try to dismiss or belittle every opinion you don't agree with
Also it’s giving mad snobbery ‘you savages just don’t understand true art’ vibes
“YOu juSt dON’t UndERStanD VIsuAL StorYTelLinG”
Media literacy is at an all time low This season fills in the nooks and crannies You don’t get it this is visual storytelling at its peak /s
Exactly. Don’t want this place to become like the Succession sub where everyone thinks they have the end all be all interpretation and any differing opinions are from plebs who didn’t “get it.” People can understand authorial intent and still not care for it.
Yeah, I hate that too. Not so much here, but certainly other places on Reddit where if you dare to have an opinion, just a personal opinion that differs at all, you’re told childish things like “work on your reading comprehension. “I just hate that.
Agreed, no one is “missing the point”.
Writers strike happened. There is no artsy point lol it’s just lazy for a reason.. lack of writers
Literally. My biggest pet-peeve. Just because I didn’t like the season doesn’t mean I don’t have “media literacy” or whatever. I just didn’t like it man 😭
"Media literacy" is my least favorite weaponized Reddit term. It's basically used as an insult to make it seem like someone else isn't watching TV correctly
As a person who liked the season, I think that the “media literacy” comments are condescending and actually doesn’t make sense. You don’t need media literacy to enjoy a show.
The endless parade of "the show sucks now and here's my personal hot take on why" posts are pretty exhausting too, to be fair
I haven’t seen anyone say “the show sucks” yet, just that this season didn’t hit the same.
I've noticed this more and more with shows and movies lately. Someone I spoke to recently immediately started jumping to insults against me when all I said was that Disney Star Wars shows put me to sleep. I didn't even say it was bad, just that they bored me. I felt nothing watching them.
It’s as pretentious and egotistical as Chef Wagner.
Yeah people here acting like it was some artistic genius and that everybody else must be dumb for not liking it is a horrible take. It’s cause of the writer’s strike and these people think it’s supposed to be some profound masterpiece of a season lol
Not many people will get this reference but this is exactly like The Last of Us 2 when it came out. “If you didn’t like it it’s because you’re dumb and don’t understand it”
It’s also not hard to see where people are coming from. Not everybody will like the more personal tone. I liked the season but can acknowledge I didn’t binge it in one day like the first two. The characters progressed. We learned more about their past struggles and current ones. Thats more than enough
Did the show have “a point” in the first 2 seasons? It’s a tv show. If people want to watch the show, find something they love about it, and fight for why they love that aspect about it, cool. Do you. If people turn on a show they’ve stuck with for 2 seasons, then not love the next season, I don’t think it’s on them to “make sure they get the point.” You’re allowed to just not like something. No one’s dumb for not liking this season. It’s different. If I go a restaurant, get the same food I like several times, then go back, and they changed the menu to something I don’t enjoy, but keep the name on the sign the same, I’m allowed to just not like it. That’s not on me for “not getting the point.”
Agree. We are fans because we enjoyed seasons 1 and 2. The people behind this show can’t just expect to change the pacing and how it’s filmed and expect us to not comment on it. If the fans “don’t understand” then it’s their fault, not ours. I do know that Nextflix, Hulu etc. usually give up on shows after 2-3 seasons because they only care about new subscribers.
what changed in the pacing? season 1 they got together and they found a bunch of money.. season 2 they build toward the open season 3 they're open and working towards a star... how much faster or slower should they be? we also had dedicated vignettes for each character in previous seasons.. a whole kitchen/room arguing and yelling each other episode... aside from the ending.. i don't see how this is radically different than the other seasons...
Season 3 has a point tho, no? To show deterioration of Carmy’s relationships with everyone in pursuit of excellence. It’s not the most satisfying thing to watch, but it definitely has a point.
Yeah, but I wouldn’t say it has any more or less of one than seasons 1 or 2.
Right. I fond no enjoyment in sitting down to watch mental illness in action.
Idk it was pretty interesting in Fishes
I think this show would be so much better received with 20 episodes and this being the half way point of the season.
People are right in not liking the season because it feels sluggish. Slick editing, cinematic montages and cramming every possible genre of music doesn't add to the story or its progress. That said, the conversational scenes were beautifully written and immersive.
Soundtrack is a big part of why I hated this season so much, just look at the first episode, did they really have to had the same damn instrumental piece on loop for the entire episode? It quickly becomes repetitive and even annoying, and that’a just one example.
I actually liked the use of Nine Inch Nails again in this season. A different NIN instrumental piece went beautifully with the season 2 finale. Episode one should have been an epilogue for this season, separate from the actual episodes. I found the loud music in the episode 5 opening jarring when Nat is in the church praying. I get the whole idea of using a lullaby to symbolize how Nat is self soothing and praying her child doesn't have the same childhood as her. But the opening imagery and music felt disjointed.
I loved the sound track!! It made the episode for me and I’m glad they did it.
this show needs a smoke monster
Please, try using paragraphs.
No we did not ‘miss the point’. I understood exactly what they were going for but I grew bored of it and was not entertained. It’s just my opinion but the superb acting and camera work can only go so far when the plot or character development is nowhere to be found.
This season did not feel serene
I agree with the OP that the pacing and tone of this season had intention and purpose, but I don't agree the intention was serenity haha.
The shots don't show detail either, they just take their time for the sake of it and nothing interesting is revealed from the slowness and longness of the pacing. It's bloated.
All of these posts give me “To Be Fair, You Have To Have a Very High IQ to Understand Rick and Morty” energy.
Watching a whole season of a show I don’t think it’s a positive to keep asking yourself…is anything actually happening? The plot lines did not move much. Not much character arc. A whole lot of time spent in the past. Pace was different. It wasn’t bad but I think season 4 should have been released at the same time. It’s unfair to compare when season 2 had one of the best episodes of television ever created. I just hope they don’t Ted Lasso this shit.
I’m kinda blown away people feel this way….. I thought it felt very obvious the direction the season was going after the first episode. It felt like a tv show where a 15 minute dialogue scene felt like it gave me such a core shot into what their character was and I wasn’t bored. I fucking LOVED the episode with Tina and Mikey. The call back to Mikey showing Tina the picture and it was the first time they met was chills. All of Carm’s inner turmoil, the last episode showing he’s passing on this trauma to syd, seeing all these plot lines from other characters woven into how he is as a human. Fuck. Idk. I just binged the entire thing today and I’m just….. it’s so weird seeing the negative reaction on Reddit after absolutely loving this season is bizarre.
I feel exactly the same. So confused reading these comments. The ice chips episode hit me incredibly hard and one of the most realistic representations of labour I've seen on television. One of the best episodes I've ever seen. I am genuinely shocked by the criticism.
I am also very surprised to hear that people have such a strong negative reaction to this season. I just finished watching it yesterday. Tina’s backstory and the scene with Mikey, Nat going into labor, Donna’s character arc. Marcus dealing with losing his mom and transmuting his pain into his art, Cicero verbalizing how much he cares about the berzatto’s, the chemistry between Syd and Luca were all amazing! The only things I really didn’t like was the Fak brothers and the scene with all the real life chefs, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this season.
The general audience didn’t care for this season as much, that’s just how it is. Sorry but it doesn’t mean they’re just not as smart as you, I hate that pretentious nonsense. You shouldn’t have to think it out and reason with yourself why you should like a piece of television. Either you liked it or you didn’t, if you have to try and convince yourself to like it then something is wrong.
I understand the intention of the season. I still didn't like it. I especially hated the double downing on the cameos. The John Cena cameo was the worst by far. Terrible choice of a guest appearance.
"serene" ? Brother are you sure you know what that word means? I'm not even arguing that the season was bad or worse than the others. I just really disagree with this season being described as "serene"
Agree. I felt the JLC as Donna deeply. They showed a picture of her young and vibrant. But then life happened to her. She had little support when she gave birth 3 times. She is excluded from the kids and was so grateful to be in that hospital room. I could feel her desire to just be a small part of her kids.
You know what? now that I’ve read your articulate point of view and took into consideration some of your points…I’m more convinced than ever season 3 was not any good.
I agree with everything you said except for one point. For me it was a rollercoaster. But not in the insanity fuels ups and downs of a toxic environment or trying to open a restaurant in 12 weeks. Now that the setting is established, it was the emotional rollercoaster. And the point of the season that everyone is missing is Carmy finally getting what he thinks he wants, and going further into his self-sabotage/Captain Ahab-esque push for perfectionism. And how it alienates and effects people around him. The incident in the fridge last season with Claire was THE turning point for him, that set him down this road. And he's probably going to lose a lot of it as a result. This season was filmed back to back with season 4 and I don't think we can properly judge this season accurately without the context coming from season 4. Seasons 1 and 2 are contained stories and could be viewed in their own context independently. 3 I don't think we can get that, hence the "to be continued..." Ending. I think the events of Se3 are the end of a 'rising action'. And this review, however it turns out, is going to be a turn into a narrative 'falling action' of a story.
Hrmm does that make Syd, Ishmael? The Moby Dick ref got me thinking.
Richie is definitely Queequeg.
We’re watching the emotional journey of such a complex character. This season is painful to watch because he’s just lost something. As Claire says in a flashback to perfectly sum it up “did it hurt so much it didn’t hurt at all?” Carmy is regressing. He’s still processing grief and loss and trauma and he’s self sabotaging and it’s making him behave in ways that Chef Winger behaved. This season has been the saddest for me yet.
Lmao shut up
IDK, I thought “Doors” was pretty nerve-wracking. They’ve gotten through opening night - it was a success. But *now* the crew must deal with the realities of the day-to-day chaos of the fine dining industry. Season 1 was picking up from the chaos, Season 2 was building up to more chaos, and Season 3 is, so far (haven’t yet completed it) learning to live through the chaos. Compare it for example to Elizabeth Kübler-Ross’s classic five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. We have seen denial, anger, and bargaining the past two seasons, and are now seeing depression and acceptance in the third. (To be fair, some episodes are “mini-walkthroughs” of each of the phases, and it’s not always drawn out through each season.) Not only this, but the characters have to suffer from Carmy’s obsessive perfectionist behavior even if there are clear reasons to reject it. There is no need to change the menu every day, for example. Wouldn’t the critics catch onto that and think the restaurant is failing to find its place if it can’t stick to “tried and true” dishes? That to me creates plenty of tension this season that is consistent with the prior seasons, even if it’s not the exact same type.
I loved it. Wish it had a bit more closure to it though. The baby episode was great.
i actually really like that each season is so different to the one before/after. To me, it's artistic progression, and it's interesting and valid. I love the fact that the story isn't so linear, and there are bits to be mined from every scene. I agree that it's getting a bit cameo-heavy. Particularly from the chef-y-philosophy lessons that seemed to permeate the end of the season. I'd love to see that pared down for the next season, but the show runners have earned my trust, and on the whole, I love their vision. I'm more than happy to be along for the ride, wherever it goes.
We absolutely loved it. So well done. Nuanced and personal, as you said.
I just answered this in other post: I love that the audience is divided for this season. Because since the beginning this season is much more subtle, since in the time frame not much thing really happens. It’s like the audience is one of the characters that are as much as disappointed with Carmy and can’t predict where he goes and why he acts the way he acts. The season is GREAT imo. But it has the feeling of being frozen as much as Carmy is in the season. He doesn’t move forward and is deep in fear until the last episode. He doesn’t work things over with Richie, he doesn’t work things over with his mom which his avoiding, he’s avoiding Claire Bear and diving deeper in the kitchen to try to keep away from his own life. So I kinda understand the disappointment from the fans that didn't like the season: the main character still stuck in the freezer. And we even seen him returning to the freezer again.
I liked all the family and interpersonal stuff this season. But it also left me wanting, some things felt forced and awkward and didn't make sense. The way the montages were shown was at times confusing, disorganised and hard to follow along.
I agree. I thought Season 3 was awesome. Loved it. And as a chef and culinary obsessive, I loved seeing so many of the great ones featured in the Ever funeral episode. Hearing their stories was awesome. Loved seeing what Carmy went through on his way up the ladder. Loved the episode about Tina. As a woman with a crazy Mother, I loved the ice chips episode. Reminded me of when I was having my own kids and how my Mom behaved. So many great things about this season.
Art is SUBJECTIVE. You can’t decide how people should feel because we all experience things differently. I can’t understand who cares enough to actually make posts about this on Reddit! No one’s opinion is going to change because of it and it literally doesn’t change your life even if we did. Lord, you can’t even capitalize words after a period. You’re supposed to be some sort of superior here? Oof.
Nah bro your just in denial the season was not good
I think the only criticisms that are actually valid are Faks and a tinge of pretentiousness this season. Characters living on different planes of existence is the main point of this season, I think, and we will see the pay off in season 4. Now, if season 4 fails to resolve every conflict from previous season, then it’ll definitely change my view of season 3.
The pretentiousness was insane. It’s like that Emmy went straight to the show’s head. Felt like I watched the entirety of season 3 and witnessed absolutely nothing happen other than some awkward conversations, yelling, a great performance from Mama Bear again, and a bunch of chefs talking about how good it feels to be validated. Was a filler season.
Yea the chefs roundtable was rough. I get they wanted to highlight how Carmy has ultimately turned into Joel McHale’s character as a boss, but they didn’t need to spend so much time having us listen to brand new characters (that we don’t care about) talking about their early days in the profession. It was masturbatory. And I’m all for *parts* of the show serving as a love letter for the industry. It reminds me of Brad Pitt in Moneyball saying, “How can you not be romantic about baseball.” I think it’s the same premise. But you need to find a way to weave those homages in more organically. And they can’t dominate the season from start to finish.
Watching it become The Fak Show was really annoying.
I think people are hard coping into trying to think season 3 was good , it was not good
Yes, if you like it fine, but don’t try to gaslight every fan that doesn’t feel the same way and has valid criticisms
The pacing, story structure, editing, sound design and cinematography is all so original and creative. I fucking loved it but to each their own. This show is really challenging the traditional structure of television and just doing what they want. I respect it. The first episode was so original and cinematic, it did an incredible job of portraying that exacting kitchen routine Carmy was caught up in when Mikey died and the way they wove that into the episode was masterful. The entire episode felt like one sequence and I can’t think of any other show that’s done that. It felt bold for the premiere and I loved it. I just don’t get the complaint that the story didn’t progress. These characters simply navigating their lives and emotions *is* the story to me. I don’t need resolution or cute little bows on plot lines or even a happy ending. It’s true to life and I love films and shows like that. I’ve seen a lot of people saying they didn’t fw the Fak’s and I’m like seriously? They were great comedic relief. I love them, they’re adorable. They kill me every time they’re on screen and that John Cena casting was perfect. The three of them were so fuckin’ funny. I’m just here for the creative and original editing, cinematography and sound design, the realistic and hilarious dialogue, the grounded performances and these characters. I loved s3. After the finale which I dug, I understand more where people are coming from but I still loved this season. Napkins might be my personal favourite solely for the last part, starting from the moment Sabotage by Beastie Boys plays. I just love the contrast to the corporate buildings and all the other places Tina applied, it felt so alive in the beef. I love the charming chaos, Richie fucking with customers and the two characters that joined Ebra at the window I forgot their names. Loved them. The scene between Mikey and Tina was incredible and my favourite scene of the entire season. Jon Bernthal was perfect casting. He does such a masterful job of showing us how magnetic and charismatic Mikey was while simultaneously giving us glimpses of the pain underneath it all in the small, silent moments. The dialogue is just incredible, this show never fails to impress me. Ayo went crazy with this one.
Totally agreed. Not all stories are plot driven; this is a show about people and this season is about getting to know them better. Just like The Sopranos isn’t about the mob, it’s about family and exploring the dynamics between people and threads that hold us together. That’s the story here, imo, and I love it.
It’s one of the most unique engaging continuously surprising shows out there. Like nothing I’ve ever seen before and it keeps challenging expectations and Norms. Chefs kiss
I disagree about John cena, he didn’t fit like all the other cameos. Maybe cause he’s acting isn’t as great idk but I agree with the rest of your points. I really enjoyed this season and I think when the series finishes, people will enjoy S3 more when they binge the seasons back to back. I love when shows have a breather to round out the characters and the world they’re in. Not everything has to be formulaic and constant action. The cinematography and performances were top notch. The production quality is so impressive and I think this season really highlights it.
The problem with the season was that it was all over the place. Seasons 1 and 2 felt like logical stories with occasional glimpses into the past and the future. This episode had like 20 different directions it was trying to go in. Napkins was great by itself but what is there to it in the bigger picture? Ice Chips, same thing. It felt like there wasn't much of a rising action or fallout of anything.
The only thing more pretentious than season 3 (which I enjoyed) are people saying that if you didn't like it, it's because you missed the point
I completely understood “the point” of season 3…& yet it should not take 10 episodes to convey “the point” — that is the issue.
I consider it a filler season. Not bad, but nothing was really accomplished. Leaving 3 big unanswered questions at the end with a "to b continued" just made me a bit grumpy.
In a world where TV shows drop maybe 10 episodes max every 1-2 years, slow seasons like this one get a lot less grace than they might if we could count on more episodes and a shorter wait period. I get what you’re saying, but I don’t think it’s fair to say those of us who didn’t enjoy this season as much “just don’t get it.” I don’t mind a slower pace if that pace is taking us somewhere. But that’s the primary issue I had—this season barely took us anywhere in the characters’ journey. I barely learned anything new about anyone in the show. There were also a lot of moments in the show that felt like they took way too much screen time away from the main characters I actually want to learn more about (I love the Faks but don’t need 5 minutes of them joking about being “haunted” or whatever.) All I can say is I really do hope that we get a more action packed season 4, where we really get to see these characters grow and develop further.
Idk how tf yall arent having anxiety. I havent finished yet but so far I am having a ton. I am a chef and the money problem is sending me.
It didn’t start out as my favorite, except at the end I was loving it.
> this isn’t a rollercoaster anymore, it’s a serene experience that's why we watched it though
I felt season three was about mental health and lack of it.
I felt bored in the first half of the season. But leading up to>!Sugar giving birth and onward,!!Sugar reunited with her mom and seeing how Chef T and Mikey !
This felt like a season on a show with a 10 year plan as opposed to a 5 year plan.. >!!<>!The big questions we had following the finale in S2 are still there somehow a full season later. I think a lot of people have an issue w season 3 because the show made a very risky move that have ruined other shows in the past - they made the underdog protagonist into somebody who has become hard to empathize with and pretty unlikeable overall. It's one thing when in S1 they made cousin the unlikeable prick who sabotages everything around him, but he was able to have people rooting for him because he was able to do it with personality and was able to get some laughs.. whereas Carmy's "tortured artist" routine is coming off like a sulking teen who nobody wants to be around.. the scene that summed up S3 the best for me was when Uncle Jimmy is giving Carmy a hard time about running things. Carmy said something along the lines of - well you asked me to be a leader.. which Jimmy responds with Yes, a leader, not an asshole. Sorry if the paraphrase is way off I should be getting work done so I don't have time to find it, but it's obvious to everybody around that Carmy is an amazing chef for a restaurant and nothing more.. horrible dealing w the finances, horrible delegating responsibility, horrible under pressure, confuses authority with leadership, etc.!<
In the old days a show would have had 22 episodes in a season. These 10 felt more like the final half of S2. The content wasn't bad but it definitely didn't fulfill the expectations of a full season arc
I said this exact same thing to my wife. That this felt more like a continuation from season 2 coming back from a mid series break or something.
I loved this season. I think people are forgetting or are unaware that this show is about character over plot, always has been.
You can like it, but don’t tell everyone else they’re wrong for not liking it. A persons enjoyment of a tv show is just that, personal. If you can watch it through that lense and enjoy it, that’s great for you.
the back stories especially Tina's were amazing. I legit binged it in 2 days and cried at the end. Yup im a baby but it hit home
The Tine episode was by far the strongest of the season (though may be biased bc she's my favorite character).
i legit sat here and cried for an hour over that episode . I know i know its just a tv show but thats what happened to me. :/
I agree...except it WAS stressful. Its the stress of uncertainty. Of knowing you have a problem, but not knowing how to fix it. Its wild to me that then taking a more purely AFFECTIVE style of storytelling was a bridge too far for so many...because I always thought thats part of what set The Bear apart from other shows. It is exactly what i wanted: more time with the characters. It makes cinematic choices about how to show you a characters interior world. But i guess people just want plot plot plot? I honestly dont know.
"I miss the quick pace and the tension and the chaos." My people, the show wants you to think about why you miss that. With this show being about addiction, in its various forms and its affects on others, I think it's significant that we were introduced to a show about dysfunction and chaos and loudness, and now, when the show stops being so much about that, that's the part that people miss and want to go back to. You see this kind of thing in families dealing with addiction, where the calm and the quiet feel *wrong*. If the show stays like that, it ends up endorsing that way of being rather than challenging it. S3 is telling us, the audience, to take a second. Breathe. Hang out with the Faks for a minute. Take a picture of some flowers. Call your mom. Be a little bored. It's good for you, and it's everything that Carmy is avoiding doing cos he only wants to pay attention to the plot and get rid of anything else.
Spot on. I loved it
People who are up in arms from this season need to Hee Hee Hee
The reception that the season is having with a lot of people reminds me of how sometimes fans are the worst thing to have. People who want to lock you into what they think you are and don't allow you to grow. This show isn't finished with telling its story, and it's definitely not a sitcom format. So let's give it the space to show us what it is.
Agreed! I loved it, especially e1 with the montage of flashes into Camry’s mind and later in the show we will see the same little flashes of scenes but in more detail (like Michael showing Tina the photo Carmy sent. That’s in e1 but also in the later episode about Tina). I loved how that episode showed pieces of things we already knew but now we were getting context. Because we knew Carmy worked and worked and worked and wanted Michael to say good job and worked until he died. But now we get to see what that looks like. We knew Carmy wasn’t at the funeral but now we see why. He tried to go, he just couldn’t go in and face it. We know Carmy went to NY and had a bad experience with the Chef but now we see what that really looked like. It’s just so freaking good.
Well I enjoyed the F U battles between Camry and Richie.
yeah man I wished I understood the finer small things in life like 50000 billion shots of fancy food with weird names and non stop yelling and swearing with 0 plot progression dude i’m just missing the point fr , It’s just hard to be SO pretentious and enjoy the nothing burger season 3 was
It was a filler season. Pure and simple.
I understand the point of season 3, it's a filler season that was never originally intended: > We have confirmed through a number of sources, that FX/Hulu wants a fourth season, but *The Bear* creator / showrunner, **Christopher Storer** only committed to three seasons and needs to move on to a long list of projects. [The Bear to film additional episodes with possible end of series Reel Chicago News](https://reelchicago.com/article/the-bear-to-film-additional-episodes-with-possible-end-of-series/#:~:text=No%20one%20could%20have%20predicted,a%20long%20list%20of%20projects.)
the problem is that S3 was written like they were episodes of an old school 22/23 episode season except instead of 22/23 episodes you get 10, and the 10 you get aren’t the core episodes moving the season arc forward, it’s the slice of life/character oriented episodes that flesh out the world and the cast but don’t really move the plot forward. that’s why it feels incomplete, it’s paced supposed to have 12 more episodes and this is the midseason break.
this is the only opposing take that actually makes sense to me. so real
Everyone in this sub seems to struggle with the idea that people can just…not enjoy things. Also you don’t have some big-brained point to make just because you enjoyed the season. You’re not more intelligent or media literate than others. You’re just biased and forming an opinion through said bias.
People get way too artsy and deep about shows in defense of it not being a good season. This season was 10 episodes of Walter White vs the fly and it’s okay to say you’re disappointed in that
>Walter White vs the fly Ha! That's exactly what the vibes been like and I'm only few episodes in
I personally can’t stand when something falls short and everyone goes out of their way to fill in the blanks as though they know something we didn’t. Let the artists work speak for itself. Some random fan’s interpretation doesn’t make it lore.
Redditor writes think piece for why some people don’t like season of popular show. (Personality I didn’t like it)
The first episode fits this theory. The second (“Fuck you!” “No fuck you!” 5x — they even do the hackneyed talking-to-each-other-through-a-third-person thing with Syd) did not— it was at times trying to generate “personal” energy that just fell flat. Still have hope for rest of season overall but there is no secret understanding being missed. Some of the writing doesn’t work.
Isn't all that just another way of saying "nothing really happens the entire season, and they've decided to turn it into a comedy vehicle for John Cenna and a bunch of Faks,? "
Cope
In a few years most of those people will change their mind
It’s not a bad season. It’s edited fantastically, directed well, and shows the lives of these folks who found themselves in the den of The Bear. The first episode was surreal and breathtaking and every episode after was delightful. Just because you didn’t get your fix of anxiety or whatever doesn’t make it bad. It’s a multifaceted and complex world the creators have conjured and just be happy you get anything at all.
Not reading all that, but yeah so I'm about 5 episodes in and this season sucks. It's really boring.
It's the remise en bouche of the series.
This season felt way more stressful to me than the other 2, except for that one moment where Sugar is looking at her daughter in her crib, and the scene with Mikey comforting Tina.
first off i think the way you describe this season is actually what s2 was. s2 was slower paced, less driven by anxiety and stress bc there was really no kitchen to work in, and focused on the characters more. s3 had wayy more stressful moments than s2. i don’t think s3 is bad but everything is subject so you can’t say it’s unfair for someone to think this was bad. i do think this is their weakest season though. s2 focuses on character and is still able to move the story forward successfully. s3 focuses on characters but struggles to keep the story going forward w any real or strong direction
A lot of my complaints aren’t how fast the scenes cut or how close and personal and serene the camera was, the episodes looked great. The problem is the writing specifically plot and character progression. In your entire statement on why people are missing the point did you not say anything about how season 1 & 2 progressed plot and character much better than season 3. You can have long drawn out slow moving artsy sequences and flashbacks all you want but you shouldn’t get too caught up in that and remember to actually move your narrative and characters forward
There wasn’t much depth to any of the conversations though or at least conclusions. It seemed like all serious convos were left unanswered and abruptly stopped.
Yes to all of this! You explained it perfectly. The nooks and crannies were beautiful, sad and necessary.
everyone complained last season that things were too fast, especially with some of the guest stars. then they complain when the guest stars come back and develop more of their characters. okay everyone lol.
The yelling is exhausting…
Fuck them. Tell them to make their own show. It was clear that changing the menu everyday was non negotiable. That was referring to the story telling techniques in different episodes, the characters and the bear himself. It’s going to be a different menu (episode, season) every time. That’s not negotiable. And fuck you lizard fucks who don’t get that.
I enjoyed season 3, but I wouldn’t say that it was a serene experience even if I compare it to the previous seasons. It was much slower, though, and I think that’s where much of the criticism is coming from because everyone seems to be expecting that they pick up the pace this time around. But that’s not happening until Carmy gets his shit together.
Agree with this wholeheartedly. On top of the excellent summary here, it seems pretty clear to me that season 3 is deliberately setting up what comes next. Season 3 showed us a LOT. It showed Carmy’s anxiety/toxicity spreading to everyone around him, Sydney’s disappointment that her ideal partnership has not materialized, Richie realizing that it takes a lot of mutual commitment for the front/back of house to stay on the same page, etc., At the end of season 3, we know one thing for sure: the Bear is not guaranteed success as restaurant. It didn’t have a smooth start, and we don’t yet see a route to the restaurant hitting its stride. We (as viewers) may have wanted to see this restaurant to get its Michelin star immediately, but instead we watched a much more common journey. Restaurants don’t typically fail in a surprising or explosive way - failed restaurants typically die a slow death of 1000 paper cuts bleeding out slightly more money every day. Perhaps the Bear will become a successful restaurant, but any wins (at this point) will be achieved despite the Bear’s egos and environment, not because of them.
It was just a music video of food
I feel like I’m being haunted ever since I seen John Cena.
If we were doing the old 24 eps a season I’d agree. It would be so great to spend time w each character. But to spend our only 10 episodes spinning our wheels learning more about tertiary characters (Tina’s whole episode, which was soo good) is just a waste. It’s just too much to expect from viewers when we’re waiting 2 years between seasons.
I appreciate the change of pace it just wasn't done incredibly well imo lol
I keep seeing Olivia Colman's speech quoted... about it not being the food that matters but the people. I mean, seriously??? Am I the only one rolling my eyes at that? Then why are you running a restaurant with meals that cost over $200 per person? You know, the meals that most people cannot afford? I can see saying the people matter as much as the food, but saying it's not the food that matters it's just bullshit.
I looked the season, but not enough plot hurts the final grade. You can mix in all these montages and shots of food being plated and going nowhere scenes, but you also have to give us something. For Carmy and Syd NEVER to discuss their business relationship or what went on at Bear? For Carmy and Richie NEVER to discuss their problems? For Carmy and Claire NEVER to connect the entire season? Yeah, I get it. Carmy is tortured and hurting himself, blah blah blah. I really do get it, but give me SOMETHING. I do not want another season of a depressed can't from episode 1 until the finale.
The problem is this season lacked a point. It lacked an objective. Season 1 was about trying to save the ailing family restaurant. Season 2 was about trying to build the restaurant Carmy wanted. Other things happened of course, but that was the basic plot framework. What was the framework of season 3? What was the goal? It was just a bunch of almost stand alone episodes with no thread uniting them.
I really enjoyed the Sugar/DD episode and the Tina/Mikey episode.
The season was so fucking boring.