‘The Bear’ season three garners mixed reactions

By Jenna Munswami

If you stay updated on the latest releases across Hulu and other streaming services, chances are you have heard of FX’s comedy-drama series “The Bear.” This summer, fans saw the release of the third season, which I found quite enjoyable. Let’s discuss the various online conversations I’ve seen regarding this latest season.

The most obvious change between this season and the others is how much lower the stakes appear. When watching the first season of “The Bear,” it is easy to feel as stressed as the characters do because of the high stakes. The second season grew more tense as the restaurant’s opening day loomed closer. Though the second season had a different vibe from the first, there was still that sense of urgency driving the show and its audience.

The third season, however, completely tapers off. Many other reviews that I have seen all agreed that there is a lack of urgency that was previously seen in the first two seasons. Some viewers consider this to be a flaw of the third season. Pat Brown from Slant Magazine goes on to say “In its third season, the series dilates the plot, letting mood and character simmer.” On the other hand, Inkoo Kang from New Yorker wrote, “The new season, like its Michelin-hungry protagonist, has lost sight of what made it great.” I did like the direction the show took in terms of granting viewers more insight into the cast. However, I am inclined to agree that the show did lose sight of itself. Everything felt like a build up towards a fourth season, which makes the third one hold little weight on its own. All in all, it was still a very enjoyable watch. The art direction and the overall mood was especially lovely. What “The Bear” was able to accomplish was phenomenal.

Enough of the negative. The season being a lot more mellow led to a lot more character-focused episodes and scenes. One of the most prominent examples of character development is Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s character, Richie. Moss-Bachrach started off playing a man who was stubborn, abrasive and overall just the worst guy in the kitchen. Later on, as audiences learn more about his character, we see him grow a desire for direction in his life. Starting in season two and continuing throughout the remainder of “The Bear,” Richie gets his life back on track. In a Vogue interview with Moss-Bachrach, journalist Hayley Maitland writes, “Like everyone else, he found Richie’s quest to become ‘a better man’ endearing, but he stresses that ‘it takes more than just putting on a suit’ to change a person.” Seeing Richie become more calm and organized is a vast change from season one, during which he may have provoked Sydney into not-so-accidentally stabbing him.

Audiences also appreciated the character relationship development between Sugar and her mother, Donna. These two characters interact without being dragged down by other characters’ stress, which strengthened the mother-daughter bond while demonstrating what true, filial love looks like. To say their relationship is perfect would be completely wrong, as there is still so much trauma to be worked through. However, that emotional bond will help them work through anything.

Finally, the episode “Napkins.” Tina’s backstory was a nice surprise and definitely appreciated. I am sure that her simple, relatable story resonates with many out there. The episode provided context as to why she was so hard on Carmy at first, as her bond with Michael was so special that it felt insulting to replace him. She definitely grieved Michael’s death, too, but as she heals, she warms up to Carmy more. “Napkins” is phenomenal all around and is one of, if not the best episodes of season three.

All in all, “The Bear” season three might be considered the weakest of the seasons. There were many mixed reviews, but the show is worth watching for yourself. While the tone may have differed, there was still that same level of quality. Overall, I would recommend it and consider it to be an incredible watch nonetheless.

Jenna Munswami is a sophomore communications major