FX drama “bearA “Uncut GemsThere is an “electrical” current running through the veins of these wounded, traumatized characters trying to survive not only the high-pressure stress of a highly dysfunctional kitchen, but also their highly dysfunctional and broken lives. Ebon Moss Bachrach, He plays Cousin Richie on the show, and he perfectly described the series as “high sodium volatile” in an interview during Season 1. None of them were addicted to drugs (though they were at times), but the high blood pressure of their environments and the lives they lived made for an incredibly toxic, gripping show about intergenerational trauma, surviving life, and overcoming grief.
(*Note: there are mild spoilers ahead regarding season 3 guest stars, 90% of which are returning celebrity stars from season 2 so no big surprises, and we won't mention the rare new guest stars*).
Season two was just as compelling, albeit with a more minor tone, more character flashbacks and a few romances. But just two years later, season three of “The Bear” feels like a stove that's run out of gas: choppy and unfocused, occasionally brilliant but often frustrating, distracting and repetitive.
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The Bear was born out of deep sorrow, and is the brainchild of award-winning chef Carmy Belzatto.Jeremy Allen White), and his older brother Mikey (Jon Bernthal) And Carmy's relentless pursuit of imposing fine-dining rules on a shoddy sandwich shop puts him at odds with his cousin Rich (Moss-Baccharach), co-manager of the place, and the rest of the staff.
Season 2 examined the many painful histories of the Belzatto family's extended collective trauma, explaining much of the damaging background without giving too much away. But Season 3 picks up right where Season 2 ended, with Carmy essentially ruining his relationship with his beloved girlfriend, Claire (Molly Gordon(He appears in a few flashbacks but barely appears during the season.) But the premise — that he is overheard by her hastily confessing that he let his guard down for the sake of love — seems repetitive and doesn't say much that's new about its themes or characters.
Read more: 'The Bear': Ebon Moss-Bachrach Discusses FX's Dysfunctional Family Restaurant Series' “High Sodium Volatility” [Interview]
Season 2 ended with the question of whether an artist must sacrifice love and happiness for success, or whether an artist must be an unencumbered, monk-like samurai in order to achieve pure perfection. In Season 3, the answer is a resounding yes for Carmy, no matter how much he misses Claire and how much he knows he's failed. As the brilliant but troubled chef doubles down on his ambition to achieve pure perfection, he once again becomes his own worst enemy and the villain of Season 3, unrealistically pushing everyone around, overly obsessing, and making everyone's lives miserable in the process.
And tonally, the show is odd. The understated first episode, “Tomorrow,” is quietly melancholic and a brilliantly unconventional way to start a season, as Carmy reflects on his past and the creation of a list of “non-negotiables” that he plans to present to Claire and the staff at Bear Restaurant. Nine Inch Nails' “Together” is moody and atmospheric.
The staff reacts clearly unhappily to the non-negotiable staff's unreasonable and overbearing demands (changing the menu daily, completely unworkable standards) and then the season begins again, with the chaotic and frantic pandemonium of season one all over again – all because, once again, Carmy is once again agitated and overstressed by the grief of losing Claire.
This is a consistent theme in the series—compartmentalization, avoidance, drowning in work to escape the heartache, and, in Carmie's case, a heaping dollop of self-sabotage piled on top—but this is repetitive, well-worn territory that feels akin to a relapse, both emotionally and narratively.
“The Bear” is just as frustrating in its third season. The show has great atmosphere. Carmie is still dealing with her traumatic past, the emotional abuse she endured at the hands of her former chef, and her falling out with Claire. And of course, the creators Christopher Stoller's Use of music (John Cale, NIN, Brian Eno, Eddie Vedder) is ace and generally produces a lot of disappointing moments.
But when the series returns to its chaotic kitchen yelling matches and overlong scenes, it starts to feel exhausting rather than exhilarating as it did earlier.
Season three will feature a number of returning guest stars. Will Poulter As Luke, Jamie Lee Curtis As Dee Dee, Carmie's dysfunctional mother Gillian Jacobs As Richie's ex-wife Tiffany, and Olivia Colman There's a chef named Andrea Terry (along with several others, including Bernthal) in the role, but still, aside from a heartfelt scene with Tiffany about attending Richie's wedding, her role barely adds any emotional value to the show (a key element this season has been missing).
Ironically, of all the guest stars (at least one of which feels like flimsy stunt casting), it's the writers/showrunners, most of whom are not actors, who are the best and most noticeable. Brian Koppelman (“Billions) was killed by Jimmy “Cicero” Kalinowski, a regular at the Bear Restaurant.Oliver Platt) is concerned that the store is becoming a money pit. Mr. Computer has run the numbers, the figures and cost-benefit ratio are dire, and he recommends cutting back or closing the store down.
And many of the detours will not work or will result in losses.Lionel Boyce) is struggling with the death of her mother in season 2. Still, Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), this grief is not addressed in a particularly new way. And theoretically, Tina Marrero (the excellent Lisa Colon Zayas) features a flashback episode that recounts the financial anxieties and struggles that led her to Bear in the first place (which is relatable to our current economic situation), but it also feels like a filler episode that takes away from the momentum of the main story.
So what exactly is the story of this season? Essentially, they're just desperately trying to make the restaurant profitable and stay in business despite Carmy's idealistic and impossible-to-achieve demands, which ends up making that goal unattainable and once again damaging morale in the process.
One of the most interesting elements of season three, which carries over from season two, is the idea that Sydney just can't take it anymore, can't stand or deal with Carmie's craziness. A lucrative job offer brings her to a critical crossroads: stay with Bear or take the plunge into a new business venture, but it's a tough decision and she essentially panics as she tries to grapple with the choice.
Created by Christopher Stoller, who directs and writes 90% of the seasons (directing and writing or co-writing seven of the 10 episodes), the show leaves some episodes badly underdeveloped. Episode 8, “Ice Chips,” Jamie Lee Curtis He is credited as co-showrunner. Joanna Caro Perhaps it's mother and daughter (Carmy's sister Natalie, Abbie Elliott) but the exhausting episode backfires. The relentless nature of “The Bear,” which feels entirely improvised, completely unwritten, and possibly made on the day, condenses what was once ultra-engaging and emotive into something relentlessly exhausting (and, Duccio Fabbri(The director's third episode is also exhausting.)
The final episode, set in Chef Andrea's famous restaurant and bringing all the main characters together in the same room, feels a bit artificial, with endless scenes of pointless chatter and a first draft feel at best.
Season three ultimately boils down to the looming unexpected restaurant review, the verdict of which is unclear but will determine Bear's survival. But in this respect, “The Bear,” with its “to be continued” ending, feels like a half-baked, unfinished season.
Now, despite these complaints, The Bear is still a watchable show thanks to its cast, but season three is still a disappointment. Allen White, Edebiri, and Moss Bachrach are very appealing, and Matty Matheson's Neil Fach's character development is interesting, but the writing overall doesn't do them all justice, resulting in a spineless filler season that feels like a stopgap while waiting for season four (and thankfully they didn't rush to film it as originally planned, which would have been undoubtedly disastrous). With a final season clearly looming, can The Bear bounce back? As chefs often say when complaining about perfectionism, this dish needs re-baking, and fast. [C+]
All episodes of “The Bear” are currently available to stream on Hulu.
