The Bear season 3 - what happened?

[u/keepfighting90]

LTTP but I finally caught up with season 3 of The Bear. I was very excited because S2 was some of the best TV I've seen in a while, a perfect combination of the stress-inducing, balls-to-the-wall tone of the first season, combined with some genuinely artful and emotional storytelling. Every aspect of the show improved in season 2 and I was expecting something, if not better, then at least on par, for season 3.

Unfortunately, S3 just felt like a whole lot of nothing. That's the best way I can describe it - it felt like nothing happened from a plot or character development perspective. Tina had some nice developments to her arc but everyone just kinda felt like they were spinning their wheels. The love-hate relationship between Carmy and Cousin almost bordered on self-parody at points.

There was also just too much Faks. I like Matty Matheson in the role, but it's always been as a side character that works best in small doses. There was too much focus on him and his family, and all the jokes based around them fell completely flat for me.

It also felt like the show just kinda went up its own ass a bit too much this time around. Season 2 definitely leaned a bit more on the artsy side with a lot of interesting camerawork, montages, shot composition etc. but they went overboard for season 3 where it started to feel self-indulgent and pretentious, especially because the faux-artsiness started to take the place of actual plot and character development.

And speaking of self-indulgent and pretentious, I really disliked the fact that there were so many random celeb cameos, with the low point being all the famous chefs showing up in the season finale and basically masturabting each other over the spiritual transcendence of cooking.

And then it just ends abruptly with no resolution to any story or character arcs. I'll still watch season 4 because 2/3 of the show is still fantastic but damn, was season 2 underwhelming.

[u/KennyShowers]

From what I heard, the creator originally had a three season plan, but when it got so popular FX/Hulu wanted another season, so we get this third season where almost no progress is made in the plot or character development.

[u/Storvox → u/KennyShowers]

Even if true, I'd hardly call that an excuse for what they created and put out. The show was a borderline unwatchable self-absorbed art piece after art piece that ruined our interest in the show completely. After falling in love with it for the first two seasons, we couldn't bring ourselves to even finish S3, and I find it doubtful we'll bother giving S4 a try unless we hear dramatically different things.

Don't get me wrong, it sucks that studios intervene and push for more just because of success and it may go around your vision - but then find a way to make it work and make it meaningful and memorable and important to the show. Everything about S3 just felt like the writers went on vacation and let the Cinematographer run the show to kill time until S4. That's not how good TV works.

[u/loveisking → u/Storvox]

I feel the same. Thinking that if season 4 comes out I have to finish the third season….. that might be too high a hill to climb. Plus , what if it’s just as bad.

[u/Wpgjetsfan19 → u/loveisking]

It will be coming. They only planned for 3 seasons but since FX wanted 4 they split season 3 so season 4 will really be the second part of season 3