I feel like this goes without saying, but I’ll say it regardless: The Bear is one of the strongest shows on TV in the last couple of years. It somehow has it all: fantastic performances, sharp writing, intense direction, and of course, its signature brilliant editing. All of these aspects combine to create a truly stressful and occasionally claustrophobic experience that in my opinion, has been exceptionally effective across all three seasons. In fact, its latest addition just might be its best.

Now, bear with me for a second. 

I know this is not an especially popular opinion, as many share the belief that the third season of The Bear happens to be its worst. However, much of the criticism around it is neither fair nor justified in my opinion. The word “pretentious” has been thrown around as a descriptor of this season, but I don’t believe it fits. Like the overuse of the word “mid”, it feels like “pretentious” has been thrown around so often its meaning has been lost along the way. But in my humble opinion, all The Bear’s 3rd season has done to deserve this complaint is… experiment with structure? An ambitious, creative approach to storytelling does not a pretentious season make. In terms of narrative and production quality, this installment is on par with the first two seasons. The criticism for the guest stars is similarly unfounded. Though the celebrities they bring on this season are huge, potentially distracting names, so were the guest stars of season 2! They are nonetheless effectively introduced and utilized in a way that always adds to the story being told. Some are excellent comedic relief, while others provide poignant catharsis to extremely unlikeable characters. All work wonders in their roles.

However, the season is not overtaken by these guest stars, with all the original cast members getting ample moments to shine. Jeremy Allen White continues to be a phenomenal talent in this show, giving a nuanced performance as Carmy that can lead to you rooting for him one moment to being frustrated by him the next. Yet the show makes sure to never write Carmy as being so dislikeable that you can’t empathize with him. Rather, any anger with the character comes from wanting to see Carmy succeed and being pained by seeing him repeatedly get in his own way of happiness. 

Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Richie is my favourite character on the show. Though we don’t get an episode quite on par with last year’s masterful “Forks” for him, he still gives a great performance and has some great confrontations with Jeremy Allen White. 

Ayo Edebiri is a massive star. You know it, I know it, and I’m positive the writers of The Bear know it too. Despite that, I felt like Sydney wasn’t as fully defined or well-utilized as she was in the prior two seasons. Ayo obviously gave a stellar performance as usual, but she lacked material to really sink her teeth into. 

What may have contributed to the issue of Sydney’s underwhelming arc was this season’s increased incorporation of comedic elements, which has me feeling somewhat conflicted. Though the season absolutely has funny moments, they feel somewhat tacked-on due to the overall lack of plot relevance and the fact that this show has never been a comedy. Almost all of the best moments of The Bear are intense and dramatic. In fact, the best scene of this season is once again not remotely comedy-adjacent: in “Forever”, Carmy has a conversation with another character that allows White to showcase his talent as he feels equal parts rage, sorrow, and embarrassment. After watching him in this scene, I was convinced that White was the acting MVP of the show. 

Another standout performance can be found in the episode “Ice Chips”, which almost exclusively follows Abby Elliott’s Natalie and Jamie Lee Curtis’s Donna as the former character deals with her complicated emotions towards the latter. The episode will, at times, simply focus on an actor speaking for minutes uninterrupted. Yet the episode stays consistently engaging throughout because of how compelling the story it’s weaving about the characters is. This show has had several bottle episodes that serve to advance one character’s arc or give context to one character’s backstory, and each one has been brilliant. The season does a wonderful job building to its finale, which is largely fantastic. However, I will admit that it does not end on a satisfying note that fully wraps up the arc being told all season. I am aware that Season 4 is coming, but Season 3 does end on a frustrating cliffhanger. Sure, cliffhanger endings are par for the course on TV, but unlike most successful cliffhangers, there is little catharsis or payoff to be found beforehand. 

Still, aside from that fact, this season is stupendous. The cinematography is excellent, with a naturalistic style that never feels overproduced and instead retains the charm and griminess of the first two seasons. As mentioned previously, the editing is nothing short of miraculous as it drops you into this hectic kitchen and forces you to feel every bit of stress as if you were there. The tension is similarly palpable from this, rising to the point that a poke from a butter knife would be enough to cause the characters’ barely repressed emotions to explode at any moment. 

I think the best analogy I could use for The Bear would be to compare its first three seasons to David Bowie’s first three albums. Season 1 is like Bowie’s self-titled first album. It has some solid material, and the potential for something amazing is evident, but as a whole it doesn’t stand out yet. Season 2 is akin to Bowie’s second self-titled album. While it is stronger than the first in terms of overall material, it still feels like there is room to grow and be fine-tuned. This makes Season 3 “The Man Who Sold the World”, which has a fair number of classics and is the most evolved thus far. If the show follows this trend and Season 4 becomes the equivalent of Bowie’s “Hunky Dory”, then I expect an unequivocal masterpiece with Season 4. 

8.5/10