The Bear Season 3 review: Still the most stressful show on TV

The Bear Season 3 returns with another serving of stress, frustration, ambition, beauty, and trauma, with Carmy and Syd feeling the heat both in and out of the kitchen.

When Christopher Storer’s dramedy debuted in 2022, it brought something entirely fresh to the table. On the surface, The Bear is a kitchen drama, but it’s so much more than that. It’s about family and friendship, dreams and ambition, love, resentment, trauma, and joy, brought together with a love letter to Chicago. 

Season 2 surpassed expectations even more. While Carmy and Syd’s quest to transform the humble family-run sandwich shop into their dream fine-dining restaurant was at the heart of the story, each episode cooked up a veritable feast of emotional depth, investing heavily in its characters to stunning effect. 

The Bear Season 2 was some of the best TV of 2023. Though this new chapter might not quite match its excellence, it’s still a rich, emotional experience that explores the relentless pursuit of excellence.

Carmy and Syd feel the heat

The Bear Season 3 kicks off with somewhat of a prelude, darting between Carmy’s past culinary experiences with renowned chefs and his present, dealing with the fallout of opening night. It’s an emotional ride, feeling more like a dream sequence than an opening episode. 

Though some may argue it’s a little self-indulgent, it works well here, helping to establish Carmy’s drive. His obsessive pursuit of perfection, symbolized by his rigid “non-negotiables” for the restaurant, creates a palpable (and familiar) tension that hardly ever lets up throughout its 10-episode run. 

His partner-to-be, Syd, is struggling to deal with his temper, as are the rest of the team, who are just doing their best to stay afloat. As we’ve seen in past seasons of The Bear, every character has their own personal struggles to deal with. This continues in Season 3, from Sugar’s impending motherhood to Richie’s yearning to find his place in the world. 

You can also expect plenty of strong cameos, with Olivia Colman and Will Poulter returning and an excellent turn from John Cena. He, along with the Fak brothers, delivers some much-needed respite (although that still doesn’t mean The Bear should be classed as a “comedy”).

Despite the humor they bring, the Faks’ seemingly frivolous discussions about “hauntings” turn into a running theme – dig a little deeper, and it seems everyone’s being haunted in one way or another, whether that be by their resentments or their need to make things square. 

The Bear cast is cooking

As always, Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach are in top form as Carmy, Syd, and Richie, while the supporting cast continues to shine. There’s not one weak performance in the bunch, making their characters so believable that it’s impossible not to feel every high and low right along with them. 

FX/Hulu

The Bear Season 3 also maintains the same disorienting energy, darting from the frenetic chaos of the kitchen to the introspective focus of the characters’ inner lives. All of this is underpinned by yet another killer soundtrack, with plenty of ‘90s tunes from the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, and Weezer.

When it comes to the weaknesses, part of the problem is having to be compared to the second season, which was marked by a strong focus and direction. This chapter feels somewhat aimless in comparison, at times reveling in the misery and mayhem. 

There’s a sense of treading water, especially when the finale signs off with a cliffhanger. But ultimately, in the wider landscape, it is still remarkably good TV and well worth tucking into. 

The Bear Season 3 review score: 4/5

Though it might not beat its predecessor, it’s another delicious serving of emotional depth and culinary drama. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll have heart palpitations… and you’ll be left hungry for more. 

For more on The Bear, read about how Mikey died, what “keep the spoon” means, and the Bradley Cooper cameo you probably missed. You can also take a look at the other new TV shows heading to streaming this month.