In Napkins – the sixth episode of the third season of The Bear, a flashback centering around Tina’s journey to The Beef – Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) and Michael (Jon Bernthal) have a heart-to-heart. They discuss life, work, and most importantly, of course, food. It’s Michael who ponders to Tina, “If you really consider the special moments of your life, like celebrations and good times, I feel like they always happen around food.” It’s this philosophy that acts as a mission statement for The Bear’s third outing.
In a move that is certain not to work for everyone, The Bear takes a rapid change of pace from seasons past by putting your favorite characters under a microscope. They’re thoroughly examined in what feels like a set-up for some monumental events in season four. By focusing further on the aspects that make The Bear so good – absolutely stunning character work – it presents a season of television that feels completely fresh stylistically, and leaves us with some of the show’s greatest episodes.
Where Season 3 of The Bear Picks Up
Season two of The Bear ended with Carmen (Jeremy Allen White) and the gang (mostly) ditching his late brothers’ divey fast food joint The Beef and opening his vision for high-end dining, The Bear. The opening night didn’t go completely to plan for the establishment’s head chef as he got stuck in the walk-in fridge. After accidentally imparting some home truths about himself to his girlfriend Claire (Molly Gordon) and having an all-out row with his cousin Ritchie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), service came and went without him. Season three of The Bear picks up almost instantly from where it left off as the restaurant goes through its first month of service. The relentless panicked nature – that we’ve come to know and love of the show – takes a back seat, as showrunner Christopher Storer hits the brakes to give the characters some time to breathe.
This meditative approach to the latest ten episodes of the hit show is not more prevalent than it is in the season opener, Tomorrow. Presented as a half-hour montage, it’s a deep dive into Carmy’s brain. What follows is a summated version of his journey from small-town Chicago boy to celebrated culinary excellence. The episode is truly incandescent as it zips through remembered moments. Scenes in militantly clean kitchens where he worked as a line cook are scattered amongst scenes where he is making beautifully plated food, which are scattered amongst scenes of minimal interaction between Carmy and the people closest to him, and on it goes.
Tomorrow and reminiscing
Tomorrow is an Amuse Bouche for the rest of the season. A tasty morsel that explodes on your palette. It’s begging to be remembered as an example of everything that makes Carmy so special, even if he himself can’t see it. Reminiscing can never be exclusively positive though, as the episode also digs into his plethora of trauma. The negative thoughts continue to fester for Carmy throughout season three, as he’s doomed to repeat the cycle, snuffing out the warmest of moments completely.
It’s no surprise then that the strongest episodes of the season are the ones like Tomorrow that are dedicated to digging deep into the characters’ lives. Episode six, titled Napkins, takes us through Tina’s journey from working in a full-time office job to her starting work at The Beef. A beautiful piece of drama centered around her struggles with being made unemployed and finding a second chance in the most unlikely of places.
After Tina loses all hope, she finds herself at The Beef, where they give her a coffee and a sandwich for free. When Michael notices Tina sobbing, he strikes up a conversation. Tina had been judged based on a singular piece of paper the whole time and yet Michael saw beyond that offering her a job. It’s a cherishable moment as it gives us extra insight into the kind of person Michael was and why he is so greatly missed by everyone. Most importantly however, the episode makes Tina’s motivations in the present so much clearer, being able to provide for her family and be a part of something meaningful.
Jamie Lee Curtis’ acting in The Bear
Another such episode is Ice Chips, an absolute masterclass between mother and daughter Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Sugar (Abby Elliott). When Sugar goes into labor and can’t get in touch with anybody, she must resort to contacting her mother – with whom she has a frayed relationship – to be with her at the hospital. As the two converse truths are swapped and wounds are healed. It’s probably the best episode of the season, sporting two phenomenal performances – maybe we can pretend this is what Jamie Lee won her Oscar for.
This approach does leave some characters out of the spotlight, but they are still afforded some sparkling moments. The Bear’s pastry chef Marcus (Lionel Boyce) is left reeling by the loss of his mother and processes his grief by trying to make a dish that celebrates her. Ritchie battles with his loneliness as he traverses life with his daughter after splitting with his partner. Chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) tries to balance being Carmy’s second in command whilst receiving an offer she might not be able to refuse. What makes The Bear season three so special is that even though these characters – and others – take a back seat it never feels that they have been left in the dust.
Olivia Colman made a cameo appearance in season two as Chef Andrea Terry. The owner of the successful restaurant Ever, where Carmy had trained previously. She returns in this season as news breaks that she is closing Ever and having a funeral dinner service to say goodbye. In the final episode of the season, Carmy attends this and, after all is said and done, has a moment with Andrea. It’s a tipping point for Carmy as he gets a veritable look into the future. Andrea Terry is at the end of a journey that Carmy has just begun to embark upon. It remains to be seen if he’ll take the right lessons from that moment, but there’s hope that he will find a way out of the toxicity that he continues to perpetuate.
A Cliffhanger for Season 3 of The Bear
The season ends on a frustratingly big cliffhanger, with a screen that says to be continued. This confirms the reports that season three was the first of two parts. But considering they haven’t filmed season four back to back with season three as they had first planned, we might have to wait a long time to find out what that review said. This season may be frustrating for some as the pacey show comes to a grinding halt. But it’s as though this was always meant to be. We need to witness these characters standing still so the impact of how far they go next season will pack even more of a tasty punch.
Season 3 of The Bear is now streaming on FX/Hulu.
Learn more about the show, including how to watch, at the website for the series.
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