Huge disappointment imo.
Entire episodes wasted on unnecessary backstory and b-stories. The first two seasons were about the origin, and the creation of The Bear, this third season should've been more focused on the operations of the bear and less about weird montages that reuse the same clips.
I literally fast forwarded through most of the "ice chips" episode when I realized it was just going to be about being in labor at the hospital with Jamie Lee Curtis. 🥴
Literally watching it now, that’s what prompted me to look up if this season is even good. Like bro I wanna see some food and restaurant operations I really don’t want to listen to “heeeeeeeheeeeeeheeeeee” going to skip the entire thing…
Same. I love tina, but she didn't need a full episode about her past. It's like she was contractually obligated so much air time And she was barely used in any of the other episodes so they gave her her own origin story
I know this is an old post, but other than enjoying the Tina episode I felt like I learned nothing, saw no growth, and the plot didn’t move forward AT ALL. We didn’t learn anything new in any of the episodes. It felt like every episode was trying to be similar to the seven fishes bottle episode but I learned nothing I didn’t already know. The sugar in labor episode just rehashed everything we already knew about their mom, the first episode we already saw all of, and the freaking cliffhanger at the end was unnecessary.
A huge bummer.
It's because the first 2 seasons didn't spell out this much info, it showed it whether through dialogue, small interactions, very short flashbacks etc. you didn't need 40 minutes to comb through it all because they let you connect the dots while the overall story drove forward. Fishes stood alone because it spelled out SO MUCH about the dysfunction that had been alluded to but did it in so many different ways it almost felt like an attack which is why it worked so well. The issue with this season is they're showing so many things that have already been connected and stretching these connections to just hit the same note, over and over again, and doing nothing with the story.
Not at all.
I was actually shocked at the blatant waste of a half hour of storytelling from the premiere episode, and my brain was numbed by the praise it was getting when it’s literally a drawn out recap of shit we already knew.
Is it pretty? Sure. Did offer anything in the form of story progression? Fuck no it didn’t.
This was only made worse from the second episode where 25 of the 30 minutes are spent in the kitchen with Richie and Carmy screaming “fuck you” back and forth at each other the entire time.
I was extremely disappointed with critics seemingly forgetting what makes a show good, but am pleased to see audiences are actually clued into how much of a step down this season was.
I’m halfway and I feel no desire to finish it at this point. Once future seasons are out, I have a feeling you’ll be able to skip season three entirely and miss nothing as far as storylines go.
Huge disappointment of a season, dont really understand what happened, change of writers, reduced time with actors?
The first episode I had no idea what I was watching exactly, they took maybe 2 episodes worth of story and made it into 10 in the most painful ways to sit through. If I didnt enjoy the first two season If never have sat through season 3. But, i gotta say, season 1 was the only really good part of this show and at the time I felt like they really speeded through the story where they could have taken more time with the beef imo. Maybe they got that criticism and then responded in the extreme opposite manner.
I never enjoy when main characters are at ends with each other for too long. The problem here is I dont even fully understand what the conflict is really. And then you have the most cliche situations playing out on top of things.
Whatever happened behind the scenes, in the writing room, or wherever between season 2 and 3 needs to be undone or season 4 is the end of the show for sure. Maybe they only planned on having 3 seasons and then success meant people wanted more seasons so they are just milking out that 3rd season but, as a viewer it was painfully boring to watch, i just wanted something to happen and couldnt wait to get to the end of each episode.
I think you hit the real core of the issue in mentioning the lack of progress. It felt stagnant and pointlessly bogged down. Especially the finale where they spend almost 15 minutes of the runtime on soliloquies from cameos instead of doing anything meaningful with the main cast. Every point is belabored and beat to death. They spent time giving other characters meaningful moments only to constantly remind us that it's really all about our poor tortured genius, Carmy. It felt like 10 episodes of setup for Season 4 (currently in production for an early 2025 release) and because of that, it also felt like a waste of time. There were some brilliant moments from this endlessly talented cast but the whole thing does ultimately suffer badly from a lack of plot progression or significant growth. I fully expect to be wowed by S4 as I think they're setting up for a great ending but it's still a disappointing turn.
I think it’s a good narrative choice to explore, but there’s no growth or arc involved. Carmy ends the season in nearly the same place he starts.
It’s hard to describe - but this feels like half a season, narrative wise, except stretched over a full season? I personally don’t mind the cameos, i didn’t find them over distracting, but this season just didn’t have the meat that THOSE 2 episodes of season 2 have… nor does it have the narrative payoff.
And the attempt of being funny by repeating the same “haunt” plot over and over felt so forced as well…it’s a shame as the Fak were very funny in season 2.
I started fast forwarding any time any Faks showed up.
Listening to them rift back and forth about stupid pointless bullshit was making my brain leak out of my ears.
The haunt trope was genuinely really pissing me off after a while. It felt so forced and cheesy, and I think the general lack of plot progression made any obvious roadblocks exceptionally frustrating.
I feel like if it hits those points that well, they’re pretty great characters. I do think their scenes felt incredibly out of place tho. I guess they were supposed to be “funny breaks in between yelling and screaming”
*Do you think the funny break was haunted? What was it like to be haunted?*
Omg I could not believe how much of a reoccurring topic this was and it was just weird and not funny every single time.
I think this is def the weakest season of the series.
Storywise they went a lot of introspective which worked for some but didn’t for others and nothing quite moves forward.
It felt like there was an emphasis on style this season that worked in some places and failed in others.
I don’t think it’s a bad season, it’s just not as good.
To be perfectly honest, I think Christopher
Storer got high off his own supply. So many times during this season I thought “this is the most pretentious thing I’ve seen in a while”.
The intro on episode 2 is what made me feel this way (“this is the most pretentious thing I’ve seen in a while”). The song choice, the fact that they play the entire song so the intro is like 3+ minutes long, the repetitive subject matter (people in kitchens waving at the camera). Like, ugh. Horrible.
I still have three episodes left, and some of them are excellent. But I really felt this with the first episode of the season - the pretentiousness. The episode is 37 minutes long, and there’s so many repeated similar shots of Carmy working in the other restaurants or prepping food. Some of those are obviously fine, but that episode could have easily cut 10 minutes and not lost anything at all. I’ll admit that I’m not the most patient person in the world, but in spite of that the episode just felt very excessive
I ate 15 down votes for saying the same thing. I’m about to rename this show “I am taking myself seriously” when does Lip start shooting heroin? Plz now?
I haven’t finished S3 but it felt pretty redundant so far. Especially episode 1 with the flashbacks that I personally didn’t need. Way too many cameos from celebs which then undermined some of the special moments from S2. I rolled my eyes when that Noma celeb chef turned up
I literally did the same thing when I saw redzepi. What’s funny is that he’s closing his restaurant and becoming a food lab because he’s an asshole/financially unstable and unethical.
Yes! The more I know about him, the more I dislike him. Seems like such a big ego. I saw him in that David Chang show and the pair of them were just so cringe. I’m not surprised he couldn’t pass up an appearance on The Bear to have his ego licked again
It felt like they were experimenting with the medium instead of trying to present entertainment. Like they were sitting there saying “what if this episode we only do montages?”
I got so tired of the yelling in every episode. I love seasons 1 and 2 but I fast forwarded through so many belabored communication scenes, even the one involving Nat in labor. A whole painful twisted episode given over to this relationship. I figured they would have some type of reconciliation but the process was just too painful to endure. I'm sick of mopey self-obsessed Carmey and disappointed that Sydney faltered in her clarity about leaving a dysfunctional environment. I watched all 10 episodes but fast forwarded through many of them that were too burdened down with the same old behaviors and themes. Boring.
Yes, boring. It’s boring while it thinks it’s doing something great, and that’s more “offensive” to me than it just being boring. I really liked the first season, and liked the 2nd season well enough, but I never understood people who said it was mind-blowingly good. It’s suffered from its own hype I think
Yeah it does feel like they tried some new things which is good to make a show feel fresh with each seasons but they didn’t make good choices. Also please explain to me what in the actual fuck are these black screen cuts, it’s awful
It's also about as comedic as a National Geographic documentary.
Succession had more comedy in it than this show does, and that show was clearly a drama.
It had better not be nominated in the Comedy category amongst other actual comedies.
this season it felt like they tried to justify the comedy category with the overabundance of Faks, just about everything else took itself way too seriously
Season 3 felt like the crummy middle movie in a trilogy. The one where everything is ultimately just setup for the final movie where the real stuff will actually happen and so a lot of the characters just spend their time spinning wheels while the rest get put into the places they need to be for their big moment next time. It wasn't...*bad,* per se, but as you put it it wasn't *good* either.
So much of it was filler or ground we basically already covered getting expanded on but not adding much of note, making the main character go 100% asshole for a season so you can do your redemption arc later is...*eh.* All these problems which could ultimately be solved by just one conversation instead being stretched on and on and on never really feels good. Is it human? Yeah, there's a lot of real life problems that are petty and stupid...but I don't really want that to be the core of a whole season of a show.
I also had a strange feeling that each episode was filmed like...award bait? Like they took the wrong lessons from fishes/forks and tried to make every episode in similar more 'artistic' styles not because of a genuine desire but in an attempt to do-again the reaction those episodes got.
I can’t think of more than 3 things I enjoyed about this season. For me it was absolutely unnecessary with episodes that have almost nothing to do with the plot
Omg thank you! I’m in the last few minutes right now and it feels like nothing has happened this whole time. Also things get dragged out, unnecessary dialogue trying to come off as natural and relatable. I’m so disappointed.
There's an episode ayo edebiri directed that's a flashback episode about Tina. Despite being a flashback, it's pretty good. But I agree about the season as a whole. They really dropped the ball.
Skipped that episode and the baby delivery episode. Don't regret a thing. Sorry, but I don't need a Tina backstory at all and I certainly don't need to listen to Jamie Lee Curtis babbling nonsense for 30 minutes either.
That episode was so depressing — like I get Tina’s story .. but it REALLY didn’t need to be an entire episode.
Whole season was a waste. Filled with b-roll shots, redundant flashbacks, zero plot, and zero progress.
I feel like only one episode showed actual cooking…
That episode was great, partially because of Tina but also because we got more time with Mikey. It’s tough to develop a character that’s dead, but I like seeing little nuggets of him through different flashbacks. I think it’s a fascinating way to explore a character
Too slow, self indulgent, stylistic, a couple of really good episodes doesn’t make up for this mess of a season. Almost like music videos at some point. Sooo many flashbacks - was there not enough footage? After the beginning of episode 9 with the Martin Scorsese/slight of hand footage, I was seriously annoyed. If this season was supposed to make us feel the misery of Carmy quitting cigarettes, then it was a success
I just finished S3 today and while I did enjoy parts of it, particularly Tina’s episode, I have a lot of the same sentiments. For me, what made S2 special was a lot of the character growth the characters went through, like Richie finding his new passion for service, and I feel like that’s a big piece of what was missing from this season. None of the characters had any personal growth and are in similar spots that they left S2 in, especially Carmy.
For him, his story has been about how he’s used being a chef to avoid dealing with his family and personal relationships. S2 left him off with him ruining his relationship with Claire and also his difficult relationship with his mother. Going into S3, I thought both of those would’ve been storylines to explore and was honestly shocked that neither got any serious attention. Carmy never spoke to his mother or Claire over the course of the season and both relationships are essentially where they were at the end of S2. The only real progress he made was confronting Chef David (Joel McHale) in the finale for all the mental torment he put him through while working under him in New York, but even that interaction didn’t feel like it gave him any real closure.
Overall, while I did enjoy parts of the season, it did feel like the weakest of the 3 as the characters didn’t make any real progress. I’ll definitely be back for S4. I just hope the show returns to form and corrects these issues.
I have always thought that Syd was the weakest of all the characters, by far. I don’t understand why they continue to treat her almost as a second lead.
Thank you, I see so many people that love Syd and she drives me crazy. She acts entitled to a position that she never manages to do when given the opportunity. I spent this entire season hoping she would take the other offer!
agree, and there's no excuse for her stilted delivery and verbal flightiness that makes me dubious that the character could possibly be a good cook. She comes across as about 17 years old, shallow and flippant and given way too much power. The Faks, tiresome as they can be, were sweet relief in this season.
Sadly, I have to agree with most everything you said.
This season had very little character progression, or story.
It felt very emotional, yet nothing that makes me look forward to another season.
Side Note: someone is a super Weezer fan lol
I’m on episode 4 and it’s overall very very very boring. The artistic direction is sooooo slow and drawn out. Every shot seems much longer than it needs to be. It honestly gives me anxiety waiting for something to actually happen.
as a former linecook and hardcore foodie, there's so much pretentious bullshit that shows the writer truly does not understand linecooks or the industry. especially the table conversation between all the linecooks in the finale. really disappointing
HAHA I had the same thought about the fridge music scene. I thought I was the only one
I think the most compelling episode was actually the prequel episode where Tina was in the job hunt.
I feel like they halted every character’s development. And I can’t with Claire. It’s sad that the actress is capable and likeable, because that character is barely even a person. She’s like the cliche dead wife- seen only in loving, dreamy flashbacks. She is u conditionally supportive, sweet, and focused on Carmy. She asks him about the fire suppression test, and his cooking, he tells her about the Christmas stuff, and she asks him endless questions. I don’t think he ever asks about her just as intense job at the hospital, her friends, nothing. She’s some form of Manic Pixie Dream Girl.
I was disappointed. The facial closeup’s and non verbal looks were annoying. The episodes were either flash backs and or Bear’s struggles with his inner thoughts.
If they weren’t screaming at each other then we are looking at everyone’s pores on their noses the camera was so close.
I wish if there is a season 4 that it picks up and the restaurant is a success. Then we’d all have a happy ending.
Finished the season. Waste of my tv time. Season 4 I hope is not like season 3. Insinuate to admit the scene with Jamie Lee Curtis being a weirdo if a mom was funny. She is really a nut.
I couldn’t tell if the season took place over 3 months, 3 weeks, or 3 days. Syd not signing the agreement yet would be weird if it was 3 months, but they kept showcasing all the different articles about the restaurant, which would take time to come out. Also, it’s set in the summer leading up to Richie’s ex’s wedding in Sept 2023, they shouldn’t be wearing fall coats and gloves at the park. No arc, no conflict, no resolution. This season was a dud
Dude syd character drove me fucking crazy. Literally has done nothing but bitch and they take care of her, make her a owner and she's like yes I'm quitting. I do not get how anyone finds her character enjoyable to watch. And I'm talking about her character only I like the other female characters but dam they need to fix some shit bc this season was straight garbage. Even Richie this season was boarder line impossible to deal with the first like few episodes with him and carmy fighting literally over non negotiable like bro if you have that big of an issue quit the fucking restaurant. I've worked in fine dining Everyone is head strong and does not argue you're grateful you have the chance to even be in that position to learn from such knowledge people. The show can be great and then sometimes it's like filler la la land of made up pretentious vomit. This season literally had no plot like zero. Just bizarre. Fork on the ground scene for the Michelin reviewer we don't see if rich picks it up or not if bro cares so much and does all that yelling to fuck them over. him and syd should just quit if they hate it so much. I really hope season 4 has writers that aren't like room temp iq. I just don't get it we literally didn't get a single resolve this season I battled to through the last two episodes to see if they got a good review and can't even show us like really ? To be continued? You had like 9 episodes to wrap it up lmao. Also, so many scenes that go on for an awkwardly long time or just straight boring moments that could have been cut way short the whole labor thing like did we really need an entire episode of her in labor. Ive never fast forward so much in a show before. The only reason I'm typing this is because being in fine dining and not anymore this show really resonates with me when I watch it about my past and the other two seasons were so good I'm just really disappointed and don't want it to be crap just makes me mad dude
>the acting from Syd's actor is just kind of bad, its super stale and she just cant convey emotions and body language half as good as the other main cast, it makes her feel super out of place and almost every interaction and scene with her is very awkward (that has been a problem since season 1 and it improved a bit this season but still its pretty bad)
Reading this made me feel like I'm in Bizarro World. Ayo Edebiri is amazing.
Ayo is not awkward. The character Sydney is awkward. Syd is written, directed, and acted to be awkward. She is an anxious person (remember her vomiting outside during service in season 2 -- the finale, I think). She came to The Beef, because she idolized Carmen and wanted to work with him and learn from him, which is why she sometimes has trouble telling him when he is being a douche.
Saw a post yesterday that made a point that season 3 and 4 were shot back to back so they thought it would basically be a part 1, part 2. Definitely plausible as to why this season feels off.
Never said it wasn’t, I think there were some AMAZING episodes like The Tina one and napkins but the overall interest and quality felt very off and not up to par, which made it not that good
I like that it's less unnecessarily stressful and some characters and improving themselves, which is good.
But the low stakes artifial conflicts made it feel like a season of stalling.
But that doesn't mean that there isn't a lot of great writing, editing and performances.
If we get a season like this in order to have Ice Chips it's worth it.
I just wish that if they weren't going to move the overarching plot forward, they'd have just given us a full season of small stories based around a core character or two.
I’ve chips was good but season 2 for example had, forks and the 1 hour family episodes which are both better than ice chips (imo at least) and the entire s2 and 1 are great not only these episodes
What a disappointment! Like many multiple series, season 3 has lost its way. Who cares about the personal lives of the minor characters? Lots of silly bits from the minor actors that seem out of place and ridiculous. There are so many members of the cast in the kitchen that it looks like a crowded elevator free falling. Dialogue- wha dialogue? Just lots of screaming and cursing. Someone needs to tell the writers that the show is about Carmy, Syd and Food. Do you ever see customers' reactions to the dishes? Noooo. I have watched up to episode 6 and wish I could say something positive but cannot.
I watched two episodes so far. First one was interesting, artistic, but did we need to start the season with a retrospective of how Carmy progressed as a chef?
Second episode I really liked, the premise was very simple with every character entering the room after the other, adding something new to the situation, the pace is great, the dialogues are witty, it felt like watching a short play.
Overall I’m satisfied so far, but again it’s only two episodes
I love this show and wanted to hope all the reviews I’ve seen were just blah.
But then I watched the first episode and checked the remaining time more than once after feeling like maybe it was an hour slot. It’s rare that I’ve felt an episode be so slow for me in a show.
It’s interesting, but felt way too introspective.
But I’ve just watched the one so I need to watch some more.
> but did we need to start the season with a retrospective of how Carmy progressed as a chef?
I'd say so as it is the motivation for the changes he makes to the Bear
Eh, agree to disagree. I really enjoyed the more meditative format of the season. It’s not an adventure show, a show about a restaurant and the people working at it taking a season to reflect and change is progress imo.
I’m always amazed when people rave about her acting and she wins so many awards. She’s not terrible but she has one style of acting which I was fine with in S1, but then it felt sooo repetitive in S2 and S3. Compared to the pain and complexity that Ebon and Jeremy portray, and also the lady who plays Tina, and Oliver Platt and the wonderful Jon bernthal in his short scenes. So many actors are awesome but Ayo is just ok 🤷🏻♀️
That’s unfortunately true. And it’s a shame cause almost everyone else is doing some of the best and most realistic acting I have ever seen. There are a few characters which don’t reach the same levels as others but they aren’t as much of an interruption cause they aren’t as central and important to the story as she is
I went looking for information because I just now made it through the first episode, which was a struggle. That makes me sad because the last two seasons were phenomenal. I'm kind of getting the feeling they rushed this just to churn out another season. I'd much rather them take their time to provide an equally good product instead of just making another season quickly. So far, my dish was served cold and I'm contemplating returning it. So disappointed.
Episode 6, Napkins is easily one of the best episodes of television I have watched this year. I felt for Tina having been there myself and that line, "You could just apply on LinkedIn..."
I agree that it's great but the frustrating part is that her character feels so removed from the larger over arcing stories. Makes the episode feel less impactful as a result.
Im up to episode 7 (I think) and I’ve loved every single one. It’s not moving things on a great deal but I’m fine with that, it’s working really well at letting everything breathe and letting us get to know the characters at a deeper level. It’s also very obviously setting up for the fourth season which I believe they filmed back to back with this so presumably we won’t have that long to wait until the next season.
For me it’s really cementing it as one of my favourite tv shows ever and I’m just getting more of what I love.
Each to their own of course but I can’t complain at all.
You sound like someone who’s just gonna like it no matter what for whatever reason, which is totally cool of course, but saying this season was letting the characters breathe is just wild.
It came off as pretentious. Like the creators were trying to impress critics rather than the fans. And yes, the actress who plays Sydney - is objectively bad. I can't imagine her being that awkward and stiff is on purpose.
implying that someone is racist/misogynist for not liking a character on a fictional tv show is the true least surprising Redditor comment lol you dorks are so boring
I am watching it right now and find myself bored as hell. It seems repetitive and dull. Episode 1 was so boring and I finished it with good will because of the previous seasons. Damn, this is a shame. Midway thru it. Not sure if I can make it lol.
y'all really don't know what's actual bad television anymore, which is surprising with the amount of shit coming out in a season package these days on streaming platforms.
This season is getting so much critic while it's still way better than 90% that came out this year, for some reason though, it seems like the current popular opinion is that it's not good and everyone needs to tell online and show that hey they realized that too!
I really have no idea what people are on right now cause if the bear season 3 is bad television, what are we calling everything else really
This is a comparison of the third season with the two others, and like I said I don’t think this season is nearly as good.
And Like a said in another reply, just like in a restaurant, if you wanna keep the high rating and praise you have to keep the level always the same if not better each time.
This season isn’t as good as the others
I honestly didn't notice such a big difference. What i can say is that it's true it feels more like a part 1 instead of a season itself. But I loved every episode, especially stuff like napkins or ice chips, and I find ridiculous how many are treating this season like it's trash. It sounds like people wanting to be edgy cause they're the only one that realized how bad was this famous acclaimed tv show while it's actually not edgy and unpopular at all cause it's actually the trend right now shitting on it.
I wanted to love this season, as I said the first two are some of my favorite season of tv. I just came here to give my thoughts and feelings on the third one and unfortunately it wasn’t positive.
I did really enjoy season 3 but it was not as good season 2 (that bar was set very high). I think the main issue I had was that I felt each episode was written/directed to win an award at the expense of moving the plot along. Like they would have these individual scenes that were written real well or directed or acted in well, but it’s like wait what was the point of this.
season 3 is part one of the finale id say, the prelude to the assfuckery the next season is gna be. them staying in the same place emotionally to each other as the end of s2 was intentional, not bad writing or the plot not progressing. which it DID do btw. i mean for starters carmy finally told people about the chef in nyc. and we got sugar and DD and their episode. the plot may not have followed the curve but its still a great script and a great show. and ayo is not a bad actor at all.
The first two seasons had plenty of character development and chaos. This season was more of a focus on the slice of life. Which was a nice change that I didn't mind.
The Faks were like Bulk and Skull from the Power Rangers this season. They got more air time than some major characters, and that was blown on awkward delivery of what seemed like ad-libbed dialogue. Claire, our beloved friend since childhood, is “the piece of ass”?
The stagnation that Carmy and the crew demonstrate through the restaurant and their personal lives could have been a tight concluding narrative for the show’s final season — the cycle Ever repeated.
Alas, there’s a fourth season in the works.
Full disclosure: Haven’t watched through to the end.
It's a master class in character depth and acting. Come to think of it, every major character is broken further (some recover too, like Tina/Ebra) in one way or another throughout the season. Literally everyone. Sydney was the last one until the final scene. What a cliffhanger!
I thought this season was absolutely beautiful and brilliant. Syd's character is portrayed exactly as they want her to be. She's awkward and has trouble asserting herself. She is conflicted because she has loyalty to Carmy for all he has done for her. She wants to be a star and shine on her own, but she can't do that in Carmy's shadow. I believe she will choose to stay. As far as the show itself, the dialogue is witty, fast, and often times hilarious, even in serious situations. The filming was a notch above and the soundtrack was to die for. When they threw some Tangerine Dream into the soundtrack, in the final episode, it was icing on the cake. Just my two cents. Thanks for listening.
Syd has at no point shown they she is capable of actually running anything. She failed miserably on the opening night of the restaurant. She has shown no growth in her job.
While I agree about the season in general, I hard disagree on the acting. Everyone in this show does a spectacular job of exactly what is expected from service industry professionals in high end restaurants -- Balancing the crazy to portray normality on the outside.
Stress, anxiety, panic, anger, ego, fear are part of the job, accompanied by the extreme highs of creativity, huge wins, and overcoming adversity as a team. It's complex, and not straight forward, and Sydney's character does a solid job of showing that, despite being a bit more animated (as she has been) than the rest of the women on the show.
The acting and the accurate portrayal of the industry are the strongest parts of the show.
It's all style and no substance, like the elevated food that the restaurant has transitioned into serving.
I loved season 1 and The Fishes episode from season 2. I'm halfway through this season and don't want to continue. It's a pretentious nine course meal that I just don't want to finish.
Actually I think you are being too kind! I think this season was just the creators so high on the great feed back - they thought they could metaphorically jerk off on screen and the audience would just applaud.
I didn’t even make it to the end.
5 minutes into episode 1 I was so confused but kept waiting for the clip show to end,
for there to be some actual dialogue,
clarity and forward momentum,
it never came.
How insane to start your first episode entirely this way. The ego to think we should watch a filler show as the premier. But I thought surely it must get better from here.
And while there were more moments of dialogue in the next few episodes,
there were still so many of these weird clips that felt bought from a stock video site - because they carried so little emotional weight and moved nothing forward.
In the next two episodes there would be GLIMPSES of the seasons that should have been.
And I’d think “Ah finally the season is starting” but two seconds later it would go right back to nothingness, these inane clips. What few character scenes existed felt like things that had already been thoroughly explored already.
After that I said F it.
I applaud you guys for even making it past those first few episodes but I knew it wouldn’t be worth it.
The highlights are Fak. And the baker had some good moments. Their acting shone though was all too brief.
Lastly in previous seasons it makes sense why Sidney stayed even through the insanity BUT in this season there is zero logic why she should have stayed through the abandonment and the abuses she had to deal with Esp when her menu is taken away.
I don’t know if she leaves by the end. But you can’t convince me Sidney would have stayed that long.
So I guess in ending I say you are too kind, it was a self felicitating drivel clip show as opposed to a coherent show. Which is devastatingly disappointing. And the real lesson here is for these show runners to never let the hype get to their heads this much.
Finished the season. Found it grueling and artificial, as if David Mamet wrote the scripts while recovering from a stroke. What may work for a novel--zigzagging, deep delves, going backwards--failed abysmally to deliver good television, for me.
We’re fighting to get through each episode. We love tv/film and we’re such fans of the show and characters, but halfway through- and it’s BAD. So bummed
I haaaated this season. Bored the shit out of me.
Like, season 2 was legendary! Business wise, drama wise, and psychology! loved it
I think the producers wanted to string us along with this season to make the fun stuff in season 4
The first season was great seriously it was good. It was new. It was something different. Second season was just OK. The third season is majorly disappointing.
Not enough forward movement . To stagnant over the same difficulties!
No real story line for any one character - just stops and starts - seriously I think it needs better writers - because this one stinks !
The plot line of Tiffany wanting Richie to attend her wedding is so lame! He is still in love with her and Tiffany doesn’t understand that is asking too much of him. Ridiculous!
It’s 10 episodes of trauma porn. Season 1 and 2 have constant progression and cooking. This has less cooking and virtually 0 progression, in fact, I think it progresses backwards.
I have just found this season quite obnoxious in terms of how much it over-inflates the importance of fine dining chefs. You know who's important? Nurses, cleaners, garbage men etc. The whole thing is so wanky. I love good food and appreciate the skill, but really, people who make 100 dollar one-bite plates are not Jesus figures.
Agree on every front. The episodes felt like the food and Carmy's ever changing menu--artful but self-indulgent, full of artifice we and the characters can't get past because we never linger where it counts and linger for a long while where it doesn't (looking at you, chef cameo finale scene). Someone above said it felt like a stream of filler and fluff and I totally agree.
It feels like they are trying to create personal touches or meaning for each character so that the viewers understand and get to know who they are, but it just flopped badly. Season 3 feels like watching a slow train wreck.
I think for how short the episodes are it sure seems like we spend a lot of time on B roll and establishing shots. It's pretty no doubt, but it may be contributing to pacing issues.
They started the season with a full episode of nothing/recap without dialogue, and then basically nothing happened all season. Also, a lot of runtime of just Neil bullshitting about nothing.
*important question*
After all that has been said, is it worth it watching season 3 ?
Were there any scenes or moments that would prevent you from enjoying the upcoming season if its not watched ?
I had such high hopes, but Season 3 was terrible and disappointing. Too much time dedicated to backstories and boring characters. It was as if the writers of the show just simply ran out of ideas.
it was a lot of great television with very bad structure. I.e. Tina and Sugar's episodes were great - but the sum of the season was lacking.
It ultimatley felt like a part 1 to a complete season. Sugar is completely dropped as a character once she delivers that baby. I have no idea if carmie even knows he's an uncle now. Does he care?
Claire arc needed resolution. Syd arc needed resolution. The Bear arc needed resolution.
In the context of the entire run of the show these episodes will be fine - great even. But as a season it felt totally incomplete. Lots of ideas raised, none of them finished. I see why Hulu/FX released all at a once - so many episodes were lacking enough substance to justify a once a week structure. Good choice Hulu/FX execs.
The "comedy" relief with the two brothers is awful. A lot of deja vu drama. Unpopular opinion, but I only liked the first ep of this season. Probably dropping it.
Huge disappointment imo. Entire episodes wasted on unnecessary backstory and b-stories. The first two seasons were about the origin, and the creation of The Bear, this third season should've been more focused on the operations of the bear and less about weird montages that reuse the same clips.
Got sooo sick of all the montages
I literally fast forwarded through most of the "ice chips" episode when I realized it was just going to be about being in labor at the hospital with Jamie Lee Curtis. 🥴
I did the same thing. It just kept going, and going….
Literally watching it now, that’s what prompted me to look up if this season is even good. Like bro I wanna see some food and restaurant operations I really don’t want to listen to “heeeeeeeheeeeeeheeeeee” going to skip the entire thing…
Omg this episode was so fucking boring.
Meeee too! That ice chips episode was BRUTAL!!
Same. I love tina, but she didn't need a full episode about her past. It's like she was contractually obligated so much air time And she was barely used in any of the other episodes so they gave her her own origin story
Am I wild to say that it felt like the whole season was one big filler episode?
I agree! I felt like there was really no plot throughout the entire season!
Yes I agree 1000 percent and came on here just to make sure someone else agreed. Nothing happened so dumb
I know this is an old post, but other than enjoying the Tina episode I felt like I learned nothing, saw no growth, and the plot didn’t move forward AT ALL. We didn’t learn anything new in any of the episodes. It felt like every episode was trying to be similar to the seven fishes bottle episode but I learned nothing I didn’t already know. The sugar in labor episode just rehashed everything we already knew about their mom, the first episode we already saw all of, and the freaking cliffhanger at the end was unnecessary. A huge bummer.
It's because the first 2 seasons didn't spell out this much info, it showed it whether through dialogue, small interactions, very short flashbacks etc. you didn't need 40 minutes to comb through it all because they let you connect the dots while the overall story drove forward. Fishes stood alone because it spelled out SO MUCH about the dysfunction that had been alluded to but did it in so many different ways it almost felt like an attack which is why it worked so well. The issue with this season is they're showing so many things that have already been connected and stretching these connections to just hit the same note, over and over again, and doing nothing with the story.
Absolutely. I felt like I wasted the last couple days watching it. I hope they get it back together next season.
Not at all. I was actually shocked at the blatant waste of a half hour of storytelling from the premiere episode, and my brain was numbed by the praise it was getting when it’s literally a drawn out recap of shit we already knew. Is it pretty? Sure. Did offer anything in the form of story progression? Fuck no it didn’t. This was only made worse from the second episode where 25 of the 30 minutes are spent in the kitchen with Richie and Carmy screaming “fuck you” back and forth at each other the entire time. I was extremely disappointed with critics seemingly forgetting what makes a show good, but am pleased to see audiences are actually clued into how much of a step down this season was. I’m halfway and I feel no desire to finish it at this point. Once future seasons are out, I have a feeling you’ll be able to skip season three entirely and miss nothing as far as storylines go.
Pretty much exactly what I said to my wife, I said it felt like anime filler.
Huge disappointment of a season, dont really understand what happened, change of writers, reduced time with actors? The first episode I had no idea what I was watching exactly, they took maybe 2 episodes worth of story and made it into 10 in the most painful ways to sit through. If I didnt enjoy the first two season If never have sat through season 3. But, i gotta say, season 1 was the only really good part of this show and at the time I felt like they really speeded through the story where they could have taken more time with the beef imo. Maybe they got that criticism and then responded in the extreme opposite manner. I never enjoy when main characters are at ends with each other for too long. The problem here is I dont even fully understand what the conflict is really. And then you have the most cliche situations playing out on top of things. Whatever happened behind the scenes, in the writing room, or wherever between season 2 and 3 needs to be undone or season 4 is the end of the show for sure. Maybe they only planned on having 3 seasons and then success meant people wanted more seasons so they are just milking out that 3rd season but, as a viewer it was painfully boring to watch, i just wanted something to happen and couldnt wait to get to the end of each episode.
Exactly how I felt. I couldn’t believe after a whole season there was no review, no movement on Syds contract and nothing with Claire
Claire storyline is so boring
Yeah wtf was that, nothing happened. Just a lot of set up that didn't pay off.
Apparently the creator only planned on doing three seasons but the network pushed them to do four once it was a success so that makes sense.
🎯
Nah
I think you hit the real core of the issue in mentioning the lack of progress. It felt stagnant and pointlessly bogged down. Especially the finale where they spend almost 15 minutes of the runtime on soliloquies from cameos instead of doing anything meaningful with the main cast. Every point is belabored and beat to death. They spent time giving other characters meaningful moments only to constantly remind us that it's really all about our poor tortured genius, Carmy. It felt like 10 episodes of setup for Season 4 (currently in production for an early 2025 release) and because of that, it also felt like a waste of time. There were some brilliant moments from this endlessly talented cast but the whole thing does ultimately suffer badly from a lack of plot progression or significant growth. I fully expect to be wowed by S4 as I think they're setting up for a great ending but it's still a disappointing turn.
It was that 15 minute scene in the finale where I realized “oh absolutely nothing happened or is going to happen this season”.
every second counts. precedes to waste lots of seconds repeating itself
Perfect assessment!
You conveyed exactly how I felt about the show.
“Pointlessly bogged down” is the state the restaurant itself is in, due to Carmy’s issues and choices
I think it’s a good narrative choice to explore, but there’s no growth or arc involved. Carmy ends the season in nearly the same place he starts. It’s hard to describe - but this feels like half a season, narrative wise, except stretched over a full season? I personally don’t mind the cameos, i didn’t find them over distracting, but this season just didn’t have the meat that THOSE 2 episodes of season 2 have… nor does it have the narrative payoff.
dare I say: too many unnecessary Faks scenes which could have been used to actually move the plot along lol
And the attempt of being funny by repeating the same “haunt” plot over and over felt so forced as well…it’s a shame as the Fak were very funny in season 2.
Stop trying to make “haunt” happen
I started fast forwarding any time any Faks showed up. Listening to them rift back and forth about stupid pointless bullshit was making my brain leak out of my ears.
Oh my god, yeah. I got so tired of those two.
The haunt trope was genuinely really pissing me off after a while. It felt so forced and cheesy, and I think the general lack of plot progression made any obvious roadblocks exceptionally frustrating.
I hate them! I grew up with 4 brothers and this arguing reminded me of them and not in a good way.
I feel like if it hits those points that well, they’re pretty great characters. I do think their scenes felt incredibly out of place tho. I guess they were supposed to be “funny breaks in between yelling and screaming”
*Do you think the funny break was haunted? What was it like to be haunted?* Omg I could not believe how much of a reoccurring topic this was and it was just weird and not funny every single time.
But but but. John Cena!
I think this is def the weakest season of the series. Storywise they went a lot of introspective which worked for some but didn’t for others and nothing quite moves forward. It felt like there was an emphasis on style this season that worked in some places and failed in others. I don’t think it’s a bad season, it’s just not as good. To be perfectly honest, I think Christopher Storer got high off his own supply. So many times during this season I thought “this is the most pretentious thing I’ve seen in a while”.
It feels like a sitcom trying to be prestige TV and not understanding what made it special. The pretentious is loud in some of these shots and cuts.
The intro on episode 2 is what made me feel this way (“this is the most pretentious thing I’ve seen in a while”). The song choice, the fact that they play the entire song so the intro is like 3+ minutes long, the repetitive subject matter (people in kitchens waving at the camera). Like, ugh. Horrible.
I just left a similar comment because I completely agree. That first episode was just not great
I still have three episodes left, and some of them are excellent. But I really felt this with the first episode of the season - the pretentiousness. The episode is 37 minutes long, and there’s so many repeated similar shots of Carmy working in the other restaurants or prepping food. Some of those are obviously fine, but that episode could have easily cut 10 minutes and not lost anything at all. I’ll admit that I’m not the most patient person in the world, but in spite of that the episode just felt very excessive
I ate 15 down votes for saying the same thing. I’m about to rename this show “I am taking myself seriously” when does Lip start shooting heroin? Plz now?
I haven’t finished S3 but it felt pretty redundant so far. Especially episode 1 with the flashbacks that I personally didn’t need. Way too many cameos from celebs which then undermined some of the special moments from S2. I rolled my eyes when that Noma celeb chef turned up
I literally did the same thing when I saw redzepi. What’s funny is that he’s closing his restaurant and becoming a food lab because he’s an asshole/financially unstable and unethical.
Yes! The more I know about him, the more I dislike him. Seems like such a big ego. I saw him in that David Chang show and the pair of them were just so cringe. I’m not surprised he couldn’t pass up an appearance on The Bear to have his ego licked again
It felt like they were experimenting with the medium instead of trying to present entertainment. Like they were sitting there saying “what if this episode we only do montages?”
what if this episode was just a single arguement that doesnt get resolved
What if we just have a whole episode of two guys screaming “fuck” at each other?
Too derivative :P https://youtu.be/PNVEQgXsBgs?si=EF3NzDK0r1n-O_4A
I knew what this was before even clicking on it. The landlord was sitting there just how I was when I first watched that scene
I got so tired of the yelling in every episode. I love seasons 1 and 2 but I fast forwarded through so many belabored communication scenes, even the one involving Nat in labor. A whole painful twisted episode given over to this relationship. I figured they would have some type of reconciliation but the process was just too painful to endure. I'm sick of mopey self-obsessed Carmey and disappointed that Sydney faltered in her clarity about leaving a dysfunctional environment. I watched all 10 episodes but fast forwarded through many of them that were too burdened down with the same old behaviors and themes. Boring.
Yes, boring. It’s boring while it thinks it’s doing something great, and that’s more “offensive” to me than it just being boring. I really liked the first season, and liked the 2nd season well enough, but I never understood people who said it was mind-blowingly good. It’s suffered from its own hype I think
Yeah it does feel like they tried some new things which is good to make a show feel fresh with each seasons but they didn’t make good choices. Also please explain to me what in the actual fuck are these black screen cuts, it’s awful
> Fine ~dining~ television
They went the route of ‘Atlanta’ and it did not pay off tbh
It's also about as comedic as a National Geographic documentary. Succession had more comedy in it than this show does, and that show was clearly a drama. It had better not be nominated in the Comedy category amongst other actual comedies.
this season it felt like they tried to justify the comedy category with the overabundance of Faks, just about everything else took itself way too seriously
I felt like I watched 10 episodes of someone’s editing wet dream with zero storyline.
All the reused established footage it was like a fan edit
Season 3 felt like the crummy middle movie in a trilogy. The one where everything is ultimately just setup for the final movie where the real stuff will actually happen and so a lot of the characters just spend their time spinning wheels while the rest get put into the places they need to be for their big moment next time. It wasn't...*bad,* per se, but as you put it it wasn't *good* either. So much of it was filler or ground we basically already covered getting expanded on but not adding much of note, making the main character go 100% asshole for a season so you can do your redemption arc later is...*eh.* All these problems which could ultimately be solved by just one conversation instead being stretched on and on and on never really feels good. Is it human? Yeah, there's a lot of real life problems that are petty and stupid...but I don't really want that to be the core of a whole season of a show. I also had a strange feeling that each episode was filmed like...award bait? Like they took the wrong lessons from fishes/forks and tried to make every episode in similar more 'artistic' styles not because of a genuine desire but in an attempt to do-again the reaction those episodes got.
I can’t think of more than 3 things I enjoyed about this season. For me it was absolutely unnecessary with episodes that have almost nothing to do with the plot
Omg thank you! I’m in the last few minutes right now and it feels like nothing has happened this whole time. Also things get dragged out, unnecessary dialogue trying to come off as natural and relatable. I’m so disappointed.
Can barely pay attention to it. It’s either people yelling at each other for no reason, or some flashback. Sad to see it doesn’t get much better.
I totally agree. I don’t think I can watch anymore episodes. I feel as though they jumped the shark.
There's an episode ayo edebiri directed that's a flashback episode about Tina. Despite being a flashback, it's pretty good. But I agree about the season as a whole. They really dropped the ball.
Skipped that episode and the baby delivery episode. Don't regret a thing. Sorry, but I don't need a Tina backstory at all and I certainly don't need to listen to Jamie Lee Curtis babbling nonsense for 30 minutes either.
That episode was so depressing — like I get Tina’s story .. but it REALLY didn’t need to be an entire episode. Whole season was a waste. Filled with b-roll shots, redundant flashbacks, zero plot, and zero progress. I feel like only one episode showed actual cooking…
That episode was great, partially because of Tina but also because we got more time with Mikey. It’s tough to develop a character that’s dead, but I like seeing little nuggets of him through different flashbacks. I think it’s a fascinating way to explore a character
Too slow, self indulgent, stylistic, a couple of really good episodes doesn’t make up for this mess of a season. Almost like music videos at some point. Sooo many flashbacks - was there not enough footage? After the beginning of episode 9 with the Martin Scorsese/slight of hand footage, I was seriously annoyed. If this season was supposed to make us feel the misery of Carmy quitting cigarettes, then it was a success
Season three feels like abstract art, but not in a good way.
Is it possible that most of these characters just aren't very interesting? Or is it just poorly written?
I just finished S3 today and while I did enjoy parts of it, particularly Tina’s episode, I have a lot of the same sentiments. For me, what made S2 special was a lot of the character growth the characters went through, like Richie finding his new passion for service, and I feel like that’s a big piece of what was missing from this season. None of the characters had any personal growth and are in similar spots that they left S2 in, especially Carmy. For him, his story has been about how he’s used being a chef to avoid dealing with his family and personal relationships. S2 left him off with him ruining his relationship with Claire and also his difficult relationship with his mother. Going into S3, I thought both of those would’ve been storylines to explore and was honestly shocked that neither got any serious attention. Carmy never spoke to his mother or Claire over the course of the season and both relationships are essentially where they were at the end of S2. The only real progress he made was confronting Chef David (Joel McHale) in the finale for all the mental torment he put him through while working under him in New York, but even that interaction didn’t feel like it gave him any real closure. Overall, while I did enjoy parts of the season, it did feel like the weakest of the 3 as the characters didn’t make any real progress. I’ll definitely be back for S4. I just hope the show returns to form and corrects these issues.
I’m only a few episodes in, but will this one be referred to as “the celebrity cameo season?”
Other than John Cena, who are the celebrities? I genuinely didn’t recognize anyone else
A lot of celebrity chefs, too.
I have always thought that Syd was the weakest of all the characters, by far. I don’t understand why they continue to treat her almost as a second lead.
Thank you, I see so many people that love Syd and she drives me crazy. She acts entitled to a position that she never manages to do when given the opportunity. I spent this entire season hoping she would take the other offer!
agree, and there's no excuse for her stilted delivery and verbal flightiness that makes me dubious that the character could possibly be a good cook. She comes across as about 17 years old, shallow and flippant and given way too much power. The Faks, tiresome as they can be, were sweet relief in this season.
Plus she stabbed Richie! Never understood why she wasn’t fired and brought up on charges
Someone decided the actress is a star.
Sadly, I have to agree with most everything you said. This season had very little character progression, or story. It felt very emotional, yet nothing that makes me look forward to another season. Side Note: someone is a super Weezer fan lol
I’m on episode 4 and it’s overall very very very boring. The artistic direction is sooooo slow and drawn out. Every shot seems much longer than it needs to be. It honestly gives me anxiety waiting for something to actually happen.
Just wait for episode 8. My god... so boring.
as a former linecook and hardcore foodie, there's so much pretentious bullshit that shows the writer truly does not understand linecooks or the industry. especially the table conversation between all the linecooks in the finale. really disappointing
Yea that felt so disingenuous that they werent just having normal conversations. I mean I get the trip down nostalgia lane but it felt so clumsy
I 10000000% agree! It wasn't good at all
HAHA I had the same thought about the fridge music scene. I thought I was the only one I think the most compelling episode was actually the prequel episode where Tina was in the job hunt.
That was probably the best episode, really mad eme feel for her and care about the character
I feel like they halted every character’s development. And I can’t with Claire. It’s sad that the actress is capable and likeable, because that character is barely even a person. She’s like the cliche dead wife- seen only in loving, dreamy flashbacks. She is u conditionally supportive, sweet, and focused on Carmy. She asks him about the fire suppression test, and his cooking, he tells her about the Christmas stuff, and she asks him endless questions. I don’t think he ever asks about her just as intense job at the hospital, her friends, nothing. She’s some form of Manic Pixie Dream Girl.
I guess they're saving the plot for season 4.
I was disappointed. The facial closeup’s and non verbal looks were annoying. The episodes were either flash backs and or Bear’s struggles with his inner thoughts. If they weren’t screaming at each other then we are looking at everyone’s pores on their noses the camera was so close. I wish if there is a season 4 that it picks up and the restaurant is a success. Then we’d all have a happy ending.
Yes exactly! I’m just wondering if they hired a different director for this season how otherwise to explain how awful it was.
Finished the season. Waste of my tv time. Season 4 I hope is not like season 3. Insinuate to admit the scene with Jamie Lee Curtis being a weirdo if a mom was funny. She is really a nut.
I just finished it and I’m so disappointed. So boring and nothing happened! felt like one giant filler episode.
Way too many Fak brother scenes
I couldn’t tell if the season took place over 3 months, 3 weeks, or 3 days. Syd not signing the agreement yet would be weird if it was 3 months, but they kept showcasing all the different articles about the restaurant, which would take time to come out. Also, it’s set in the summer leading up to Richie’s ex’s wedding in Sept 2023, they shouldn’t be wearing fall coats and gloves at the park. No arc, no conflict, no resolution. This season was a dud
Dude syd character drove me fucking crazy. Literally has done nothing but bitch and they take care of her, make her a owner and she's like yes I'm quitting. I do not get how anyone finds her character enjoyable to watch. And I'm talking about her character only I like the other female characters but dam they need to fix some shit bc this season was straight garbage. Even Richie this season was boarder line impossible to deal with the first like few episodes with him and carmy fighting literally over non negotiable like bro if you have that big of an issue quit the fucking restaurant. I've worked in fine dining Everyone is head strong and does not argue you're grateful you have the chance to even be in that position to learn from such knowledge people. The show can be great and then sometimes it's like filler la la land of made up pretentious vomit. This season literally had no plot like zero. Just bizarre. Fork on the ground scene for the Michelin reviewer we don't see if rich picks it up or not if bro cares so much and does all that yelling to fuck them over. him and syd should just quit if they hate it so much. I really hope season 4 has writers that aren't like room temp iq. I just don't get it we literally didn't get a single resolve this season I battled to through the last two episodes to see if they got a good review and can't even show us like really ? To be continued? You had like 9 episodes to wrap it up lmao. Also, so many scenes that go on for an awkwardly long time or just straight boring moments that could have been cut way short the whole labor thing like did we really need an entire episode of her in labor. Ive never fast forward so much in a show before. The only reason I'm typing this is because being in fine dining and not anymore this show really resonates with me when I watch it about my past and the other two seasons were so good I'm just really disappointed and don't want it to be crap just makes me mad dude
The John Cena cameo was one of the worst episodes of TV I’ve watched in a decade. So unnecessary and so annoying.
>the acting from Syd's actor is just kind of bad, its super stale and she just cant convey emotions and body language half as good as the other main cast, it makes her feel super out of place and almost every interaction and scene with her is very awkward (that has been a problem since season 1 and it improved a bit this season but still its pretty bad) Reading this made me feel like I'm in Bizarro World. Ayo Edebiri is amazing. Ayo is not awkward. The character Sydney is awkward. Syd is written, directed, and acted to be awkward. She is an anxious person (remember her vomiting outside during service in season 2 -- the finale, I think). She came to The Beef, because she idolized Carmen and wanted to work with him and learn from him, which is why she sometimes has trouble telling him when he is being a douche.
This!
Saw a post yesterday that made a point that season 3 and 4 were shot back to back so they thought it would basically be a part 1, part 2. Definitely plausible as to why this season feels off.
What? Napkins was most excellent
Never said it wasn’t, I think there were some AMAZING episodes like The Tina one and napkins but the overall interest and quality felt very off and not up to par, which made it not that good
I like that it's less unnecessarily stressful and some characters and improving themselves, which is good. But the low stakes artifial conflicts made it feel like a season of stalling. But that doesn't mean that there isn't a lot of great writing, editing and performances. If we get a season like this in order to have Ice Chips it's worth it. I just wish that if they weren't going to move the overarching plot forward, they'd have just given us a full season of small stories based around a core character or two.
I’ve chips was good but season 2 for example had, forks and the 1 hour family episodes which are both better than ice chips (imo at least) and the entire s2 and 1 are great not only these episodes
What a disappointment! Like many multiple series, season 3 has lost its way. Who cares about the personal lives of the minor characters? Lots of silly bits from the minor actors that seem out of place and ridiculous. There are so many members of the cast in the kitchen that it looks like a crowded elevator free falling. Dialogue- wha dialogue? Just lots of screaming and cursing. Someone needs to tell the writers that the show is about Carmy, Syd and Food. Do you ever see customers' reactions to the dishes? Noooo. I have watched up to episode 6 and wish I could say something positive but cannot.
I watched two episodes so far. First one was interesting, artistic, but did we need to start the season with a retrospective of how Carmy progressed as a chef? Second episode I really liked, the premise was very simple with every character entering the room after the other, adding something new to the situation, the pace is great, the dialogues are witty, it felt like watching a short play. Overall I’m satisfied so far, but again it’s only two episodes
I love this show and wanted to hope all the reviews I’ve seen were just blah. But then I watched the first episode and checked the remaining time more than once after feeling like maybe it was an hour slot. It’s rare that I’ve felt an episode be so slow for me in a show. It’s interesting, but felt way too introspective. But I’ve just watched the one so I need to watch some more.
agree, i kept rolling my eyes at episode one, it felt self indulgent
The next 4 or so are pretty much the same thing and not much else happening
> but did we need to start the season with a retrospective of how Carmy progressed as a chef? I'd say so as it is the motivation for the changes he makes to the Bear
but we already knew this stuff
Eh, agree to disagree. I really enjoyed the more meditative format of the season. It’s not an adventure show, a show about a restaurant and the people working at it taking a season to reflect and change is progress imo.
I really liked S3 as well. Napkins was absolutely excellent, and it perfectly captures the bullshit involved in finding a job when you're desperate.
Syd's acting has always been terrible.
I’m always amazed when people rave about her acting and she wins so many awards. She’s not terrible but she has one style of acting which I was fine with in S1, but then it felt sooo repetitive in S2 and S3. Compared to the pain and complexity that Ebon and Jeremy portray, and also the lady who plays Tina, and Oliver Platt and the wonderful Jon bernthal in his short scenes. So many actors are awesome but Ayo is just ok 🤷🏻♀️
That’s unfortunately true. And it’s a shame cause almost everyone else is doing some of the best and most realistic acting I have ever seen. There are a few characters which don’t reach the same levels as others but they aren’t as much of an interruption cause they aren’t as central and important to the story as she is
Do you think they had to pay back all the favors from the chefs training the actors with screentime?!
To plainly put it! It was just boring!
Season 3 was slow and disappointing.
I went looking for information because I just now made it through the first episode, which was a struggle. That makes me sad because the last two seasons were phenomenal. I'm kind of getting the feeling they rushed this just to churn out another season. I'd much rather them take their time to provide an equally good product instead of just making another season quickly. So far, my dish was served cold and I'm contemplating returning it. So disappointed.
I haven’t been this pissed at the end of a season since GOT.
Episode 6, Napkins is easily one of the best episodes of television I have watched this year. I felt for Tina having been there myself and that line, "You could just apply on LinkedIn..."
Tina’s episode was the best episode. She’s a great actress and it gave us some nice insight to her character. The rest of the episodes were meh.
I agree that it's great but the frustrating part is that her character feels so removed from the larger over arcing stories. Makes the episode feel less impactful as a result.
That's putting it nicely. It sucks ass
Im up to episode 7 (I think) and I’ve loved every single one. It’s not moving things on a great deal but I’m fine with that, it’s working really well at letting everything breathe and letting us get to know the characters at a deeper level. It’s also very obviously setting up for the fourth season which I believe they filmed back to back with this so presumably we won’t have that long to wait until the next season. For me it’s really cementing it as one of my favourite tv shows ever and I’m just getting more of what I love. Each to their own of course but I can’t complain at all.
You sound like someone who’s just gonna like it no matter what for whatever reason, which is totally cool of course, but saying this season was letting the characters breathe is just wild.
i loved it too
I'm on episode 5 and I'm contemplating not finishing it. There is zero progress in the episodes. It's sad because I enjoyed the first 2 seasons.
Hotter take: the Forks episode was just a cheap way to quickly reinvent Richie’s character cause no one liked him in the first season.
nah i always liked richie its why forks was satisfying because he finally find his purpose
It came off as pretentious. Like the creators were trying to impress critics rather than the fans. And yes, the actress who plays Sydney - is objectively bad. I can't imagine her being that awkward and stiff is on purpose.
I haven’t seen the new season yet but I totally agree about Syd, her character irritates the shit out of me. (No slander on the actress)
Least surprising reddit opinion
implying that someone is racist/misogynist for not liking a character on a fictional tv show is the true least surprising Redditor comment lol you dorks are so boring
I am watching it right now and find myself bored as hell. It seems repetitive and dull. Episode 1 was so boring and I finished it with good will because of the previous seasons. Damn, this is a shame. Midway thru it. Not sure if I can make it lol.
y'all really don't know what's actual bad television anymore, which is surprising with the amount of shit coming out in a season package these days on streaming platforms. This season is getting so much critic while it's still way better than 90% that came out this year, for some reason though, it seems like the current popular opinion is that it's not good and everyone needs to tell online and show that hey they realized that too! I really have no idea what people are on right now cause if the bear season 3 is bad television, what are we calling everything else really
This is a comparison of the third season with the two others, and like I said I don’t think this season is nearly as good. And Like a said in another reply, just like in a restaurant, if you wanna keep the high rating and praise you have to keep the level always the same if not better each time. This season isn’t as good as the others
I honestly didn't notice such a big difference. What i can say is that it's true it feels more like a part 1 instead of a season itself. But I loved every episode, especially stuff like napkins or ice chips, and I find ridiculous how many are treating this season like it's trash. It sounds like people wanting to be edgy cause they're the only one that realized how bad was this famous acclaimed tv show while it's actually not edgy and unpopular at all cause it's actually the trend right now shitting on it.
I wanted to love this season, as I said the first two are some of my favorite season of tv. I just came here to give my thoughts and feelings on the third one and unfortunately it wasn’t positive.
If you didn't notice a difference, you weren't paying attention.
It’s not that good for a show like The Bear, or just not that good when compared to other good shows?
In this case in comparing it to the earlier seasons, because that makes the most sense
You're not that good! (Got 'em)
I did really enjoy season 3 but it was not as good season 2 (that bar was set very high). I think the main issue I had was that I felt each episode was written/directed to win an award at the expense of moving the plot along. Like they would have these individual scenes that were written real well or directed or acted in well, but it’s like wait what was the point of this.
season 3 is part one of the finale id say, the prelude to the assfuckery the next season is gna be. them staying in the same place emotionally to each other as the end of s2 was intentional, not bad writing or the plot not progressing. which it DID do btw. i mean for starters carmy finally told people about the chef in nyc. and we got sugar and DD and their episode. the plot may not have followed the curve but its still a great script and a great show. and ayo is not a bad actor at all.
The first two seasons had plenty of character development and chaos. This season was more of a focus on the slice of life. Which was a nice change that I didn't mind.
The Faks were like Bulk and Skull from the Power Rangers this season. They got more air time than some major characters, and that was blown on awkward delivery of what seemed like ad-libbed dialogue. Claire, our beloved friend since childhood, is “the piece of ass”?
Made me think of Jud Apatows extended edits where he is so in love with his friends he thinks every second their ab-libbing needs to be seen
The stagnation that Carmy and the crew demonstrate through the restaurant and their personal lives could have been a tight concluding narrative for the show’s final season — the cycle Ever repeated. Alas, there’s a fourth season in the works. Full disclosure: Haven’t watched through to the end.
It's a master class in character depth and acting. Come to think of it, every major character is broken further (some recover too, like Tina/Ebra) in one way or another throughout the season. Literally everyone. Sydney was the last one until the final scene. What a cliffhanger!
I thought this season was absolutely beautiful and brilliant. Syd's character is portrayed exactly as they want her to be. She's awkward and has trouble asserting herself. She is conflicted because she has loyalty to Carmy for all he has done for her. She wants to be a star and shine on her own, but she can't do that in Carmy's shadow. I believe she will choose to stay. As far as the show itself, the dialogue is witty, fast, and often times hilarious, even in serious situations. The filming was a notch above and the soundtrack was to die for. When they threw some Tangerine Dream into the soundtrack, in the final episode, it was icing on the cake. Just my two cents. Thanks for listening.
Syd has at no point shown they she is capable of actually running anything. She failed miserably on the opening night of the restaurant. She has shown no growth in her job.
season 3 was shit compared toi 1 and 2. i felt like i had to force myself to finishg sn3
I’m like half way through. It’s a big step down but I can’t pretend I wouldn’t watch the Faks fuck around for hours.
While I agree about the season in general, I hard disagree on the acting. Everyone in this show does a spectacular job of exactly what is expected from service industry professionals in high end restaurants -- Balancing the crazy to portray normality on the outside. Stress, anxiety, panic, anger, ego, fear are part of the job, accompanied by the extreme highs of creativity, huge wins, and overcoming adversity as a team. It's complex, and not straight forward, and Sydney's character does a solid job of showing that, despite being a bit more animated (as she has been) than the rest of the women on the show. The acting and the accurate portrayal of the industry are the strongest parts of the show.
It's all style and no substance, like the elevated food that the restaurant has transitioned into serving. I loved season 1 and The Fishes episode from season 2. I'm halfway through this season and don't want to continue. It's a pretentious nine course meal that I just don't want to finish.
There was too much reflection and the characters spend about half of the season brooding. Conversations should build the story not help it fall flat.
Actually I think you are being too kind! I think this season was just the creators so high on the great feed back - they thought they could metaphorically jerk off on screen and the audience would just applaud. I didn’t even make it to the end. 5 minutes into episode 1 I was so confused but kept waiting for the clip show to end, for there to be some actual dialogue, clarity and forward momentum, it never came. How insane to start your first episode entirely this way. The ego to think we should watch a filler show as the premier. But I thought surely it must get better from here. And while there were more moments of dialogue in the next few episodes, there were still so many of these weird clips that felt bought from a stock video site - because they carried so little emotional weight and moved nothing forward. In the next two episodes there would be GLIMPSES of the seasons that should have been. And I’d think “Ah finally the season is starting” but two seconds later it would go right back to nothingness, these inane clips. What few character scenes existed felt like things that had already been thoroughly explored already. After that I said F it. I applaud you guys for even making it past those first few episodes but I knew it wouldn’t be worth it. The highlights are Fak. And the baker had some good moments. Their acting shone though was all too brief. Lastly in previous seasons it makes sense why Sidney stayed even through the insanity BUT in this season there is zero logic why she should have stayed through the abandonment and the abuses she had to deal with Esp when her menu is taken away. I don’t know if she leaves by the end. But you can’t convince me Sidney would have stayed that long. So I guess in ending I say you are too kind, it was a self felicitating drivel clip show as opposed to a coherent show. Which is devastatingly disappointing. And the real lesson here is for these show runners to never let the hype get to their heads this much.
Finished the season. Found it grueling and artificial, as if David Mamet wrote the scripts while recovering from a stroke. What may work for a novel--zigzagging, deep delves, going backwards--failed abysmally to deliver good television, for me.
We’re fighting to get through each episode. We love tv/film and we’re such fans of the show and characters, but halfway through- and it’s BAD. So bummed
One of the best shows I've ever watched! Give me more
I’m watching it and imho the last episode is awful-I like Jamie Lee Curtis, but her character is awful.
I haaaated this season. Bored the shit out of me. Like, season 2 was legendary! Business wise, drama wise, and psychology! loved it I think the producers wanted to string us along with this season to make the fun stuff in season 4
The first season was great seriously it was good. It was new. It was something different. Second season was just OK. The third season is majorly disappointing. Not enough forward movement . To stagnant over the same difficulties! No real story line for any one character - just stops and starts - seriously I think it needs better writers - because this one stinks !
I'm just watching it in hopes that it'll get good again in season 4. Really let down by this season.
The plot line of Tiffany wanting Richie to attend her wedding is so lame! He is still in love with her and Tiffany doesn’t understand that is asking too much of him. Ridiculous!
It’s 10 episodes of trauma porn. Season 1 and 2 have constant progression and cooking. This has less cooking and virtually 0 progression, in fact, I think it progresses backwards.
Y’all are tripping and Fak rules.
Season 1 great, season 2 ok, season 3 not good at all. No action, it just turned into boring dialogue.
I have just found this season quite obnoxious in terms of how much it over-inflates the importance of fine dining chefs. You know who's important? Nurses, cleaners, garbage men etc. The whole thing is so wanky. I love good food and appreciate the skill, but really, people who make 100 dollar one-bite plates are not Jesus figures.
Season 3 could’ve been an email
It’s called the bear and most of the episodes focused one anything else other than the bear. But yea it felt the story just stagnated like you said.
Agree on every front. The episodes felt like the food and Carmy's ever changing menu--artful but self-indulgent, full of artifice we and the characters can't get past because we never linger where it counts and linger for a long while where it doesn't (looking at you, chef cameo finale scene). Someone above said it felt like a stream of filler and fluff and I totally agree.
It feels like they are trying to create personal touches or meaning for each character so that the viewers understand and get to know who they are, but it just flopped badly. Season 3 feels like watching a slow train wreck.
I think for how short the episodes are it sure seems like we spend a lot of time on B roll and establishing shots. It's pretty no doubt, but it may be contributing to pacing issues.
They started the season with a full episode of nothing/recap without dialogue, and then basically nothing happened all season. Also, a lot of runtime of just Neil bullshitting about nothing.
Wait what? Episode 7 and it’s by far my favorite season I think. One of the best shows ever.
*important question* After all that has been said, is it worth it watching season 3 ? Were there any scenes or moments that would prevent you from enjoying the upcoming season if its not watched ?
I’m a few episodes in and half the scenes seem like filler. And you’re right that syd girl is a weak actress.
Maybe season 3 is just cursed
I’m on episode 4 and may quit.. like I see how the kitchen runs.. I’m over it…
I had such high hopes, but Season 3 was terrible and disappointing. Too much time dedicated to backstories and boring characters. It was as if the writers of the show just simply ran out of ideas.
it was a lot of great television with very bad structure. I.e. Tina and Sugar's episodes were great - but the sum of the season was lacking. It ultimatley felt like a part 1 to a complete season. Sugar is completely dropped as a character once she delivers that baby. I have no idea if carmie even knows he's an uncle now. Does he care? Claire arc needed resolution. Syd arc needed resolution. The Bear arc needed resolution. In the context of the entire run of the show these episodes will be fine - great even. But as a season it felt totally incomplete. Lots of ideas raised, none of them finished. I see why Hulu/FX released all at a once - so many episodes were lacking enough substance to justify a once a week structure. Good choice Hulu/FX execs.
The "comedy" relief with the two brothers is awful. A lot of deja vu drama. Unpopular opinion, but I only liked the first ep of this season. Probably dropping it.
It was terribly boring , season 3 was a waste of time
The whole season could have been crammed in one episode
The entire season plot could have been 2 episodes.