Summary
Warning: Contains minor spoilers for The Bear season 3FX’sThe Bearranks among the most highly-rated TV series in recent memory, yet while anticipation for season 3 is understandably high, there’s a very good reason why you should avoid watching it all in one go. Like many fans, I was desperate to find out what happened to Carmy and the crew afterThe Bearseason 2’s cliffhanger ending. On this front, no one will be disappointed by season 3’s story. However, whileThe Bearremains as propulsive and engaging as ever, the show’s unique tone and atmosphere mean that it’s best enjoyed in moderation.
Following the explosive season 2 finale,The Bearseason 3centers on Sydney and Carmy’s quest to earn a star for their fledgling restaurant. True to life, this mission requires commitment, focus, and no small amount of sacrifice – cranking up the tension in the show’s pressure cooker of a kitchen. The intensity of the drama is nothing new for the series – something I and millions of others around the world still find masochistically enjoyable. However, while this particular serving ofThe Bearis a continuation of what’s come before, aspects of the series require caution.
The Bear: All 28 Episodes, Ranked From Worst To Best
The Bear has earned the title of one of television’s most poignant and innovative drama series in just 3 seasons. Here are all 28 episodes, ranked.
The Bear Season 3 Is Too Heavy To Binge
It’s Too Emotionally Draining To Be Watched In One Go
The Bearhas always been a particularly intense show. However, season 3 takes things to a whole new level with character arcs that are not just painful, but variously poignant, heartbreaking, and brutally heavy. Carmy struggles to reconcile his ambition for the restaurant with his emotional fragility, Sydney finds herself questioning whether she’s really willing to do what it takes to succeed, and Richie’s life is plunged back into turmoil after his redemptive season 2 arc. In essence,everyone inThe Bearseason 3 is made to suffer. Even as a massiveThe Bearfan, this was too much for me after 10 grueling episodes.
In previous seasons, the trauma could be somewhat mitigated by the fact that we as viewers were still getting to know these characters.
Part of the problem is familiarity. In previous seasons, the trauma could be somewhat mitigated by the fact that we as viewers were still getting to know these characters. We didn’t fully appreciate the unique family dynamics at the heart of the Berzatto family (at least, beforeThe Bear’s legendary “Fishes” episode), and only had tantalizing glimpses of Carmie’s inner conflict. Now, however, three seasons in, there is no hiding place.We have become familiar with these characters, and as such are better able to empathize with their pain. The result is that when things go wrong, it’s too much to bear.
The Bear Continues To Prove That It’s Better To Watch At A Slower Pace
It Benefits From Being Properly Savored
On one level,The Bearis incredibly compelling television that’s very tempting to binge. This remains the case in season 3, with multiple episodes teasing unresolved plot threads and hidden details. However, as has always been the case throughout the show’s history, consuming everything in one sitting makes it difficult to digest the full scale of what’s unfolding on screen.
Although the fate of the restaurant and specific plot points are important, the real power ofThe Bearis in its emotional depth. The extent of what particular characters are experiencing needs time to settle before being swept up in the wider story. I found that, having watched multiple season 3 episodes back-to-back, I needed to go back and watch them again in order to fully grasp the implications of what was happening. This means thatThe Bearis not just too emotionally weighty for sustained viewing, but that its story needs space to breathe in order to live up to its potential.
