Why do we do what we do? I’m sure everyone’s thought that once or 100 times in their lives. For the people in The Bear, they are constantly given reasons not to be in the culinary industry — loss of sanity chief among them. However, the characters remind us and themselves why they slave for art of the entrée, whether it’s for hospitality, self-worth, or the people they serve or because there is nothing else they know how to do.
The FX series’ third season begins after the chaotic opening evening of The Bear, the new Chicago restaurant helmed by Carmy (Jeremy Allen White). After breaking up with his girlfriend Claire (Molly Gordon) and getting into a friendship-nuking argument with co-worker Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Carmy is pushing even harder to make the dining experience unique, and this takes the shape of crafting a new menu every night, cleaning the kitchen after every service, and using only the best ingredients that can be bought, all in the hopes of earning a coveted Michelin star. This puts a lot of pressure on sous chef Syd (Ayo Edebiri) to remain in lockstep with Carmy, who’s also sweating a pending review from the Chicago Tribune which might possibly tank his lifelong dream. Oh, and Carmy is also trying to quit smoking.
Everyone’s future is in flux. In Syd’s and Richie’s cases, it’s a matter of whether they want to work for someone as toxic as Carmy. But it feels like everyone is at a standstill until this food review comes out. And there isn’t a whole lot of growth after the first few initial episodes.
The series is at its best when showcasing the nerve-racking job of working at a restaurant. From the constant bickering of getting those damn onions ready to suffering a mini panic attack when finding out someone forgot to turn off the pre-order option on the to-go service, The Bear demonstrates how an already huge problem can spiral out of control, which makes Season 3’s premiere a bit jarring, since most of the episode is a melancholic flashback of different places where Carmy has worked, from Copenhagen to New York, then back to Chicago. The episode also doubles as a reset of the status quo from the madness of Season 2’s finale and as a preview of the rest of Season 3.
Though still superb TV, Season 3 can seem repetitive. There are numerous scenes and shots where Carmy or one of the other chefs are making their signature dishes. The camera zooms in on the character, then focuses on the food they’re preparing, then goes back to them again while intercutting to different points in time where they’ve done the same thing. Because Season 2 dedicated an entire episode to Carmy’s dysfunctional family, there isn’t much catharsis left to experience, aside from a reunion between his sister “Sugar” (Abby Elliott) and their mother Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis).
Allen White is excellent as always in the lead role of a rising star wanting his business to succeed at the cost of potentially everything and everyone else. Just with his eyes alone, Allen White shows just how obsessed Carmy is about the craft — his face wrinkles with anxiety and self-loathing at the thought of failing in his professional and personal life. Edebiri’s Syd is Carmy’s anchor. Though cool and levelheaded, the potential co-partner is always on the verge of a panic attack, which makes you think she doesn’t want to do this much longer. And as Richie, Moss-Bachrach has gone through a pleasant transformation, from a repugnant sad-sack to a self-respected member of the team.
Like before, the cinematography in Season 3 remains top-notch. The way shots hold on a chef’s intense look as they prepare a dish to serve or test is hypnotic, and blue is a common color, though not always the warmest-feeling — Carmy is frequently bathed in a dark-blue light to show his current mental state post-breakup. Blue is also used for interiors and cooking aprons paired with white stations and walls. It’s at once soothing and a little bittersweet.
The soundtrack has always been exceptional, and it’s no different now. Along with the frequent appearance of Nine Inch Nails’ moody “Tomorrow,” there’s Eddie Vedder’s cover of The English Beat’s rollicking “Save It for Later,” which is used to highlight various aspects of the culinary world, from dinners and coffeehouses to high-end gourmet spots and food trucks.
By the end of this solid but all-around uneven season, some characters, like Syd, are still wondering whether it’s worth it to run The Bear if it is draining money and sanity. Carmy thinks that getting that Michelin star will make all the hurt, all the family baggage, and all the abuse worth something, but I feel like he needs to let all that go to heal from everything that came before so his restaurant can truly thrive. If he can learn to communicate his feelings to those he has hurt the most, like Richie and especially Claire, his pursuit will definitely be worth it.
The Bear
Created by Christopher Storer. Starring Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach. TV-MA.
