WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for The Bear season 3.

Summary

• The third season of the critically acclaimed show "The Bear" has received mixed reviews from both critics and audiences. While critics applauded the expansion of the nonlinear storytelling approach and the continued outstanding performances of the ensemble cast, many viewers were left frustrated with the lack of plot and character development. Some critics argued that season 3 was better than the previous seasons, while many viewers considered it the worst of the series.
• One of the main complaints among casual viewers was that the season was full of "filler" content, meaning it did not move the story forward. Additionally, the reliance on flashbacks was met with mixed reactions, with critics finding them effective while many audience felt they obstructed natural narrative progression.
• The show's focus on the characters' personal struggles, such as Lionel's mom and Richie's family, was unexpected for some viewers. The season also laid on the stressful and anxiety-inducing aspects too heavily, lacking some of the more inspirational qualities of past episodes.

best episodes of The Bear, such as "Tomorrow", "Ice Chips", and "Napkins", which marked Ayo Edebiri's directorial debut, but also featured some of its least compelling entries.

The Bear received a Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes after earning an impressive 93% critic score, cementing it as one of the best seasons of television of 2024. This is right on par with the near-perfect 99% Rotten Tomatoes score of season 2 and the absolutely perfect 100% rating of season 1. While most would agree that The Bear season 3 doesn't necessarily exceed the quality or brilliance of its previous two seasons, if it does fall short of its predecessors, it's not by a very large margin. Viewers, however, have been essentially split by The Bear's third season, resulting in an audience rating of 58%, the lowest of the series by a longshot.

10 Critics Celebrated The Ambitious & Unconventional Storytelling In The Bear Season 3

Many critics were impressed by the season's sophisticated approach

Many critics were impressed by the sophisticated approach to The Bear season 3 which featured a more unconventional narrative and development style. Shirley Li of The Atlantic writes in her review of The Bear season 3, "The Bear makes its own kind of music in Season 3. Episodes play like symphonies of images rather than conventional, plot-driven television."

Rebecca Tucker of Globe and Mail notes, "Season 3 feels very much like the show’s entree: After a stellar amuse bouche and a surprising appetizer, the main has hit the table. It’s a meat-and-potatoes course, with lots of necessary substance substituted for style." Critics applauded the expansion of the nonlinear storytelling approach that was seen throughout seasons 1 and 2 and found it to be a daring and effective way to continue progressing the series.

9 Audiences Disliked The Bear Season 3’s Plotless Structure

The season lost its sharp focus on plot and character development

Marcus loses his mom and Sydney gets a new apartment and opportunity, but not much else really happens.

While critics were impressed by the continued expansion of The Bear's more experimental approaches to storytelling, many viewers were left frustrated for essentially the same reasons. One of the most common complaints among casual viewers and fans of The Bear season 3 is that the season as a whole has lost its sharp focus on plot and character development, two of the aspects that made previous seasons of The Bear so entertaining and rewarding as an audience member.

There is some innovative character development through extended flashbacks seen in "Tomorrow" and Napkins", but ultimately many viewers felt that there wasn't enough progress or change for the characters in the present tense. Marcus loses his mom and Sydney gets a new apartment and an opportunity, but not much else really happens.

8 Critics Applauded The Continued Outstanding Performances In The Bear Season 3

Audiences weren't as celebratory of the performances due to the lack of plot

One thing that was certainly not lost in The Bear season 3 was the outstanding performances of its ensemble cast, led by Emmy winners Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, and Jeremy Allen White. Nandini Balial of RogerEbert.com writes in her review, "Storer and his colleagues are wise to place a cast of this caliber in basically a season-long series of two-person plays."

Peter Travers of ABC News also comments on how the excellent cast continues to elevate the series. "Jeremy Allen White and the best ensemble cast on TV go slower and cut deeper in a third season of tracking a Chicago restaurant family in the art of making art and emotional chaos. Dizzying, demanding, and utterly dazzling, it’s an indisputable classic." While criticizing the outstanding cast is certainly a tough argument, many viewers equate the quality of the performances with the entertainment value of the season.

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7 Audiences Felt That The Bear Season 3 Had Too Much Filler Content

The entire season did little to move the story along

Season 3 often breaks away from the restaurant-focused issues in The Bear to narrow in on the characters' personal struggles as well, i.e. Lionel's mom and Richie's family, which some viewers were not expecting.

The main gripe that many casual viewers of The Bear season 3 had with the story is that it was full of "filler" content, meaning it really did nothing to move the story along. This is certainly a fair assessment of The Bear season 3, which undoubtedly takes more breaths in between scenes than past seasons. It's also a season that focuses on death and the ending of certain milestones and achievements, resting on the notion that the idea of success itself is always fleeting.

Seasons 1 and 2 and very tangible goals that culminated in the opening of The Bear, but instead of transforming Carmy, Richie, and Sydney's lives overnight, it ended up creating new stresses and problems. Season 3 breaks away from these issues to narrow in on the characters' personal struggles as well, i.e. Lionel's mom and Richie's family, which some viewers were not expecting.

6 Critics Noted The Brilliant Balance Of Peace & Chaos In The Bear Season 3

Audiences were not as appreciative of the thematic balancing act

Critics mostly felt that The Bear season 3 still kept the delicate balance of peace and chaos of previous seasons intact and some even felt that the latest season did it better than ever before. Benji Watson of The Daily Telegraph writes in his review, "The Bear remains among the very best shows on television, its own non-negotiables – a singular marriage of peace and chaos framed in superb camerawork and terrific performances – are all present and correct."

Many critics also felt that the humanistic spirit of The Bear was not only replicated from past seasons but improved in season 3. Dan Einav of The Financial Times writes, "The Bear strikes a balance between pathos and humour, human complexity and cartoonish absurdity, cynicism and a sincere sense of affection for these characters, the city of Chicago and the culinary craft." Audiences were not as appreciative of the thematic balancing act created by Christopher Storer in The Bear season 3.

5 Audiences Found The Bear Season 3 To Be Less Fun Than Past Seasons

Season 3's sad and stressful moments outweighed its fun and inspirational parts

Season 3 laid on the stressful and anxiety-inducing aspects of the series too heavily and lacked some of the more inspirational qualities of fan-favorite episodes such as "Forks" and "Honeydew."

One of the best parts of watching the first two seasons of The Bear was that while it was at times stressful and anxiety-inducing, it was also funny and enjoyable. A common sentiment among fans who left negative reviews of The Bear season 3 is that the season lost some of its appeal because it wasn't as entertaining or fun to sit through. Some viewers even called the third season downright boring, which is stunning to consider compared to the high praise from critics.

Another common complaint was that season 3 laid on the stressful and anxiety-inducing aspects of the series too heavily and lacked some of the more inspirational qualities of fan-favorite episodes such as "Forks" and "Honeydew." It did, however, feature Olivia Colman's character taking shots and eating frozen pizza while singing "Laid" by James, which is a plus.

4 Critics Loved The Expanded Backstories & New Cameos In The Bear Season 3

Some viewers didn't think that John Cena was a great fit

Critics praised The Bear season 3 for once again employing excellent use of its guest appearances, particularly from Jamie Lee Curtis, Olivia Colman, and newcomers Josh Hartnett and, shockingly, John Cena. Neil Justin of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes, "Those who watch primarily for the verbal fireworks won't get shafted; neither will viewers who tune in for the high-profile cameos." Critics also appreciated the inclusion of several celebrity chefs, many of whom actually played themselves in the series and added to the deeper sense of authenticity in the show. Caryn James of BBC.com writes, "The Bear is a classic in the making."

3 Audiences Were Annoyed By The Bear Season 3’s Reliance On Flashbacks

Critics and audiences were very split on their impact

Interestingly, critics found the flashbacks to effectively move the story forward, while many audience felt that they obstruct natural narrative progression.

While the extended flashback sequences were some of the best moments of The Bear seasons 1 and particularly 2, many viewers felt that they were overdone in season 3. Critics mostly applauded the flashback-heavy season 3, episode 1 "Tomorrow" for its innovative approach to character development and backstory. However, the episode did the opposite for some viewers, who were annoyed by the repetitive use of cinematic music that they felt took the series in a less compelling direction. Interestingly, critics found the flashbacks to effectively move the story forward, while many audience felt that they obstruct natural narrative progression.

2 Some Critics Argued That The Bear Season 3 Was Better Than 1 & 2

Many viewers consider season 3 the worst of the series

Some critics were quick to crown The Bear season 3 as the best of the entire series, which many audience could not even fathom. Daniel Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter writes, "On an episode-by-episode basis, the third season of The Bear is as good as anything the show has ever done. Possibly better?" Robert Lloyd of The Los Angeles Times writes, "To somewhat understate the case, the new, third season of FX’s The Bear... is as magnificent as television ever gets." Bill Goodykoontz of Arizona Republic writes, "The show is just as great as it was last season, and that’s just it — as great, no greater." Some viewers called the season disappointing, abysmal, and a joke.

1 Audiences Were Disappointed By The Creative Choices Of The Bear Season 3

The Bear season 3's diversion of expectations worked against many fans

A common critique of The Bear season 3 is that somehow it feels both too much and not enough.

When it comes down to it, many audience simply did not want to go along with the creative experiments that were all over The Bear season 3. Some viewers called the season pretentious, haughty, indulgent, rushed, and just about every other way you can say "not as good as the other two." A common critique of The Bear season 3 is that somehow it feels both too much and not enough. Too much time meandering on character tangents, not enough time raising the stakes of the central plot. Too much focus on real-life chefs and Carmy's backstory through flashbacks, not enough development on the fictional story and Carmy's growth as a protagonist. Ultimately, the first two seasons of The Bear were universally celebrated for their creative decision-making, while season 3 lost the interest of many viewers for that exact reason.