From small beginnings, a loud bang came out of Chicago in the summer of 2022, quickly becoming a global award-winning phenomenon. Now a year later, The Bear re-establishes itself as one of the must-sees of its time, obtaining a record-breaking 23 nominations at the 2024 Emmy Awards. Making household names of the starring cast and becoming the show that everybody wants to feature in, The Bear, created by Christopher Storer, was a word-of-mouth hit. The subsequent second series was better than the first and made it a show to admire, enjoy and revel in.

In the third season, which dropped on June 27th on Disney+ in the still digestible ten-part format, there was still much to savour and delight in. However, the instant reaction to it from fans old and new was one of disappointment. The season felt rushed, and took too much liberty with the structures of time to accommodate guest appearances and elaborate on the characters' past, not focusing on the future.

Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) is still coming to terms with the consequences of his fridge outburst towards Claire Bear (Molly Gordon), not realising she was on the other side of the door when he admitted he did not need her in his life at the end of Season 2. That fallout and expletive-laden argument with Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is hanging over the latest season. Perhaps it was a mistake to commence Season 3 the day after the conclusion of series 2; we, much like the characters, have not been given a chance to breathe and reflect.

Too often, we go from one storyline to another too quickly, with little time for everyone to breathe; this becomes a problem with Sidney and her character's story arc sidelined to the periphery, the question of whether or not she should sign the partnership agreement with Carmy and Angel, all while being offered a potentially better job opportunity. This becomes something that consumes her by series end, and yet remains unanswered.

In the second season, Claire offered a lifeline or escape for Carmy from the restaurant; her absence does not allow him to seek rest and relaxation, and his worry for The Bear becomes all-consuming, and comes to prominence. Carmy is signified as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, with his mental health deteriorating under the weight of expectation and not wanting to let down the legacy of his brother, or the promise he made to him before his death.

Another problem is that there is no standout performer in this season. The second season tuned audiences into Richie's transformation, as he grew from miscreant to maître d', culminating in the euphoric ending of “Forks,” one episode which focused solely on his character over one week period, in the same vein to Marcus' excursion to Copenhagen in “Honeydew.”

In this season, the episode that focuses on Tina (Lisa Colón-Zayas), “Napkins,” serves as nothing more than the opportunity for Mikey (Jon Bernthal) to return, as we witness Tina beginning her employment at The Beef. This is a disservice to a character who has grown so much, from antagonist to peer, since its inception. Repeating the faux pas is “Ice Chips,” in which Sugar (Abby Elliott) giving birth provides another excuse for a guest star performance with a returnee from “Fishes” episode – Jamie Lee Curtis as the matriarch of the Berzatto family, Donna. That episode, then, did not land as it should have, as Donna's presence takes the glory away from Elliott's stand-alone chance.

There is much to praise still in the series, the soundtrack is second to none, cultivating mainstays of the music industry (Eddie Vedder) with up and coming artists (Reem), and the flair employed in episode 1, “Tomorrow,” while extravagant, is effective. That effectiveness is heightened by the messy second episode, “Next,” which is pretty much just a one-scene twenty minute shouting match as the staff discuss the non-negotiables listed by Carmy.

Many call The Bear the most stressful television show, and it does have highly strung moment. However, the show has seemingly bit off more than it could chew; and yet hope still exists, as they have already shot some of Season 4 back-to-back with the current series, expected to be released within the next year. There is a chance of redemption for the restaurant following a bad review, and the hope is that the appetising taste offered comes with that much needed garnish we would easily devour.