The long wait is over. Season 3 of the FX award-winning hit series “The Bear” is finally here and currently streaming in the Philippines on Disney+.
A quick recap: In season 2, we witnessed the transformation of the Berzatto family’s restaurant, The Beef, into The Bear—a fine-dining establishment headed by the family’s youngest, renowned chef Carmy, played by Jeremy Allen White. The season ended with the new restaurant’s first-ever service—one that triggered a lot of conflicts and strained a lot of relationships. It was a nail-biting, intense episode, in normal The Bear (the show, not the restaurant) fashion that we know and love.
Photo: FX “The Bear” courtesy of Disney+ Philippines
And while the well-portrayed stressful chaos in seasons 1 and 2 is something that viewers embraced and enjoyed, season 3 offers a completely different vibe. Don’t get us wrong; it’s still chaotic, and it’s definitely still intense. But it’s a different kind of intense. Or should we say, a new level of intense. Instead of the chaos caused by consistently dirty stations, exploding toilets, and a brigade that can’t work together, season 3 shows us the intensity of running a high-level, fine-dining restaurant and what it takes to achieve perfection. Or in Carmy and Sydney’s vision, what it takes to achieve a Michelin star.
Photo: FX “The Bear” courtesy of Disney+ Philippines
Photo: FX “The Bear” courtesy of Disney+ Philippines
Right off the bat, season 3’s first episode sets the tone for the whole season. It’s moody, it’s serious and, like Chef Carmy who’s now cut off all distractions including smoking, it’s completely zoned in.
This zoning in is not just portrayed through Carmy’s renewed dedication to the restaurant. It seems to be a central theme this season. Throughout the season, we see Carmy in the kitchen, precision tongs in his hand, serious-faced, and fixated on the gorgeous plate he is trying to assemble. Sydney is much better at handling her emotions. Richie is writing his own non-negotiables. Even the camera shots are more zoned in this season, with lots and lots of close-ups, allowing viewers to not just see, but feel the big emotions in many big scenes.
Photo: FX “The Bear” courtesy of Disney+ Philippines
Aside from the attention to detail, another way season 3 zones in is in the thoughtful focus on the personal stories of the show’s supporting characters. (Which was a nice touch that we really, really loved.)
In episode 6, for example, the show shines a spotlight on The Bear’s sous chef, Tina. The newly minted chef (we saw her go through culinary school in season 2) and long-time Beef employee gets the honor she deserves with an entire episode dedicated to telling the story of how she ended up at The Beef. It’s a touching episode that shows Tina’s past struggles and who she is as a wife, mother, friend, and cook. Ayo Debiri, who plays Carmy’s business partner and The Bear’s chef de cuisine Sydney, takes the director’s seat for this episode.
Photo: FX “The Bear” courtesy of Disney+ Philippines
In a virtual press conference, Debiri talked about being invited to direct an episode, and how they landed on this particular one. “[Christopher Storer] was like, ‘Which scripts are you responding to?’ And I was like, ‘I would literally give you my firstborn child, who does not exist yet, if I could do the Liza episode, because I would love to work with Liza in that way.’ And then, he was like, ‘Well, we have nice little parallel thinking.’ So, yeah.”
Photo: FX “The Bear” courtesy of Disney+ Philippines
The Faks are also back, still delivering the much-welcome comedic relief. And yes, that’s plural. As Richie said this season, “Faks are on the way. That’s plural: Faks. At least two. Less than five.” And you might be surprised with some of the Faks that show up, although there’s still no sign of the much-mentioned Francie Fak. (Who apparently has a beef with Carmy’s sister, Natalie.)
Another way this new season feels a bit different from its predecessors is that while seasons 1 and 2 felt like love letters to Chicago, season 3 feels like a dedication to the restaurant business and the passionate people and talented chefs that elevate it to the experience it is now. This is seen—and felt—strongest in season 3’s finale episode, which we won’t spoil here. We’ll leave it for you to experience. After all, it’s a good one.
Watch The Bear season 3, now streaming on Disney+ Philippines. Download it from Google Play and App Store, and follow Disney+ PH on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated on new releases.
