The Bear Season 3 Suffered Exactly The Same Problem As This Other Iconic 2020s Streaming Show

Both The Bear and fellow hit streaming series The Mandalorian had an underwhelming third season because their near-perfect second season set the bar too high. The Emmy-winning The Bear is a unique show that combines the found-family antics of a workplace comedy with the nail-biting tension of a psychological thriller. It reflects the hectic intensity of a professional kitchen and the toxicity of a high-stress working environment, as well as the anxiety-inducing dysfunction of a family where the primary form of communication is yelling.

But it follows a lot of the trends of the biggest TV hits of the 2020s. Like Succession, The Bear blurs the line between comedy and drama. Like Yellowjackets, it jumps all over a nonlinear narrative timeline. Like The Penguin, it digs into the fractured psychology of its deeply broken characters. And it’s not all roses; it has some of the same flaws as other current hit shows, too. The Bear shares its biggest problem with Disney’s most popular live-action Star Wars show.

The Bear & The Mandalorian Both Set The Bar Too High In Season 2

Both Shows Had An Underwhelming Season 3 After A Near-Perfect Season 2

The Bear and The Mandalorian were immediate hits with both critics and audiences. The Bear won over fans with its profoundly naturalistic slice-of-life acting and writing, while The Mandalorian won over fans with its emotionally engaging Lone Wolf and Cub storyline — not to mention the adorableness of “Baby Yoda.” They followed up their blockbuster first season with an even greater second season. But after that, audiences were let down by an underwhelming third season that was met with mixed reviews.

The third seasons of The Bear and The Mandalorian were disappointing for the same reason: season 2 set the bar too high. The Bear season 2 featured fan-favorite masterpieces like “Forks” and “Fishes,” and revolved around the solid story arc of Carmy and co. reinventing The Beef as a high-end fine-dining restaurant. Over the course of the season, each character unlocked their own special superpower that made them essential to the team. The Mandalorian season 2 revolved around Mando’s quest to reunite Grogu with the Jedi, and culminated in the jaw-dropping appearance of Luke Skywalker.

The Bear Still Has One Advantage Over The Mandalorian

The Bear Hasn’t Ruined A Perfect Ending Like The Mandalorian Did

While the third seasons of The Bear and The Mandalorian both underwhelmed audiences for the same reason, The Bear still has one advantage over The Mandalorian. The Mandalorian’s season 2 finale would’ve been the perfect ending for the entire series — it concluded Mando and Grogu’s journey in a really beautiful, definitive way — but the story ruined that ending and kept going. The Bear’s season 2 finale was great, but it wasn’t a definitive ending, so the series still has the chance to end its story in a satisfying way (unlike The Mandalorian).

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Set in a Chicago sandwich shop, The Bear follows Carmy Berzatto, a young professionally trained chef who returns to take over his family business after the unexpected death of his brother. At odds with many of the shop’s employees due to his culinary training, Carmy struggles to maintain order and keep the shop from failing entirely. Jeremy Allen White stars as Carmy alongside Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Ayo Edebiri. 

Seasons

3

Showrunner

Christopher Storer