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Warning: Spoilers ahead for the third season of “The Bear.”
The third season of FX’s award-winning limited series The Bear ended as confounded as the fictional family-owned-and-operated Chicago restaurant of the same name began. Over ten piquant episodes, the best of which was directed by the show’s own Ayo Edebiri, temperatures rose for both the front of house and kitchen staff, particularly head chef Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) whose undisclosed time locked in the freezer at the end of season two certainly exacerbated trauma left by his former abusive chef de cuisine.
With all episodes of season three out and available to stream on Disney+, the recent instalment in the anxiety-inducing culinary drama is worth pouring yourself a dirty martini and digesting in one sitting. Though more of a slow burn, with familiar faces including Jamie Lee-Curtis, Will Poulter, Olivia Coleman and Sarah Paulson, the climactic finale episode does leave more unresolved than answered.
(If you haven’t gauged by now, yes, spoilers are indeed ahead.)
The Bear Season 3, Ending Explained
The final frame ends with the unexpected but notwithstanding the inevitable: a mixed review from The Chicago Tribune. The Bear, and the Berzattos who run it, are fractured, preoccupied and panicked. They’re in debt, proverbially short-changing customers (see: shortening booking windows to accommodating more “turns” or in the case of beloved underdog Richie, forgetting the all-important birthday surprise) and bringing a new lexicon to dysfunctional families not seen since Teresa Guidice’s table flip in the nascent season of The Real Housewives Of New Jersey.
But despite the piece realising Carmy’s greatest nightmares, the staff have bigger fish to fry. As the restaurant’s proprietor Uncle Jimmy hesitates to mention, The Bear is bleeding him dry. Does he dare cauterise the wound, save himself and kill the crew’s dream in the process? He doesn’t get a chance to infer any of this to Carmy, even at the bequest of accounting and spreadsheet wizard “The Computer”, making the daily menu changes and “non-negotiables” seem futile in the wake of a flailing business on the brink of closure.
More importantly, the discontinuation of the famed Ever fine dining establishment, which we see teaches Richie the ethos that “every second counts”, offers a new career prospect to Sydney. Boasting a higher salary, better benefits, and a promise of a functioning work environment but without the team she adores, Sydney ponders whether to stay in Carmy’s neglectful shadow or step out in the light as head chef at a new venture.
Her unease is exacerbated in the final scene upon rediscovering a five-star review for The Original Beef of Chicagoland that she pinned to her refrigerator. Realising how much has changed and how little concern Carmy has for her voice in the kitchen, she has a panic attack over her undecided fate. The concluding episode ends with a fade to black and a vow “to be continued…”
Will There Be A Season 4 Of The Bear?
As announced in March 2024, three months before the airing of the third and current season, The Bear has been renewed for a fourth season. Cooking things up in the Illinois capital, The Bear filmed both seasons three and four back-to-back, meaning it’s entirely possible we could receive another chapter by year’s end.
The major cliffhangers in the season leave much to be answered. Will Carmy be able to pull himself together, or will the cultivating stress of his failing relationship and ability to self-destruct render it impossible to keep his skin in the game? Or, will their sole investor pull his financing before he even gets a second chance to prove himself? Will Sydney remain at The Bear and help Carmy achieve his highly-desired first Michelin star? Does John Cena ever come back with the duck?
When Will Season 4 Of The Bear Be Released?
Currently, there is no set date slated for the release of The Bear. But if you’re looking to fill the Lake Michigan-sized hole in your heart of culinary content, be sure to check out the 2021 British drama film Boiling Point, Stanley Tucci’s more serene Searching For Italy series or one of the many chefs documenting their summer in The Hamptons on TikTok. (We recommend starting with Meredith Hayden, @wishbonekitchen).
The Bear season four is now available to stream on Disney+. Watch the trailer for The Bear season three, below.
