WARNING: This article contains heavy spoilers for The Bear Season 3.
Fans have had their taste of The Bear Season 3 and now it has been digested, the most recent season of the award-winning comedy-drama starring Jeremy Allen White has, fittingly, received mixed reviews. (That’ll make sense later I promise.)
After a tense 10 episodes of Carmen and his The Bear family battling the trials and tribulations of running a high-profile restaurant in Chicago, as well as their own internal and interpersonal issues, the show comes to a close that left fans hungry for Season 4.
But of course, not everyone has time to watch everything right away. Some people are ruled by a sense of urgency, and it is those people who are here to help.
Major spoilers are incoming for the season finale of The Bear Season 3 as we get that ending explained — so let me get a “yes chef” to confirm you know what lies ahead.
Thank you. Now let’s tuck in.
The Bear Season 3 Ending Explained
Carmen confronts his former boss
The Bear‘s Season 3 finale opens with a flashback to Carmen working in his first restaurant and being mentored by real-life chef Thomas Keller on how to remove a wishbone. Keller’s instructions are gentle — a polar opposite to what he experienced at the hands of David Fields (Joel McHale).
This is why when Fields shows up at the closing of the Ever restaurant, it is particularly impactful on Carmy’s mental state. As others talk at the table about how working for a negative boss can impact the “culture” they then create themselves, Carmy has a flashback to all the toxic behaviours he endured under the rule of Fields and then perpetuated himself.
“This needs to get good or go away,” Fields echoes in his mind, as negative reviews for his restaurant are front of mind.
Eventually, Carmy confronts Fields and tells him how his former boss gave him “ulcers and panic attacks and nightmares”. But instead of apologising, Fields responds by taking credit for the fact that Carmy is now an “excellent” chef with confidence. The interaction leaves Carmen in tears.
Sydney has a choice to make
Earlier in Season 3, Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) was offered the role of chef de cuisine at a new restaurant planned to be opened by Ever’s former de cuisine, Adam Shapiro. Sydney is reluctant to take the new position as it would mean leaving her family at The Bear restaurant.
Sydney tells Adam she will have an answer for him later, but does not look any closer to deciding.
Once the “funeral” for Ever concludes, chef Terry (Olivia Colman) and the rest of The Bear‘s gang head to Sydney’s for an after-party. Terry cooks while everyone laughs and sings along. Sydney, however, appears absent. She looks at a review for The Beef, the restaurant where she learned from Carmy.
She is reminded there of all the good and bad things that occurred during her time under Carmen’s mentorship at both The Beef and The Bear. Just as he faced the reality that his mental health and self-esteem were damaged by Fields, Sydney becomes challenged by the negative impacts that Carmy has had on her.
Sydney exits the party to go outside, where she endures a brutal panic attack.
this broke me GOOD. i kinda need syd to leave carmy. this is NOT HEALTHY at all. pic.twitter.com/TaGiAsn5Hi
— mia berzatto! (@teachbonnets) June 27, 2024
What did the review at the end say?
In the final moments of the season, Carmy is seen opening his phone after a Google alert goes off signaling a review of his restaurant has been left by The Chicago Tribune.
On his phone are missed calls, however his mind focuses on the review. As he opens it some words flash on screen, with a mix of connotations. Some of the positive words are “excellent”, “innovate”, and “brilliant”. However “sloppy” and “disappointing” can also be seen.
As the camera pans to Carmen’s face, he looks up from the phone and shouts “motherfucker.”
The Bear Season 3 in a nutshell: pic.twitter.com/a9J2SlUYa0
— chefkids (@girlflopping) June 27, 2024
Then, in the show’s first cliffhanger ending, Season 3 of The Bear ends with a title card reading: “To be continued.”
What did fans think of The Bear Season 3’s finale?
Much like the restaurant the show is based on, The Bear has received mixed reviews for Season 3.
Though the show has widely been applauded by fans for continuing its high-caliber of tension, drama, and heart that leaves you simultaneously satisfied and wanting more, others have pointed out that some major plot points were seemingly ignored the entire season.
I admire some performances and little moments in The Bear S3 but this time it felt a little too self indulgent and takes far too long getting anywhere that makes the eventual cliffhanger ending rather infuriating. Quite disappointed
— Alessandro Barbosa (@CaptionBarbosa) July 2, 2024
In The Bear‘s Season 2 finale, Carmy has an emotional outburst that leaves his partner Claire (Molly Gordon) heartbroken. Throughout Season 3 Allen White’s character has been encouraged by others to make the call and try and to mend the broken bridge with his ex, but he didn’t.
I thought the entire season was building up to an intense final scene between Carmy and Sydney. I thought she would either decide to leave The Bear or stay but the show just ends…
— Derek (@ganmadeeesu) June 27, 2024
So in the final moments of the show, after he has confronted his former boss and been inspired by Olivia Colman (which we all need), it seemed the natural moment for Carmy to call Claire. However, he did not. Instead, fans were rewarded with a “to be continued” card and kept left in the dark.
finished The Bear S3. excellent television. very heady, weird, quiet, sad stuff, slows down significantly to really sit in Carmy’s ongoing turmoil and watch the effects on everyone else. certainly a transition season but a good one, i have faith S4 will fulfill on the setup here
— coffee sholmes (@eventualforever) July 1, 2024
As well as this point of tension, fans of The Bear have three big questions going into Season 4.
- Will Carmy make amends with Claire?
- Will Sydney stay or leave The Bear?
- What did the review say, motherfucker?
#TheBear Season 3 finale ending was disrespectful!
— DJ (@Dudwiser) July 3, 2024
When does The Bear Season 4 come out?
Though we do not have a confirmed date yet for The Bear Season 4, it has been confirmed to be in the works.
I mean, how could it not be after that ending?
The Bear can be watched from Seasons 1 to 3 on Disney+ here.
[Image: The Bear]
