Alison Herman TV Critic SPOILER ALERT: The following piece evaluates Season 3 of “The Bear.” While major plot developments — including guest stars — have been withheld to preserve the viewing experience, the network has requested spoiler warnings on all reviews.
The second, much-improved season of “The Bear” was defined by a sense of momentum. Its 10 episodes were transitional in a literal sense, taking the FX half-hour from the closure of a family-owned Italian beef shop in Chicago’s River North to the opening of a fine dining concept in the same space.
Staff members developed dishes, supervised build-out and acquired skills with a singular purpose in mind, culminating in a hectic friends-and-family service that saw chef Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) freak out in a freezer.
Season 3 — the first to air after the series swept the comedy categories at this year’s Emmys, cementing its growth from breakout hit to incumbent juggernaut — lacks a similar focus.
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