Now that all ten episodes of season 3 of The Bear have dropped, including an emotionally charged finale that left viewers hungry for more with a “to be continued” cliffhanger, it’s time to take stock of what went down this season.
Read more: In The Bear’s Intense Third Season, a Restaurant Can’t Thrive on Food Alone
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]At the beginning of season 3, following the official opening of the Bear, Carmy, Sydney and the rest of the scrappy crew try to keep their sanity as they work to keep their new restaurant afloat. Through flashbacks, we learn how the various characters found their way to working in food, and while there was plenty of action in the kitchen as the crew weathered its first months in service, several challenges brewed outside of it, from Carmy’s rift with Cousin Richie, a new professional opportunity for Sydney, and the ever looming threat of the restaurant being shut down by Uncle Jimmy.
Here are all the questions we have for season 4 of The Bear after finishing the third season.
Sydney’s Prospects
A throughline of The Bear is Carmy’s poor communication, which strains nearly all of his close relationships, one of the most important of which is his professional partnership with Sydney. Throughout past seasons, Sydney has been patient with Carmy’s volatile moods and reticence, but the strain it’s put on their relationship both in and out of the kitchen begins to show in season 3. Carmy often undermines Sydney’s judgment and leadership in his pursuit of perfection at the Bear, causing Sydney to feel undervalued and belittled, something that’s apparent in her reluctance to sign the partnership agreement for the restaurant. Her indecision is intensified when she’s approached by the former chef of Ever, who offers her the opportunity to be the head chef at his upcoming restaurant, a job that would give her not only a higher salary and better benefits, but would afford her the opportunity to stretch herself creatively and make a name for herself in the culinary world outside of Carmy’s legacy. In the season 3 finale, it’s clear that Sydney will have to make a decision soon—whether that means leaving the Bear and striking out on her own or staying with Carmy and the crew. What she’s leaning towards isn’t clear, although what is evident is how emotionally fraught the decision is; in her final scene, Sydney sobs outside of her new apartment, after thinking about her time so far at the Bear.
What’s up with Carmy and Claire?
Carmy began season 3 on the definite outs with Claire, after he unwittingly informed her in the season 2 finale that he didn’t want a relationship. For all of season 3, Carmy and Claire have no contact, despite everyone in his life telling him to stop being avoidant and just call her and apologize. That being said, it’s clear that Claire is definitely on his mind, judging from the number of flashbacks he has of her during the season. At the end of the season, the Fak brothers visit Claire at her job at the hospital to advocate for her getting back together with Carmy, but she tells them that she needs to hear from Carmy himself. While there’s no telling what could happen in season 4 between Carmy and Claire, a good first start would be Carmy apologizing to her.
Have Carmy and Richie Reconciled?
One of the pivotal moments of the season 2 finale was a deeply personal screaming match that took place between Carmy and Richie, after the former got accidentally locked in a walk-in fridge. The repercussions of this conflict are felt throughout season 3, with Carmy and Richie both stubbornly refusing to speak to one another, except to fight. When they communicate, it’s often through Sydney and they use the tension that already exists between the front of house and the back of house as an excuse to spar with one another. By the finale of season 3, the two still haven’t resolved their issues with one another, even going so far as to avoid one another at the Ever funeral dinner. Here’s hoping the “cousins” find it in their hearts to bury the hatchet in season 4.
Will there be more Luca in the future?
We first encountered Luca, a former co-worker of Carmy’s and fellow hot chef, in season 2, when he helped mentor Marcus during a trip to stage in Copenhagen. In season 3, Luca returns to the world of The Bear in both a series of flashbacks and in the present day, coming to Chicago to attend Ever’s funeral dinner. In the scene, Luca, who shared some palpable vibes with Sydney during the dinner, shares that he’ll be staying in Chicago for a few months with his sister, whom he was close to growing up due to their challenging family life. A chef with unresolved family trauma, some undeniable sexual tension, plus a kitchen that may or may not be losing their sous chef? Our money is on The Bear queuing up a full-time role for Will Poulter in season 4.
Where does the show leave the relationship between Richie and his ex-wife?
Richie fell in love with hospitality towards the end of season 2 after a five-day stint at Andrea Terry’s (Olivia Colman) restaurant, Ever. Since then, he’s been trying to make positive changes in his life and turning his passion for hospitality into a career. We see him meet his ex-wife Tiffany’s (Gillian Jacobs) new fiancé, Fred (Josh Hartnett), in episode four in a well-meaning but awkward interaction where he apologizes for not having a conversation with Richie before proposing. Richie says it’s fine and the couple invites him to the wedding, but he hesitates to RSVP.
In the penultimate episode, Tiffany pushes him to RSVP, and he seems apprehensive about coming. Their conversation shows how close the two of them have always been close, and are trying to get back to that spot. The show leaves us guessing whether or not he will attend Tiffany’s wedding, along with other major questions about their future.
Will the business be able to make money after their important review?
Throughout season 3, we see Carmy commit to using the best ingredients possible for the dishes on his menu that changes daily. Audiences are treated to an especially funny interaction between Carmy and Uncle Jimmy, when Jimmy asks why they are spending $11,000 on butter and Carmy replies that it’s “Orwellian” (as in, from Orwell, Vermont), prompting Jimmy to ask, “This is dystopian butter?”
This small scene highlights one of the larger issues that looms over the restaurant: will The Bear ever become profitable? This issue stresses out Uncle Jimmy, the establishment’s biggest investor, who forces his nephew to meet with a man named “The Computer” to help them reduce costs and move towards profitability. We learn that the Chicago Tribune is going to be publishing a review of the restaurant and Uncle Jimmy tells Carmy that if the review is negative, he’s going to have to shut the restaurant down.
In the season finale, we see Carmy look at his phone to find multiple missed calls from his uncle and The Computer, and that the review for The Bear is finally published. A bunch of adjectives, both positive and negative, flash across the screen, leaving viewers confused about what the review actually says. The ambiguity of the situation reflects the restaurant’s uncertain future.
Where does the rest of the Bear staff end up?
The show prides itself on highlighting the importance of building relationships in the restaurant industry and Carmy’s biggest support system, his staff, seem to still be with him to the end. It’s unclear exactly what is going to happen to the restaurant after the finale. Uncle Jimmy has sworn to shut down the restaurant if they get a negative review—and a scene in the finale implies things could be heading there, when we see Jimmy meet up with The Computer after his conversation with Carmy. Carmy and Sydney’s dream of building a Michelin-starred establishment might dissolve before it even hits its stride, which also puts their staff’s livelihoods at risk.
But as season 3 leaves it, the staff members are enjoying working hard at the Bear. Tina and Ebraheim seem to be thriving in their roles in the kitchen, especially when they are heard and respected by Carmy and the other chefs. Tina works as a line cook, and Ebraheim is given help to better run the fast food window portion of the restaurant. Marcus is continuing to innovate with pastries, inspired by silent films. Neil and Ted are still two loveable goofballs with big hearts trying to help in any way they can, but flubbing it in the process. And earlier in the season, we see that Natalie, Carmy’s sister, is on a path toward working things out with their mother.
