Critics say season 3 of 'The Bear' may be too indulgent for its own good

• The 10-episode third season of FX's "The Bear" was released in full Wednesday night.

• The new episodes pick up immediately after the events of the season 2 finale.

• Most critics agree that the series is still one of the best on TV, but season 3 is flawed.

The reviews are in for season three of FX's "The Bear," and critics are torn.

The critically acclaimed, Emmy-winning series created by Christopher Storer returned with 10 new episodes on Wednesday night. The new episodes pick up immediately after the events of the season two finale.

Chef Carmen Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), aka Carmy, has finally gotten out of the walk-in fridge that he got trapped in during his friends and family preview night in the season two finale. Now that the Original Beef of Chicagoland has been transformed into a fine-dining restaurant and renamed The Bear, Carmy has his sights set on getting a Michelin star at any cost.

The result is a season that's received mixed reviews from critics, who agree that the show is still a standout but is showing signs of wear.

Here's a rundown of what critics are saying.

The slower pace will be jarring to fans who have become accustomed to the show's signature frenetic energy.

"At times, the show mirrors its titular restaurant's diminished mojo. Season three is too comfortable reliving the past instead of facing the future. A certain amount of self-reflection is healthy, but too much, especially on TV, causes stagnation, and 'The Bear' drags out too many questions for its own good." — Ben Travers, IndieWire

"Indecision can be exciting and I found the risks 'The Bear' takes in these 10 episodes to be thrilling. But if you're hoping to see things progress at an adrenalized rate, this is a season in limbo that reflects its main characters and their respective holding patterns." — Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter

"This 10-episode season is slower in narrative pace than viewers might be used to, taking stock of its characters' pasts and focusing on trauma reconciliation while setting up an uncertain future for the Michelin-aspiring restaurant — and an electric season four." — Michel Ghanem, TheWrap

The show's main trio of Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edibiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach continues to deliver award-worthy performances.

"Edebiri perfectly captures Sydney's hesitation about attaching herself to Carmy as his obsessive focus on quality and achievement turns self-destructive." — Linda Holmes, NPR

"White is as impeccably frenzied and weary as ever, never softening the character's escalating flaws. Moss-Bachrach continues his push toward making Richie the show's hero, never fully erasing the character's diminishing flaws. Except that Sydney is obviously the show's real hero and Edebiri continues to deliver hilarious and heartbreaking earnestness like nobody else." — Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter

Episodes focused on Tina Marrero and Natalie Berzatto are standouts of the season, and Edebiri is earning praise for directing the former.

"Edebiri's performance remains phenomenal, but she notches one of Season 3's biggest victories behind the camera. In 'Napkins,' she directs a showcase for struggling sous-chef Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) that gracefully reveals the vulnerabilities that constantly grind on her sense of security and worth. It's a beautiful and powerful short story about the power of fate and connection." — Tara Bennett, IGN

"Amid all the mania of the series' infamous kitchen scenes there are also quieter moments, like in an episode that gives beef-sandwich-line-cook-turned-fancy-schmancy-sous-chef Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) a heart-wrenching backstory and another set far away from the kitchen with a returning guest star. They are powerful and understated, the very best 'The Bear' can be." — Kelly Lawler, USA Today

"In a more heartening counterweight to last year's 'Seven Fishes,' this season's stand-alone flashback gives insight into how sous chef Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) came to join the team, and Carmy's sister Natalie (Abby Elliott) gets a long-overdue spotlight when she goes into labor with her first child." — Alison Herman, Variety

"'Ice Chips' is an intimate counterpoint to last season's 'Fishes' booking Elliott's seat at the 2025 Emmys." — Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter

There are too many cameos from celebrities and real-life chefs.

"It's understandable that the show wants to make a spectacle of how beloved it is by the real food world and how much star chefs want to elbow their way into episodes. But unsurprisingly, 'The Bear' gets its best acting work from actors. And detouring into celebrity cameos is tricky at a moment when time with the main cast feels precious and the story is gaining steam." — Linda Holmes, NPR

"At a certain point, such flourishes start to cross the line from enhancing the authenticity of 'The Bear' to hindering its core mission. The finale, in particular, affords so much screen time to these visiting dignitaries that most protagonists get short shrift, just as the show should be planting the seeds for next season or at least tying off the one we've just watched." — Alison Herman, Variety

"The finale embodies too many of season three's hiccups by overindulging on food celebrities and ending with an unearned 'to be continued.'" — Ben Travers, IndieWire

The season concludes with various unresolved threads and a frustrating cliffhanger in the form of a "to be continued" title card.

"It doesn't resolve either the main plot threads or the emotional tangles that have been built over these ten episodes. That's a choice the people behind the show have made, and it candidly seems like a perilous one for a project that presumably won't come back for many months." — Linda Holmes, NPR

"Everything and everyone is left unresolved, something that could've been avoided with even just a little advancement for the main characters. Storer and company have left themselves with so much to unpack and address in season four." — Tara Bennett, IGN

"Depending on your perspective, it will either be audacious or unforgivable how many things from season two are still unresolved at the end of the third season." — Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter

"The Bear" feels uneven, stuck, and lacking in meaningful progression.

"The Bear is still compulsively watchable, but its third season is frustrating, and creator Christopher Storer's choice to slow the frantic pace of the show's plot and character arcs is jarring and confusing." — Tara Bennett, IGN

"Season three is also, a little like its head chef Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), a little overinflated and self-important after all the hype and praise." — Kelly Lawler, USA Today

"At its best, 'The Bear' remains innovative, excellent, and so vividly rendered that it can feel delicious to watch. But the season also feels confusing, overdone, and inconsistent at some points." — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone

"The cast are still exceptional – particularly Moss-Bachrach and Edebiri, elevated to TV's A-list since the show first aired — but the show is starting to feel repetitious. 'The Beef evolves with the city,' a restaurant critic for the Chicago Telegraph writes, on the new restaurant's opening. 'The Bear,' however, feels stuck in a loop of its own creation." — Nick Hilton, The Independent

Season three is flawed, but "The Bear" is still indisputably one of the best shows on TV.

"'The Bear' season three doesn't quite strike the right balance (like the previous season did), but it serves up enough suitable side dishes to satiate diners until things really get cooking again." — Ben Travers, IndieWire

"'The Bear' may not have the same sense of intense urgency in season three but it feels no less exciting to return to this textured world of culinary wonder with a cast that's always worth watching." — Michel Ghanem, TheWrap

"This remains one of the best shows on TV right now, but season three can't quite replicate the recipe that made seasons one and two so stellar. That doesn't mean you won't be hungry for more whenever the show returns for season four." — Chris Evangelista, Slash Film

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