Tomorrow

A mesmerizing 30 minutes of television, The Bear Season 3 starts off with a patient yet contemplative episode. The pacing is methodical and trancelike, yet each frame is deeply purposeful. Much like a well-composed musical score, this episode helplessly immerses you and serves as both a reflection of Carmy's previous culinary experiences and a necessary recovery from the intense ending of last season. I suspect many will find this a rather boring premiere, but I believe the show has earned this type of episode. So much of why I love The Bear is its ability to balance the emotional scales. For all of the intensity, there is an equal and opposite sense of tranquility -- embodied primarily by the meticulous and deliberate patterns of cooking expressed through a mature cinematic lens. So much is conveyed with so little, and that is the beauty of this episode. How do you do better? You subtract. Thank you to all who worked on this opening episode; your passion and authenticity are not taken for granted.

A smashing start to the new season of one of the best shows out there. A masterclass in editing and cinematography. A clever and complex combination of many of the threads from the first seasons and a deeper look into how Carmy became the chef he is. Demanding for those who aren't familiar with the show but highly rewarding and promising for those who are already hooked. In terms of dialogue, less is indeed better sometimes. The music was ever so peaceful and Jeremy Allen's charisma exudes in every frame. Let's not forget the dishes and how the show continues to use them as metaphors for the characters' thoughts and personality while also adding to the narrative. Excellent.

The season 3 premiere of The Bear is off to an excellent start. Subtraction is the name of the game here and The Bear does just that.

With limited dialogue, each word becomes incredibly important. The economy of words here represents each character perfectly.

The eerie yet reflective score is also a standout here. Using synths to support a simple piano melody was a fantastic choice.

As usual, the cinematography and editing bring the episode together quite nicely. There's great framing here and I like how the background seems to always be out of focus. The subject of the frame is quite clear though and this episode really sets a precedent for the rest of the season with a darker tone.

Finally, the subtle facial expressions of each actor and body language really shine. Real talent shows when there's less to work with.

Overall, The Bear's third season is off to a great start.

If seasons 1 & 2 explored the boundaries of producing anxiety in the audience this is the benzo to bring everything down into a hazy artificial calm. I have never really enjoyed recap episodes but this recontextualized and revealed new things and fleshed out things only implied in seasons 1 & 2. It was a refreshing intro to a usually panic inducing mood on this show. Seeing how past events shaped Carm all in succession even though completely out of phase made a potentially sleepy episode engaging and thought provoking. I kept waiting for the shoe to drop but then it dawned on me that it would all happen later as the cut to black and fuzzed out audio crescendo signaled the end.

Wow. I don't know why (deep down I do know why) but this episode hit me like a train. I sobbed like a little kid. This season premiere beautifuly passes all the right emotions. Spot on acting, captivating music. It is also a great recap of Carmy's journey. A rather silent but powerful episode that is beautifuly curated. Every shot, every moment is throughly tought upon. Not one moment goes in vain. A showcase episode on all the right things about The Bear: excellent acting, great music, beautifully shot moments. It is also quite intense. Keep up the good work. Haven't seen the full season but as of this moment it is in my top 3 episodes of the show.