Scallop

Up to this point The Bear has, in my opinion, been a show of peaks and valleys. When watching the first season back in 2022 I really just didn't get it. Until, that is, I got to The Review, a 20 minute episode that is almost entirely one shot. I watched it back twice right after the first time.

Again, with the episode right after, the Season 1 finale, I loved it. While the second season was better in almost every way, it also peaked with two incredible episodes (Fishes and Forks) that were on par with the best TV I've ever seen. However, through all this, the Bear has produced many mediocre - good episodes, nothing to write home about. I think this becomes most prevalent in Season 3 for one reason, the peaks aren't as high. While I loved the first few episodes and the finale, lots of season 3 felt like too much Claire Bear and not enough The Bear. I didn't hate it as much as other but was scared the fourth season might end up the same way.

I am happy to report that this fear was not realized at all through 3 episodes The first was good, but felt incomplete. Ok, fine, it'll get better like every season. Then the second episode blew me away, amazing, as good as the best of season 3. The third though, the inspiration for this rambling, did even more. It feels so complete, like Chris Storer managed to compile all the best parts of his other best episodes. The tense conversations from The Review, a Carmy monologue like S1 finale, yet still gives gratifying moments like those in Forks. Seriously Awesome, looking forward to the rest of the season with cautious optimism.

This season had a very slow, depressing start to it to begin. It was great tv but the vibe was off. Not a lot was going right and everyone seemed down in the dumps. The comedic/family vibe of the show had not come about yet. Episode 3 seemed to be going down that path until good old Richie and the gang pull out a once in a lifetime surprise for their guests. It is such a feel good moment that brings laughter, tears, and a feeling of hope back into the show. This episode is everything the Bear is about and what makes us all love this show so very much. Family, opportunity, friendship and memories.

Damn.. this episode really struck me withs amazing simplecity, that still hit me emotionally in so many different ways!

This was a combination of tears of joy, sadness and some strange sort of resolution! This episode had essentially everything i love about this show! It just gave me all the good vibes that I think about when I think of the best of the show! Like when you get to experience what It means to feel purpose and give someone that special once in a lifetime experience, just like back in Forks!

Then there is the scene between Carmen and Claire.. damn.. Outstanding acting! Somehow i could really resonate wirh that scene! How hard It sometimes is to tell and express how much you love another person!

Was started off as an amazing show about family cooking restaurant life has become a redundant snooze fest. The characters have developed no growth. The same theme over and over. No plot twist no story development no anything. If I wanted to see a show about working in a restaurant struggling, I would go back to working in a restaurant. This by far was a show that I was so excited for that turned into something that I just won't watch anymore. The acting is superb. The story is like a 12-year-old trying to tell you a story that just won't get to the damn point. How the show wins awards is amazing.

When I finished FF through the opening boring music video, that was the line that was spoken. The title of this review.

Sums up this series in a nutshell. A slow, agonising, painful death.

Thank God we get Gillian Jacobs, the only beacon of light in this entire series. The only one with any real emotion. Everyone is so fake and decrepit.

They must have needed to wake people up because we have the best parts of this series so far in Platt, Jacobs and Curtis (sans Bernthal)

Also, before I forget, the dish at the beginning looked horrible. Lacking literal substsance as well as physically offputting. I can't believe anyone would pay for that. I can't stand it when you go into a restsurant and you pay enough to feed a family of 6 but receive enough to feed a 6 month old.

Midway through the episode and still don't know what the big problem was. Yet another part of dialogue that should have been left in the no-filler column.

THEN What happened with the kid exactly? Anybody catch that? Me neither.

Cue the obligatory music video. While this melancholy crap might win some people over, perhaps you weren't paying attention when they introduced the clock and entire lack of budget. Followed by the reduction in stock and produce.... yet somehow they can create winter wonderlands and have half the staff leave their post (the entire dining staff as it were) and then give away more free food.

Am I the only one who sees this. Are people so weak and pathetic that everything needs to be cookie cutter and happy happy play time.

Next up we have another music video; that literally mentions about feeling happy and feeling sad. As I said, melancholy. They are literally rubbing your noses in it, how easy it is to give you the illusion that you've been entertained.

I can't even remember if that's the original Claire bear. Seems like anything or anyone worthwhile gets punted by the writers so they can focus on putting out the laziest and worst product possible.

Cue up Mazzy Star at this point. Since we're just making music videos and need to capture the moment, that song would be perfect (yes, i am writing this through the course of the episode. Thanks for the commercials disney!)

The whole (yet another) argument over their relationship might be the most real thing this series has churned out so far.

People are too soft and weak. I get that this show is supposed to pander to weak and pathetic millenials with no spine or balls but this is not entertaining to me.

And just like that, its over. Its less insufferable if I live review it.

So, bunch of stuff happened that contrinuted minimal advancement to several of the unending subplots.

Nothing of substance and a weak attempt to play on people's heartstrings because they are too dim witted to see this show has become fantasy opposed to drama.

I'm giving another more than generous 5/10 for this episode. Its still lazy direction and bears nothing on the storyline.

Why isn't anyone freaking out that their business is about to be lost. But this is Disney after all so we'll probably get a happy ending or a big, sad, waah-waah ending, awwww.

Either way its insanely unrealistic and anyone giving this more than a 5 needs their heads checked. This is garbage television... sorry, garbage music television.

I wanted Chinese food after the last episode Now all I really want is my mtv back.

I'm going to make a collective menu of all the reviews and see what kind of taste the producers have left in my mouth. Bittersweet is what they're going for, mark my words.

But to those of us without a millenial pallet, it will just taste like ass. As it should be. Wait and see

Okay, on to the next music video....episode.... whatever.