The BearSeason 3 hit Hulu over the past week, and the reaction has been far from the universal praise of Season 1 or 2.The Bearpremiered in June 2022 as part of the FX on Hulu brand and, over a few weeks, became one of the most talked about new shows, propelling it into a cultural phenomenon and making its second season a bigger deal. That success led to various awards and a very high bar for Season 3 to meet, which,based on the audience and critical reaction, it has not met.The Bear, in many ways,has become a victim of its own success.
This certainly will seem familiar as it feels almost exactly like what happened withTed Lasso, another show that came out of nowhere and quickly became one of the most talked about and beloved shows that, by the time of its third and final season, was met with more negative critical response. People turned on the show they once embraced, and many were cheering whenThe BearbeatTed Lassoat the Emmys, Golden Globes, and Critics Choice Awards. Yet now,The Bearis in a similar boat toTed Lasso.
The Bear and Ted Lasso Similarities Are More Than They Appear
At first, it seems likeTed LassoandThe Bearare two series that are very far apart in tone.Ted Lassowas a feel-good series, whileThe Bearis known for causing high anxiety. Yet, both series share a lot in common, both in terms of plot and behind-the-scenes details. Both series involve an outsider entering a new environment, whether Ted Lasso goes to Richmond to coach the team or Carmy takes over and runs The Beef. Their new tactics were initially met with resistance but eventually became adopted as helping bring out the best in everyone. Both series also feature a belovedcast of supporting charactersthat have become fan-favorites and ones people want to know more about.
Both series had first seasons that were met with critical praiseand strong audience viewership. This then led to their second season being expanded to include two additional episodes, and the series creators used those additional episodes to dig deeper into their characters, likeTed Lasso’s “Beard After Hours,” whichfocused entirely on Coach Beard, and “No Weddings and a Funeral,” which gave audiences new insight into both Ted and Rebecca’s past.The BearSeason 2 had “Honeydew,” which focused on the character of Marcus, and “Spoons,” which gave a new dimension to the character of Richie.Season 2 ofTed LassoandThe Bearalso feature Christmas episodes, which is interesting to note.
The Bear’s Season 3 Debut Wasn’t What Anyone Expected, and That’s Why It Was Perfect
A welcome respite from the usually fast-paced, energetic episodes, the first episode of The Bear Season 3 was like Carmy’s career retrospective.
BothThe BearandTed Lassodivided fans regarding romantic relationships. Fans spent three seasons waiting for Ted and Rebecca to hook up, which never happened, andThe Bearcreators have stood firm in not allowing Carmy and Sydney to become a romantic couple despite fan interest. Also worth noting is that bothTed LassoandThe Bearhave had breakout supporting characters be cast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as superheroes, withTed Lasso’s Roy Kent actor Brett Goldstein making a cameo as Hercules in the end credits ofThor: Love and Thunder,whileThe Bear’s Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who plays Richie, will play Ben Grimm/The Thing inThe Fantastic Four.
Lastly, the series reception has changed over time. BothTed LassoandThe Bear’s first seasons were met with high critical praise and seen as some of the best series of their respective years, whileSeason 2 pushed the boundariesof the series that might have alienated some, but others embraced those bold swings. Both of them had third seasons that were highly anticipated to meet positive reviews by criticsbut were less glowing than before.
Critic Score
Audience Score
The BearSeason 1
The BearSeason 2
The BearSeason 3
Ted LassoSeason 1
Ted LassoSeason 2
Ted LassoSeason 3
Audiences, meanwhile, seemed to be harder on both, criticizing many elements of the series, which has led to the inevitable revision by some to question if the series was ever good in the first place.The Bearitself was seen by those tired ofTed Lasso’s optimism as the antidote, but now the tables have turned on it.The Bearis repeatingTed Lasso’s biggest mistake, but one that is no fault of their own…don’t become too beloved.
The Bear and Ted Lasso Were Victims of Their Success
The biggest issue thatThe BearandTed Lassofaced was that they may have become victims of their success. They were so prominent and beloved that the expectations for both series' third seasons were so high they likely could never realistically match expectations. This means they get labeled disappointments and seen as step-downs. Are bothTed LassoSeason 3 andThe BearSeason 3 perfect? No, there is plenty to critique. Are they as good as what came before? No, but they aren’t steps down that they feel are unrecognizable from what came before. They are still the same series that audiences fell in love with.More likely, what has changed is the viewer.
What has changed is the audience’s relationship with them — both of their first seasons had the element of surprise. When nobody expects anything from you, it is easier to impress. Now, both series are established, and it is harder to impress because not only are there higher expectations, but the longer one goes on delivering the same thing, people become tired of it. However, if you change too much, you risk not being the series people fell in love with in the first place.
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Ted Lassowent from being one of the most popular series of 2020 to a highly mocked series in its final season, with many people tired ofthe series' quotes, gifs, and overall feeling. For many, it was a series that came at the right time, during the COVID-19 pandemic, that many then felt had not only overstayed its welcome but some tried to say it was never good, to begin with, and people were being too kind to it because of the circumstances. Many were happy thatThe Bear, a more cynical and artistically mature, dark comedy, beatTed Lassoin its final season. Less of that had to do withThe Bear(although people did wantThe Bearto win because they loved it) and more to do with just not likingTed Lassoand not wanting it to win for all three seasons.
NowThe Bearis in a similar position, with fans and critics feeling like the show has bought into its hype. In a meta way, it has become very much like the lead character Carmy. Season 3 is about living up to the expectations others put on to maintain excellence, so ironically, that has become the series' narrative. They pushed new styles of stories into Season 3 to show a more artistic side, yet now many of its biggest supporters are rejecting it.
The BearSeason 3 might not be perfect, but it is not some significant step down from the previous two seasons. It might not reach the same highs as before, but maybe there needs to be some recognition that just because a show isn’t “great,” that doesn’t make it “terrible” or “rubbish” or “never good,” but instead sometimes “good” or “fine” is alright and acceptable. The sooner we stop expecting every series to be a game-changing experience, the better everyone will be because the discussion can be more nuanced.The Bearis streaming onHulu.Ted Lassois streaming onApple TV+.
