Will Christopher Storer’s new season of the beloved comedy-drama series be a short one? If you want to know the answer, then continue reading to find out.
Even though it looked like Hulu was regaining its sense of direction by ordering new seasons of many cherished shows for the 2023–2034 broadcast season after recovering from being negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. But sadly, it looks like this hopeful period of revival was short-lived, as in reality, the fate of many series is undoubtedly still in the pits! Right now, the network is facing yet another hurdle that has completely overshadowed the cheerful fall schedule because of the ongoing dual strikes, which include the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and 2023 WGA strikes, which sadly haven’t reached any agreement yet!
Due to this, major production houses across many networks have stopped all work due to a lack of writers and actors until a proper outcome is achieved in their favor in terms of fair compensation, which they truly deserve to have for their efforts in creating some of the most memorable series in recent times, which also includes the one and only “The Bear.”
If you streamed the show, then you’ll know that the second season ended on June 22, 2023. Since then, the network has not approved a third season, which isn’t quite shocking when we consider that the network has taken a step back in approving additional seasons, with one of the reasons being that many drastic changes are still being negotiated behind the scenes because of the strikes, with the first step being revising the remaining fall schedule until next year with new release dates and the second choice being delaying the renewal of many shows for a while, maybe until the dual strikes reaches an agreement in order to avoid premature renewals, which might become an issue in the near future.
The same approach of delaying the renewal seems to be happening with The Bear Season 3, which might be the best route for the time being as it gives the creators some time to re-evaluate the future with budget allocation, among other factors that play a crucial role in justifying another season. That’s not all. We have also addressed the possibility of the third season having a reduced episode count.
To answer this question, we wish to clarify the air by noting that, as we know by now, the series has not been greenlit for a third season; thus, projecting the official episode count of the next season will be far too difficult. But for your consideration, we predict that the creators might be willing to maintain the episode count and be consistent by incorporating at least 8 to 10 episodes with an average runtime of 20–66 minutes, just like the first and second seasons, which will drop at once, so you can binge it instantly! Hence, if renewed, the chances of the third season being a short one might not be that high, but the possibility is on the table!
At last, we say this because the future is uncertain as the episode count is still subject to change as a direct result of the ongoing 2023 WGA strike along with the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, which has already caused major delays in the pre-production, thus putting various writers rooms in a temporary standstill, which causes an issue to determine the episode count, which sadly remains a mystery.
The Bear Season 3 Release Date: If renewed, when will it premiere?
We’ve noticed that the gap between this show’s first two seasons was around a year, which is typical for a show of this caliber to wrap up its meticulous production on schedule and not last more than a few months. Hence, as per our guess, if the series is renewed within the next few weeks, then we can assume that the new episodes might come back around mid-2024, ideally late summer season, just like the past two seasons, which premiered in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
We should also consider that there are ongoing dual strikes, which have put a major halt to production until a proper resolution for the strikes is made. Hence, this situation has the potential to cause further delays in the commencement of production if it gets renewed, which will eventually cause uncertainties in its release. So, everything relating to the official release date is just pure speculation, and we’ll have to wait sometime for the network to confirm these details in the near future!
The Bear Season 3 Plot: What can the fans expect from the new season?
If renewed, the plot will pick up from the second season, which showcased Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri), and Richard “Richie” Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they work to transform their grimy sandwich joint into a next-level spot. As they strip the restaurant down to its bones, the crew undertake transformational journeys of their own, each forced to confront the past and reckon with who they want to be in the future.
Of course, it turns out the only thing harder than running a restaurant is opening a new one, and the team must juggle the insane bureaucracy of permits and contractors with the beauty and creative agony of menu planning. The transition brings a newfound focus on hospitality as well. As the entire staff is forced to come together in new ways, pushing the boundaries of their abilities and relationships, they also learn what it means to be in service, both to diners and each other.
While anything might happen with The Bear Season 3 if it is renewed, as Ayo Edibiri also chimed in on the conjecture ahead of the SAG-AFTRA strike in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter about Carmy’s friendship with Sydney, quote, “It’s really not our thought process when we’re making the show, and I understand it can be part of a show’s culture,” she explained to the outlet. Further adding, “But I don’t think they’re going to get what they want.”
*Spoiler Alert*
The series is also expected to pick up the plot from the final episode, “The Bear,” in which the viewers get to see that Richie runs the front of the house while Sydney runs the kitchen. During service, issues begin to add up: the restaurant runs out of forks, Carmy and Marcus are forced to assist when chef Josh goes missing, and the walk-in fridge handles break, trapping Carmy inside. However, Richie successfully takes over expediting.
Pete, Natalie’s husband, sees Donna outside, but she refuses to go in. He accidentally reveals Natalie’s pregnancy to Donna, who leaves tearfully. Still trapped, Carmy begins to spiral. He reveals to Tina that he hasn’t been present enough due to his relationship with Claire. Claire overhears this and leaves the kitchen upset.
Richie and Carmy have a heated argument; realizing his mistakes, Carmy plays a voicemail he missed from Claire before service, where she confesses her love for him. Carmy is freed from the fridge, while Richie looks defeated, and Sydney feels fulfilled after impressing her father. Marcus, not noticing numerous messages from his mother’s nurse, receives a gift from Luca, a sign that reads “Every Second Counts,” and hangs it in the kitchen.
The Bear Season 3 Cast: Who will reprise their roles?
As of writing this, the cast members for the third season have not been confirmed, but we speculate the main cast will certainly return, which includes Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richard “Richie” Jerimovich, Abby Elliott as Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto, Oliver Platt as Uncle Jimmy, Lionel Boyce as Marcus, Liza Colón-Zayas as Tina, Edwin Lee Gibson as Ebraheim, and Matty Matheson as Neil Fak.
The recurring cast members who are also expected to return are Oliver Platt as Jimmy “Cicero” Kalinowski, Edwin Lee Gibson as Ebraheim, Corey Hendrix as Gary “Sweeps” Woods, José Cervantes as Angel, Richard Esteras as Manny, Chris Witaske as Pete, Robert Townsend as Emmanuel Adamu, and Molly Gordon as Claire.
On the other hand, Will Poulter as Luca, Alex Moffat as Josh, Jamie Lee Curtis as Donna Berzatto, Bob Odenkirk as “Uncle” Lee Lane, Sarah Paulson as Michelle Berzatto, John Mulaney as Steven, Gillian Jacobs as Tiffany Jerimovich, Ricky Staffieri as Theodore Fak, Olivia Colman as Chef Terry, Sarah Ramos as Jessica, Andrew Lopez as Garrett, Rene Gube as Ever GM, and Adam Shapiro as Ever Chef de Cuisine are unlikely to return as they were just guest stars in the second season.
Lastly, Jeremy Allen White recently spoke to The Wrap about his dream guest star for season 3: Can you guess? It’s the one and only Sam Rockwell! He said, “You know who I love, and I’ve always loved so much, is Sam Rockwell, and I feel like he would fit somehow into the world,” White said. Further adding, “Like a buddy of Ebon or something. You know, I feel like he would really, I don’t know. I feel like there’s room for him in the The Bear universe.”
While Lionel Boyce, who plays Marcus Brooks, hasn’t confirmed anything regarding The Bear Season 3, he told Distractify, quote, “I would like to see [Marcus] go through anything as long as we get a Season 3. I feel the same way as I did after Season 1, where it finished and I was like, ‘I truly don’t know where the show’s gonna go.'” He also told Deadline, “All the writers do such a great job of arcing out specific stories for each character, so I’m excited to see where they’ll take it.”
The Bear Season 3 Official Trailer: Has it been released?
As the series has not received any early renewal updates yet, the network has not released any teaser trailers. However, fans of the show can still hold onto hope as the absence of early renewal updates and teaser trailers may simply be a strategic move by the network to build anticipation and suspense. This silence from the network has only fueled speculation among eager viewers, who eagerly await any news regarding the future of their beloved series.
In the meantime, before streaming all the new episodes, check out the official second season’s trailer of 1:59 minutes, which reflects that “The Bear is about food, family, the insanity of the grind, the beauty of Sense of Urgency and the steep slippery downsides. As the young chef Carmy flights to transform both The Original Beef of Chicagoland and himself, he works alongside a rough-around-the-edges kitchen crew that ultimately reveals themselves as his chosen family.”
The Bear Season 2, along with the first season, are currently available to stream on Hulu for US viewers and international viewers, depending on the viewers’ location and membership plans, which the users can choose from to renew their accounts and watch the series. The Bear is also available to stream in Australia (Disney+) and India (Disney+ Hotstar). It will also be available on Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ in all other territories at a later date.
Moreover, on Rotten Tomatoes, the second season holds an approval rating of 100% with an average rating of 9.2/10, based on 55 critic reviews. The site’s critical consensus reads, “Instead of reinventing the menu, The Bear’s second season wisely opts to toss its lovable characters into another frying pan of adversity, lets ’em cook, and serves up yet another supremely satisfying dish.” Metacritic assigned it a weighted average score of 92 out of 100 based on 32 critic reviews, indicating “universal acclaim.”
Take a look at the official trailer of The Bear Season 2 below:
While you wait for more The Bear Season 3 updates on Web News Observer, catch up on the previous seasons on Hulu.