The official trailer for The Bear season 3 teases the upcoming outing’s substitute for season 2’s critically acclaimed and shocking episode. The Bear season 2’s Christmas episode became a huge sensation upon its release in 2023, with the entry being filled with plenty of guest stars, surprising moments, and anxiety-inducing interactions as it flashed back to Christmas day several years beforehand. “Fishes” remains one of the highest-rated episodes of the show as more of the Berzattos’ history was revealed, and it gives The Bear season 3 a big task to replicate or outshine such an influential, powerful TV episode.

Details on the plot of The Bear season 3 have largely been kept under wraps, though the latest trailer reveals Carmy and Sydney aiming for a Michelin star, “non-negotiable” parts of the restaurant’s operations, and Carmy reflecting on his romance with Claire. Additionally, the upcoming season is expected to include several surprise appearances akin to the hidden high-profile cameos in The Bear season 2 to adorn its new restaurant-related chaos. In fact, The Bear season 3’s trailer already revealed one of its upcoming cameos, which sets up the next season’s answer to “Fishes.”

The Bear’s Season 3 Trailer Reveals Another Flashback Episode With Mikey

Jon Bernthal reprises his role for another flashback sequence in The Bear season 3

While it’ll be difficult for The Bear to top its Christmas-set flashback episode from season 2, the show has teased that it’s continuing its flashback episode trend in season 3. The trailer for The Bear season 3 includes a brief flashback clip of Carmy and his now-deceased brother Mikey (Jon Bernthal) coming up with their plan to open their own restaurant, which would eventually go on to be The Bear. The scene sees Carmy tell Mikey that he knows how to open up his own restaurant and really believes he could do it, with Mikey asking him what they would call the establishment.

Since Mikey died before The Bear’s pilot episode, any tease of Jon Bernthal’s inclusion means these scenes will be set before the events of the series. Considering Carmy and Mikey had already picked out the “vibe,” storefront appearance of the restaurant, and name, “The Bear,” by season 2’s Christmas episode, the upcoming flashback sequence will occur before that chaotic holiday. With plenty of backstory for The Bear’s Berzatto family still left to explore in season 3, the upcoming flashback episode will likely contain some heartbreaking reveals comparable to “Fishes.”

The Bear Season 3’s Flashback Episode Tease Will Make Carmy’s Season 1 Story More Heartbreaking

The Bear season 3 gives more context to Carmy & Mikey’s fallout

With The Bear season 3’s flashback exploring the origins of Mikey and Carmy’s restaurant idea, the younger brother’s season 1 story will be all the more upsetting. When The Bear began, Mikey and Carmy were hardly speaking to each other because the latter was angry that the former wouldn’t let him work at The Beef, which seemingly drove a wall in their plans to open the restaurant. The show has now gone from Carmy being angry with Mikey for keeping him away from The Beef, to Carmy actually opening up the restaurant they dreamed about in The Bear season 2’s ending, to season 3 now heartbreakingly revealing the excitement that Carmy and Mikey originally had when coming up with their joint business plan.