The Bear season 3 garnered a shockingly low Rotten Tomatoes audience score, but it seems very likely that season 4 won’t experience the same problem. After debuting in June 2022 to critical acclaim, the Hulu comedy-drama has only gotten more popular. It also doesn’t hurt that The Bear went six for six in major categories at the 2024 Emmy Awards, further justifying why the title has been considered one of the best shows in recent memory. That said, even though The Bear‘s cast and character-driven episodes remained a highlight through season 3, it didn’t live up to everyone’s expectations.

The Bear season 3 began shortly after the events of season 2, with Carmy apologizing for how he treated Sydney and the rest of the restaurant staff while being locked in the freezer. Based on Carmy’s non-negotiables in The Bear, it was quickly shown that he may not have completely learned from his past mistakes or his bad experiences in the industry. Through three seasons, Carmy still failed to see how his management style negatively affected the team and its potential. Of course, everyone else had their own problems to deal with, including Sydney and her new job offer, but the non-stop conflict didn’t help The Bear season 3‘s reception.

The Bear Season 3’s Low Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score Explained

The Bear Season 3’s Audience Score Is Drastically Different From The Critics’ Score

Despite very high scores for its first two seasons, The Bear season 3’s audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is currently 55%. Interestingly, the critics’ score is much higher at 93%, earning the “Certified Fresh” label. The critics’ score is also much more in tune with the scores from the previous seasons from both critics and audiences, though nothing can beat season 1’s critical reception. The breakdown of The Bear‘s performance on Rotten Tomatoes is as follows:

As for why The Bear season 3’s audience score is so low, most of the blame comes down to plot development. The latest season had some fantastic episodes, including standalone stories like “Napkins” and “Ice Chip,” but as a whole, there wasn’t much progression for Carmy, Sydney, and their team. The consensus for low audience reviews have also pointed out The Bear season 3’s ending, which didn’t provide satisfying conclusions to most of the show’s ongoing storylines. Aside from the mystery surrounding the restaurant’s review, it’s still unclear if Sydney is sticking around and what the future holds for Carmy and Claire.

Why The Bear Season 4 Probably Won’t Have The Same RT Audience Score Problem

The Bear Season 4 Already Has A Few Advantages

Whether or not The Bear season 3 deserves its low audience score on Rotten Tomatoes or not, season 4 likely won’t face the same problem. Whereas The Bear season 3 failed to solve major mysteries, season 4 will be all about the payoff. The slow progression criticisms surrounding season 3 won’t be the case next season of The Bear, considering there will be resolution, at least for most storylines. The plot sets up Sydney’s big job decision, the fate of Claire and Carmy, and even Natalie’s new journey with motherhood. All of those aspects are set to be focuses of The Bear season 4’s story, meaning the impact of these lingering plots will be felt.

There’s also the fate of The Bear (the restaurant and the show). Season 3’s ending confirmed that the Tribune review went public, but the actual contents of the review weren’t shared. With the restaurant’s fate hanging on what’s in that review, there could be significant changes in store for Carmy and the others. Either the restaurant won’t make it, or Carmy will need to adapt to keep the success going if they lose Sydney or not. There’s also the question of whether Hulu will continue The Bear beyond season 4.

Will The Bear Season 4 Make Season 3 Look Better?

The Bear Season 4 Can Fix Season 3’s Problems

Unlike the first two seasons, The Bear seasons 3 and 4 were filmed back-to-back. Not only does the story set up two parts to the current story, but The Bear season 3 even ended with a “to be continued,” explaining why it concluded on so many cliffhangers. With The Bear season 4 set to feature the big payoffs, there could be a reappraisal of sorts when it comes to season 3. Seeing the full view of seasons 3 and 4 together could drastically change the initial reception of the former installment, especially if The Bear intended the two seasons to serve as one larger story.

With so many releases electing to air in “parts” rather than a traditional season these days, it’s surprising The Bear didn’t take the two-parter route as a way to bypass criticism aimed at pacing and lack of conclusions. It will also be interesting to see if The Bear season 4 becomes the proper end of the show, which would increase the stakes even more. In addition to sticking the landing for everything season 3 set up, the upcoming installment will need to satisfyingly conclude the entire show. While there’s hope The Bear season 3 could redeem its low audience score in time, season 4 may have more to worry about.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes