Warning: Spoilers for The Bear season 3 finale

The Bear season 4 is already on its way to resolving one of the biggest season 3 complaints. The Bear season 3 noticeably has much more criticism than its predecessors. Although this season was well received by critics, it still has a lower score on Rotten Tomatoes compared to earlier seasons. Furthermore, The Bear season 3 audience and critic scores are still very different on Rotten Tomatoes. The season received many complaints, from the lack of screen time Carmy and Sydney had together to Claire’s misplaced appearances.

The amount of critiques is worrying, especially when wondering what will happen in The Bear season 4. The show will have a lot to do to fix the issues its third season presented, primarily with the new storylines introduced. It was such a letdown compared to season 1 and season 2. However, one particular criticism can be put to bed by how The Bear season 3 ended. The Bear season 3, episode 10, “Forever,” ends on a particular note that will likely make this critique a non-issue in future seasons.

The Bear Season 4 Won’t Need As Many Flashbacks As Season 3

The Bear Season 4 Will Focus On The Present Timeline

One of the primary complaints of The Bear season 3 is that there are simply too many flashbacks. The Bear season 3, episode 1, “Tomorrow,” is a timeline consisting entirely of disjointed flashbacks of various points in Carmy’s life. The rest of the season shows more flashbacks, even repeating some previously seen. There are too many flashbacks, which take away from the present narrative. However, the season ends with many unanswered questions that a fourth season must address, leaving minimal time for additional flashbacks. The show cannot rely on repeating the same flashbacks.

The Bear Season 3 Overdid Its Response To Season 2’s Biggest Episode

The Bear Season 2, Episode 6, “Fishes” Is An Extraordinary Exception, Not The Rule

A possible reason why Bear season 3 includes so many flashbacks is because of the critical acclaim The Bear season 2, episode 6, “Fishes” received. The Bear season 2 features a haunting family Christmas episode that occurred five years before, when Mikey Berzatto was still alive. It was an excellent episode that portrayed the issues within the Berzatto family and the individual characters. It was a necessary flashback that provided additional commentary on the present-day characters. However, just because this flashback episode was successful does not mean that The Bear should start indulging in flashbacks.

There are only so many flashbacks to visit before it starts to feel redundant and unnecessary. The Bear‘s most iconic slogan reads, “Every second counts,” and the show is not an exception to the rule. Adding too many flashbacks – especially repetitive ones – at the expense of the present hinders the narrative. Flashbacks should only be necessary when the narrative tries to highlight specific characteristics of a character or a dynamic. The Bear should not include them without good reason. What made the reliance on flashbacks even more surprising was all the events taking place in the present.

Despite the number of unnecessary flashbacks in The Bear season 3, some actually helped the narrative, with the most notable example of this being Tina’s flashback episode. The Bear season 3, episode 6, “Napkins,” features Tina’s past and what led her to work at The Bear. This episode shows how Tina became the person she is today. Subtle moments such as Tina crying in front of Mikey explain why she was so reluctant to change how she worked once Carmy became the boss. This episode is a great reminder that sometimes flashbacks are necessary.