BothThe Bearand fellow hit streaming seriesThe Mandalorianhad an underwhelming third season because their near-perfect second season set the bar too high.The Emmy-winningThe Bearis a unique show that combines the found-family antics of a workplace comedy with the nail-biting tension of a psychological thriller. It reflects the hectic intensity of a professional kitchen and the toxicity of a high-stress working environment, as well as the anxiety-inducing dysfunction of a family where the primary form of communication is yelling.
But it follows a lot of the trends of the biggest TV hits of the 2020s. LikeSuccession,The Bearblurs the line between comedy and drama. LikeYellowjackets, it jumps all over a nonlinear narrative timeline. LikeThe Penguin, it digs into the fractured psychology of its deeply broken characters. And it’s not all roses; it has some of the same flaws as other current hit shows, too.The Bearshares its biggest problem with Disney’s most popular live-actionStar Warsshow.
The Bear & The Mandalorian Both Set The Bar Too High In Season 2
The BearandThe Mandalorianwere immediate hits with both critics and audiences.The Bearwon over fans with its profoundly naturalistic slice-of-life acting and writing, whileThe Mandalorianwon over fans with its emotionally engagingLone Wolf and Cubstoryline— not to mention the adorableness of “Baby Yoda.” They followed up their blockbuster first season with an even greater second season. But after that, audiences were let down by an underwhelming third season that was met with mixed reviews.
The Bearseason 4 is set to premiere in June 2025.
The third seasons ofThe BearandThe Mandalorianwere disappointing for the same reason:season 2 set the bar too high.The Bearseason 2 featured fan-favorite masterpieces like “Forks” and “Fishes,” and revolved around the solid story arc of Carmy and co. reinventing The Beef as a high-end fine-dining restaurant. Over the course of the season, each character unlocked their own special superpower that made them essential to the team.The Mandalorianseason 2 revolved around Mando’s quest to reunite Grogu with the Jedi, and culminated inthe jaw-dropping appearance of Luke Skywalker.
The Bear Still Has One Advantage Over The Mandalorian
The Bear Hasn’t Ruined A Perfect Ending Like The Mandalorian Did
While the third seasons ofThe BearandThe Mandalorianboth underwhelmed audiences for the same reason,The Bearstill has one advantage overThe Mandalorian.The Mandalorian’s season 2 finale would’ve been the perfect ending for the entire series— it concluded Mando and Grogu’s journey in a really beautiful, definitive way — but the story ruined that ending and kept going.The Bear’s season 2 finale was great, but it wasn’t a definitive ending, sothe series still has the chance to end its story in a satisfying way(unlikeThe Mandalorian).
