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Ready to indulge in ‘The Bear’ Season 3? Yes, chef
Ayo Edebiri as Sydney in FX's The Bear.
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TV-Talk: 'The Bear,' ‘Land of Women’ ‘My Lady Jane’ and more
Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network tv and numerous streaming platforms. Each week, we’re going to try to break through the noise with TV watchers who can point us to the must-sees and steer us clear of the shows that maybe don’t live up to the hype. This week, guest host, Julia Paskin, talks to Jen Chaney, television critic for Vulture, and Cristina Escobar, tv critic and co-founder of LatinaMedia.Co. Today’s show includes: The Bear (FX on HULU) Land of Women (Apple TV+) My Lady Jane (Amazon Prime) WondLA (Apple TV+) 2024 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials (USA/NBC/Peacock)
If you haven’t yet feasted on the delectable kitchen drama, The Bear...like, where have you been? The series stars Jeremy Allen White as Chef Carmy as he leads his rag-tag crew through the ups and downs of operating a fine dining kitchen. Season 3 premiered this week. Let’s dig in and discuss what works and what doesn't.
Season 2 recap
Chef Carmy has finally reinvented his late brother’s sandwich shop into a fine dining establishment called The Bear, not without challenges of course. Season 2 featured a star-studded supporting cast, including Jamie Lee Curtis, John Mulaney, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson and Olivia Colman. The season concluded with an array of problems on opening night like Carmy accidentally getting locked in a walk-in fridge. How will the team make it work as they attempt to get a Michelin star?
What works this season
The food, obviously.
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“There's definitely a lot of tight close ups on people meticulously preparing plates,” said Vulture TV critic, Jen Chaney, during a conversation on AirTalk, LAist daily news program which airs on 89.3 FM.
The characters also continue to resonate.
“This is also a celebration of the working class in a lot of ways.. how hard it is to work in the restaurant business and keep going. And certainly anybody who's worked in that industry can relate to that, but I think anyone who's ever had a job can relate to that,” Jen said.
What doesn't work
“Sometimes the pacing is too slow,” Jen said. “The Fak Brothers, who have been characters in this before, they really lean hard on them for comedic relief, and it gets to be a little bit much.”
This is also a celebration of the working class in a lot of ways
— Jen Chaney, television critic for Vulture
To savor or binge?
All 10 episodes are streaming on Hulu. Jen suggests savoring the new season, but the episodes are there for binging if you’re too ravenous. Your call.
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More shows
Listen here for full reviews of The Bear, plus other shows like WondLa, My Lady Jane and Land of Women.
Listen
12:47
TV-Talk: 'The Bear,' ‘Land of Women’ ‘My Lady Jane’ and more
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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