The Bear: Everything We Know About Season 3

If you're looking for more evidence that the TV calendar has been thrown into chaos, look no further than the fact that The Bear just got renewed for its third season even though its first season will probably dominate the 2023 Emmy Awards (whenever they wind up happening). But fans of the FX series centered on chef Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) and his quest to re-open the family sandwich shop as a fine dining experience will be just fine with a little temporal weirdness if it means new episodes of their beloved show.

It's been five months since Season 2 of Christopher Storer’s series debuted in its entirety on Hulu, garnering critical acclaim (including our own rave) and more than doubling its Season 1 viewership numbers. It’s safe to say that the appetite for the show has only grown, which is why we’ll be tracking any and all updates on the new season, which is, for now, set to premiere in 2024. Here's everything we know so far about The Bear Season 3:

When Will The Bear Season 3 Premiere?

No specific premiere date has been announced yet, and one isn't likely to be announced until the SAG-AFTRA strike, which has now gone on for 100+ days, is settled, but the press release from FX indicated the show will “return in 2024.” Seasons 1 and 2 of The Bear premiered in June 2022 and June 2023, respectively, but with production on episodes not yet able to begin, that target will be increasingly difficult to meet.

Where Did The Bear Leave Off at the End of Season 2?

After a season spent struggling to get the new restaurant up to code, The Bear's soft opening in the Season 2 finale was a success. Carmy ended up overly stressed, unsurprisingly, and found himself locked in the walk-in fridge while Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) readily picked up the reins.

In other end-of-season developments, Carmy broke up with Claire (Molly Gordon), Marcus (Lionel Boyce) missed a bunch of calls from his ailing mother's nurse, and Natalie's (Abby Elliott) husband Pete (Chris Witaske) let the cat out of the bag about her pregnancy.

Who Will Be in the Cast in Season 3?

The existing ensemble is set to return, but any additional casting news will likely have to wait until the actors' strike is over. Season 2 featured a ton of surprise guest stars, including Jaime Lee Curtis as Carmy and Natalie's mom Donna. Jon Bernthal has made guest appearances in both Seasons 1 and 2 as Carmy and Natalie's late brother Mike, so it wouldn't be a surprise if he shows up again.

What Is The Bear Season 3 About?

Nothing’s leaked as of yet, though now that the WGA strike has ended, the writers are free to complete their scripts. Now that The Bear is open, the show can explore what kind of work goes into keeping up the restaurant’s success. Season 2 gave many characters a lot to be confident about: Sydney continued to progress as a chef, Richie found his purpose at the front of the house, Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) came into her own as a sous-chef, Natalie handled project-manager duties while pregnant. Can one restaurant accommodate that much professional development? And while this is pure speculation at this point, Jessica, the maitre d' at the restaurant where Richie staged, seemed to have an eye for Richie by the end of his week there, so maybe we'll get Sarah Ramos back for more than just one episode this time.

The Bear Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Hulu. Join the discussion about the show in our forums.

Joe Reid is the senior writer at Primetimer and co-host of the This Had Oscar Buzz podcast. His work has appeared in Decider, NPR, HuffPost, The Atlantic, Slate, Polygon, Vanity Fair, Vulture, The A.V. Club and more.