The Bear Is Repeating Ted Lasso’s Biggest Problem

The Bear Season 3 hit Hulu over the past week, and the reaction has been far from the universal praise of Season 1 or 2. The Bear premiered in June 2022 as part of the FX on Hulu brand and, over a few weeks, became one of the most talked about new shows, propelling it into a cultural phenomenon and making its second season a bigger deal. That success led to various awards and a very high bar for Season 3 to meet, which, based on the audience and critical reaction, it has not met. The Bear, in many ways, has become a victim of its own success.

This certainly will seem familiar as it feels almost exactly like what happened with Ted Lasso, another show that came out of nowhere and quickly became one of the most talked about and beloved shows that, by the time of its third and final season, was met with more negative critical response. People turned on the show they once embraced, and many were cheering when The Bear beat Ted Lasso at the Emmys, Golden Globes, and Critics Choice Awards. Yet now, The Bear is in a similar boat to Ted Lasso.

• 

  The Bear

  Release Date

  June 23, 2022

  Seasons

  3

  Studio

  Hulu, FX Productions, Super Frog

• 

  Ted Lasso

  Release Date

  April 14, 2020

  Seasons

  3

  Studio

  Apple TV+, Ruby’s Tuna, Universal Television, Doozer

The Bear and Ted Lasso Similarities Are More Than They Appear

At first, it seems like Ted Lasso and The Bear are two series that are very far apart in tone. Ted Lasso was a feel-good series, while The Bear is known for causing high anxiety. Yet, both series share a lot in common, both in terms of plot and behind-the-scenes details. Both series involve an outsider entering a new environment, whether Ted Lasso goes to Richmond to coach the team or Carmy takes over and runs The Beef. Their new tactics were initially met with resistance but eventually became adopted as helping bring out the best in everyone. Both series also feature a beloved cast of supporting characters that have become fan-favorites and ones people want to know more about.

Both series had first seasons that were met with critical praise and strong audience viewership. This then led to their second season being expanded to include two additional episodes, and the series creators used those additional episodes to dig deeper into their characters, like Ted Lasso‘s “Beard After Hours,” which focused entirely on Coach Beard, and “No Weddings and a Funeral,” which gave audiences new insight into both Ted and Rebecca’s past. The Bear Season 2 had “Honeydew,” which focused on the character of Marcus, and “Spoons,” which gave a new dimension to the character of Richie. Season 2 of Ted Lasso and The Bear also feature Christmas episodes, which is interesting to note.

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The Bear’s Season 3 Debut Wasn’t What Anyone Expected, and That’s Why It Was Perfect

A welcome respite from the usually fast-paced, energetic episodes, the first episode of The Bear Season 3 was like Carmy’s career retrospective.

Both The Bear and Ted Lasso divided fans regarding romantic relationships. Fans spent three seasons waiting for Ted and Rebecca to hook up, which never happened, and The Bear creators have stood firm in not allowing Carmy and Sydney to become a romantic couple despite fan interest. Also worth noting is that both Ted Lasso and The Bear have had breakout supporting characters be cast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as superheroes, with Ted Lasso‘s Roy Kent actor Brett Goldstein making a cameo as Hercules in the end credits of Thor: Love and Thunder, while The Bear‘s Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who plays Richie, will play Ben Grimm/The Thing in The Fantastic Four.

Lastly, the series reception has changed over time. Both Ted Lasso and The Bear‘s first seasons were met with high critical praise and seen as some of the best series of their respective years, while Season 2 pushed the boundaries of the series that might have alienated some, but others embraced those bold swings. Both of them had third seasons that were highly anticipated to meet positive reviews by critics but were less glowing than before.

Audiences, meanwhile, seemed to be harder on both, criticizing many elements of the series, which has led to the inevitable revision by some to question if the series was ever good in the first place. The Bear itself was seen by those tired of Ted Lasso‘s optimism as the antidote, but now the tables have turned on it. The Bear is repeating Ted Lasso‘s biggest mistake, but one that is no fault of their own…don’t become too beloved.

The Bear and Ted Lasso Were Victims of Their Success

The biggest issue that The Bear and Ted Lasso faced was that they may have become victims of their success. They were so prominent and beloved that the expectations for both series’ third seasons were so high they likely could never realistically match expectations. This means they get labeled disappointments and seen as step-downs. Are both Ted Lasso Season 3 and The Bear Season 3 perfect? No, there is plenty to critique. Are they as good as what came before? No, but they aren’t steps down that they feel are unrecognizable from what came before. They are still the same series that audiences fell in love with. More likely, what has changed is the viewer.

What has changed is the audience’s relationship with them — both of their first seasons had the element of surprise. When nobody expects anything from you, it is easier to impress. Now, both series are established, and it is harder to impress because not only are there higher expectations, but the longer one goes on delivering the same thing, people become tired of it. However, if you change too much, you risk not being the series people fell in love with in the first place.

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Ted Lasso: Why Sunflowers Is One of the Best Episodes

From the atmosphere it creates to the way it directs the rest of the season, here’s why “Sunflowers” is one of the best episodes of Ted Lasso.

Ted Lasso went from being one of the most popular series of 2020 to a highly mocked series in its final season, with many people tired of the series’ quotes, gifs, and overall feeling. For many, it was a series that came at the right time, during the COVID-19 pandemic, that many then felt had not only overstayed its welcome but some tried to say it was never good, to begin with, and people were being too kind to it because of the circumstances. Many were happy that The Bear, a more cynical and artistically mature, dark comedy, beat Ted Lasso in its final season. Less of that had to do with The Bear (although people did want The Bear to win because they loved it) and more to do with just not liking Ted Lasso and not wanting it to win for all three seasons.

Now The Bear is in a similar position, with fans and critics feeling like the show has bought into its hype. In a meta way, it has become very much like the lead character Carmy. Season 3 is about living up to the expectations others put on to maintain excellence, so ironically, that has become the series’ narrative. They pushed new styles of stories into Season 3 to show a more artistic side, yet now many of its biggest supporters are rejecting it.

The Bear Season 3 might not be perfect, but it is not some significant step down from the previous two seasons. It might not reach the same highs as before, but maybe there needs to be some recognition that just because a show isn’t “great,” that doesn’t make it “terrible” or “rubbish” or “never good,” but instead sometimes “good” or “fine” is alright and acceptable. The sooner we stop expecting every series to be a game-changing experience, the better everyone will be because the discussion can be more nuanced. The Bear is streaming on Hulu. Ted Lasso is streaming on Apple TV+.