Man, this season was a letdown. Overall it lacked the focus of the first two seasons and portraying the struggle the characters and the business had. Now it kinda feels like they're manufacturing situations. "Oh, Carmy wants to change the menu every night. Fuck you, no Fuck you, NO FUCK YOU".
Initially it felt like the season would be about getting the place to turn a profit, but even that seemed to fade into the background and they put personal stories at the forefront. Thats not necessarily bad, but there's a couple problems.
Number 1, I'm getting real tired of Sydneys entitlement complex. Her character is talented, but is having amazing opportunities just thrown at her and it isn't really explained why. Yeah, she's talented but talented chefs aren't rare. She's getting a partnership just given to her by Carmy, who's pumping all the money his bro left him into the business, has been mentored by some of the best chefs in the world and Sydney is basically all "I don't like your tone". Fuck, bitch, he's GIVING you a partnership in one of the cities best restaurants for FREE.
Then some other random dude is like "Hey, Sydney here's another flat out amazing opportunity that I'll just throw into your lap that you've done nothing to earn".
Basically, she needs to go fuck herself.
Ok, rant off. But there's other issues too. Going with personal drama stories over the intensity of the kitchen can work, but it doesn't here. I don't care about the chef Carmy trained under going out of business. That should be something thats used to create tension in his own restaurant, not devote a whole episode to....what, exactly? All the chefs having a meal together? Who cares. The show has only introduced like 4 of these people, and even then it's rather sparse.
And then, holy shit, you build up Carmy meeting the A-hole chef again for 3 season and then thats all that happens? He cries about his ulcers? Give me a break.
There's just all this character drama, which is fine, but it's like they forgot the other half of the show. Richie and his ex, sugar having a whole episode talking to her mom. Ok, but where the other half of the show?
And don't even get me started and the cliffhanger ending. It's like they set up a dozen questions and decided to answer none of them.
It probably comes off like I hated the season, but I didn't. Its still a quality show because of the talent involved. But, man, this was a letdown when you compare it to the previous two seasons.
Oliver Platt is still a boss, though.
