‘The Bear’: Where Is Carmy’s Dad?

The Bear‘s third season is swiftly approaching, and while exact storylines and guest stars will remain a mystery leading up to the June 27 premiere, we can’t help but wonder if the latest chapter will answer one lingering question: Where in the world is Carmy Berzatto’s (Jeremy Allen White) father?

Fans were introduced to the Berzatto clan at large in Season 2’s turbulent sixth entry, “Fishes,” a.k.a. the Christmas episode, but one member of the family unit was missing as Carmy’s dad remains absent. But could he make a return with some surprising A-list guest casting? We wouldn’t put it past the show that has proven itself as a juggernaut capable of pulling top-tier film and TV talent.

But, where is Carmy’s dad exactly? We’ve already been clued into quite a bit when it comes to Carmy’s absentee father, particularly during a Season 1 conversation between the chef and Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt), a.k.a. James “Cicero” Kalinowski. In the episode, “Dogs,” Carmy points out a photo of his father and Jimmy in their younger years.

Chuck Hodes/FX.

When Jimmy asked Carmy if he ever missed his dad, Carmy admitted, “I didn’t really know him well enough to miss him.” The connotation hinted that his dad might have died, but as the chat continued, Carmy asked Uncle Jimmy, “When was the last time you talked to him?” The question suggested that there was a chance they’d recently connected.

But according to Jimmy, he hadn’t talked to Carmy’s dad in two decades. “Uh… around 20 years ago. We had a gnarly fight, man, “Jimmy told Carmy. The fight was apparently about a “million things.” As Jimmy put it, “You know, drugs, alcohol, gambling, mostly because he just insisted on doing stupid f**kin’ s**t all the time. You know, he had a new career, like, every 10 minutes? Wanted to be a broker, and then he wanted to be a defensive coordinator. I’m dead serious. And then some a**hole invested in Ed Debevic’s, and, you know, suddenly he’s a restauranteur.”

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In other words, the Berzatto family wound up in the restaurant business because of Carmy’s dad. His deadbeat status remains rather mysterious, but keeping in mind that he supposedly still exists in the world of the show, who’s to say he won’t pop up at some point? While he does appear in a photo in Season 1, there is room for some potentially exciting casting if the show were to explore the character.

Perhaps a successful new restaurant in the heart of Chicago could bring Carmy’s dad out of the woodwork? Only time will tell for certain. But what do you think? Will Carmy’s dad surface on The Bear or is he better off being left a mystery? Let us know in the comments section, below. And stay tuned for Season 3 of FX‘s The Bear.

FX’s The Bear, Season 3 Premiere, Thursday, June 27, Hulu