The Bear Season Four: A Slow-Cooked Return to Form

Throughout the 2020s, one defining voice in television has been The Bear (2022-2025). With its intense atmosphere, grounded characters, and meticulous storytelling, the show’s first season immediately hooked viewers and built anticipation for a follow-up. Season Two was even better, featuring the most focused storyline in the show and some of the best character work on television in recent memory; it was a masterpiece across the board. Sadly, Season Three was a step down in almost every regard. While still well-crafted and entertaining, the season felt like a regression in many character developments and lacked a compelling narrative. This trajectory left fans optimistic yet cautious for its fourth season. Although the latest installment resolves many of Season Three’s flaws and delivers a more mature tone, it’s still unfocused, largely because the restaurant—once the show’s anchor—is pushed to the wayside in favor of many scattered and tedious storylines.

This season begins as a reset from Season Three, with Carmen (Jeremy Allen White) realizing he needs to change after Chicago’s food reviewer The Tribune gives a mixed review. He also learns that Jimmy’s (Oliver Platt) money supply—which previously had been keeping The Bear afloat—is quickly running out. He does his best to keep the restaurant running with newfound calm and composure, guiding the restaurant while repairing the issues in his life. Sous Chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) struggles to decide between joining a new restaurant and staying at The Bear. This conflict leads to tension between her and Carmen, which slowly gets resolved as the season progresses. The Bear has also introduced a window led by Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson) to sell foods originally from The Beef, which he attempts to scale using the mentorship of business consultant Albert Schnur (Rob Reiner). Beneath the personal conflicts, the chefs remain united by one pursuit: earning The Bear its first Michelin Star.

This season offers a new, unique atmosphere that feels distinct to the previous ones; every scene felt more introspective, especially the ones focusing on Sydney and Carmen. The season’s mood is also created through its minimal dialogue and darker lighting, highlighting the characters’ despair. While this new tone did offer a fresh perspective, it also felt more listless, with many scenes, especially outside the restaurant, dragged, leaving the audience fatigued. For better or worse, the season feels like a slowly simmering funeral.

One aspect The Bear has always excelled in is complex character writing, and this installment is no different. Many characters who were previously pushed into the background receive interesting storylines, such as Gary (Corey Hendrix) and Ebraheim. Among an impressive ensemble, Edebiri is a clear standout this season, masterfully portraying emotional turmoil. This is displayed when she visits the hospital; her reaction to the situation feels exactly how a real person would, and makes the audience feel as gut-wrenched as she is. Returning recurring cast members further liven the ensemble, such as Garrett (Andrew Lopez) and Jess (Sarah Ramos) of the former Ever restaurant staff, as well as Luca (Will Poulter), and Claire (Molly Gordon). 

The characters’ developments are ultimately shown through the season’s best episode, “Bears,” which features Richie’s (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) ex-wife remarrying to another man, leading to stress for his daughter. The episode works wonderfully as both a reconciliation of the Berzatto family and a spiritual successor to Season Two’s intense Christmas dinner episode, “Fishes.” The episode serves as a poetic showcase of the characters’ love, hate, and fears, capturing almost everything that makes The Bear special. 

Despite its growth from Season Three, this installment continued to lack focus. Although a physical clock tracked the timeline for Jimmy’s money, it failed to replicate the suspense of Season Two’s deadline due to the slower pace and absence of the show’s signature ‘every second counts’ energy. Additionally, having most of the season set outside the restaurant diminished the season’s impact, making many episodes meander. Although some scenes outside the kitchen worked well due to their narrative impact, such as Carmen’s conversation with Claire on her doorstep, most fell flat. Most notably, Sydney’s bottleneck episode felt inconsequential and tedious because it focused excessively on an irrelevant storyline. While bottleneck episodes and scenes have worked before, such as Marcus’ visit to Copenhagen in Season Two, it became overdone and monotonous in this entry. Additionally, while the needle-drops and soundtrack have been effective in years past, such as the now iconic “New Noise” by Refused, they often feel overdone and distracting, breaking the season’s rhythm. 

The Bear’s fourth season isn’t perfect; its pacing is often messy, and while its slower atmosphere invites introspection, it frequently feels dreary. The character development was excellent though, progressing each character’s storyline in a satisfying way. It certainly doesn’t match the greatness of its second season, or even its first, but it is definitely a step in the right direction following a somewhat forgettable third season. Its final few episodes somewhat redeemed the messy storyline and set up Season Five effectively by introducing a heartbreaking new dynamic that promises an emotional final act. While not its peak, Season Four proves The Bear still has bite—and sets the table for a potentially bittersweet and satisfying finale.