"A young chef from the fine dining world returns to Chicago to run his family's sandwich shop."

OUR REVIEW:

Season 4 of Hulu’s The Bear is conflicted. In some ways it feels like a return to form, but it also comes with some questionable choices. The first season was a surprise hit, season 2 was a strong follow up, while Season 3 felt a bit divisive for fans. My expectation was that season 4 would move the story along and loosen up its more abstract vibes. This season switches up the tone yet again for its own sense of identity with new stakes, but I fear the once hot blue flame is fading to a dull yellow.

While the restaurant is still alive and kicking, they are faced with a potential closure if it doesn’t start making a profit. Although a big digital timer is placed on the counter, ticking down throughout the season, it didn’t feel as critical as it should have.

Carmy continues to be incredibly emotionally stunted and frustrating to watch. Sydney spends nearly the entire season deciding whether to stay at The Bear or to join Chef Shapiro; something that should have been bookended immediately off of season 3’s finale. Richie is still on a steady rise to maturity as he navigates fatherhood and the increasing complexity of co-parenting. Momma Donna has a sudden declaration of clarity. Even Claire Bear got bumped up about five places on my favorite characters roster. While we don’t get as much of Tina as I’d personally like, we do spend some overdue time with Ebraheim, watching him evolve as sole operator of the beef window. 

For me, the darling of this season is Episode 4: “Worms” written by Ayo Edebiri and Lionel Bryce. Worms allows us to ride shotgun on Sydney’s day off, a much needed break for her and us as well. It's a relief to get outside of the walls of The Bear from time to time. 

Knowing that season 5 has already been greenlit, I’ve become sort of neutral on The Bear. It's still an entertaining show, don't get me wrong, but it feels like they’re running out of steam for this story. Similar to Season 3, I finished the last episode still hungry. It remains a creative masterclass in terms of visuals and is full of trademark cute moments. The diluted stakes in the story and many sequences stretching on for much longer than needed, unfortunately resulted in a recipe for a stale aftertaste.