This summer, my family and I watched the much-anticipated fourth season of “The Bear.” The show is largely acclaimed for its chaotic, intense portrayal of chefs in a Chicago restaurant. The restaurant, previously known as “The Beef,” was transformed into “The Bear” by the main character, Carmy, along with Sydney, Richie and several other beloved characters and family members as the team works to improve the new fine-dining establishment.
Despite the consensus online and among critics that the show has gone downhill since its first two seasons, I honestly really enjoyed season four of “The Bear.” I think it was really successful in its pacing, direction and character development. Regarding my opinion on the plot, I will outline some of the major points of the season below, along with my thoughts.
Season four starts right where season three left off: with a review from the Chicago Tribune. The Bear is criticized for its chaos and inconsistency in the review, and with this setback, along with budgeting issues, Carmy and Syd are given limited time to fix the damage and improve the restaurant before they are forced to shut down. I appreciated the setup of this conflict in the first episode, as the majority of the season’s structure can be attributed to it; a timer sits in the kitchen, counting down the remaining time, and each episode we watch as each crew member contributes individually to cutting down the budget, improving the quality and speed of the food, and maintaining guest satisfaction. As the crew begins to work on enhancing and perfecting their crafts in the race against the clock, Carmy clearly seems to lack the same determination as the others— determination that he had in previous seasons.
An aspect of this season that I especially enjoyed was the attention given to each character, as was done brilliantly in seasons one and two, but I felt was missing in the third. Despite the several subplots, including Sydney’s conflict between staying at The Bear or starting a new restaurant with Shapiro, and Richie’s insecurities about sharing time with his daughter between himself and her new stepfather, each felt significant and worthy of time. My favorite episode of the season was undoubtedly the wedding episode, which was an hour-long, hectic display of all of the family dynamics between the Berzattos and the Faks. It was so enjoyable because it had much of the charm and chaos that drew fans into the series originally.
Another significant point of the season was Carmy reconnecting with Claire yet again. I can’t say I was thrilled to see the two characters interact again; I felt their relationship in season two was awkward and unnecessary, and I maintain the same feelings about it now. Just to be clear: I am also indifferent about Sydney and Carmy having a romantic relationship, unlike the majority of viewers online. I would much rather watch Carmy finally begin to acknowledge and begin to work through his trauma and years of repression instead of trying to throw himself back into an unsuccessful relationship.
The series ends after Carmy reveals to Sydney and Richie that he is retiring to learn who he is without damaging the business anymore; the two, unsurprisingly, are upset by his seemingly inconsiderate decision, but agree to take over the restaurant together. While I am not disappointed with this decision, especially if it means Carmy is going to finally take time to heal, it leaves the show on an open-ended note. I am definitely curious to see what direction “The Bear” takes from here, and I hope it continues its upward trajectory after a somewhat slow stretch.
