Throughout the new season of The Bear, Carmy and his staff are preoccupied with getting a bad review —and that feels kind of meta, doesn’t it?
After a pair of acclaimed seasons, Hulu’s pressure cooker of a dramedy returned last summer for a Season 3 that felt like a letdown, with fans and critics (like me) wondering if The Bear had lost that unique flavor that drew us in. Well, like any good restaurant reviewer, I’ve returned to see if my evaluation holds up, and I’m happy to say that the flavor is back in full force in Season 4 (now streaming; I’ve seen all 10 episodes). Season 4 is an absolute triumph, right up there with Season 2 in terms of quality, shaking off the doldrums by tapping into a powerful emotional resonance and rediscovering what made this show so great in the first place.
Season 4 picks up right where we left off, with Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and his restaurant getting a crucial review in the local paper —and it’s decidedly mixed, with the reviewer dinging them for inconsistent food and service. Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) is turning the screws on Carmy as well, putting a big clock in the kitchen that counts down the hours until their funding runs out. (The ticking clock gives Season 4 a sense of urgency that was sorely lacking last season.) Life gets in the way, too, of course, with Carmy, Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) and Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) all dealing with an avalanche of relationship crises that take their attention off the food… for a while, anyway. The Bear has always been really astute in observing the fragile balance between work life and home life, and that balance is front and center in Season 4.
There’s a spark here that we didn’t see in Season 3: less mournful brooding and more kinetic action. From Carmy’s romance with Claire to Sydney’s role in the restaurant hierarchy, Season 4 resolves things that should have been resolved last season, which leads me to ask: What was the purpose of Season 3, exactly? That season was spinning its wheels, narratively speaking, but in Season 4, those wheels hit the ground and take off. Yes, there are contemplative moments here, too, which is good, because The Bear excels at those. But thankfully, the storytelling arrow points forward this time, giving the characters fresh depth and complexity.
Season 4 offers a veritable buffet of highlights, including an emotionally charged confrontation between Carmy and Claire, a side quest for Sydney that gives Edebiri some of her best material yet and a sprawling ensemble episode in the mold of Season 2’s “Fishes” that clocks in at over an hour but flies by. (It has another top-secret star cameo to boot). This season really leans into the acting, too, with extended scenes of dialogue that feel raw and improvised and real, culminating in a powerhouse finale that delivers the kind of exhilarating catharsis that The Bear does so well.
Is it a comedy, though? Based on Season 4, not really — but that’s OK. There are definitely funny elements in each episode, with Moss-Bachrach finding new and novel ways for Richie to curse in every scene. (The infamous Fak brothers are still around, but their goofy antics have been tastefully reined in.) It may not be a “comedy” in any sense outside the Emmys, but The Bear is one of TV’s best shows, in any genre, and this season reaffirms that. If I had a Michelin star to hand out, I’d give it one.
THE TVLINE BOTTOM LINE: If The Bear’s previous season was a letdown, Season 4 is a triumphant return to form, with raw emotion and beautiful performances.
Season 4 of The Bear is now streaming on Hulu; if you’ve already started watching, grade the season in our poll, and give us your tasting notes in a comment below.