The Bear • Season 4
The Bear
Season four finds our chefs pushing forward, determined not only to survive but also to take The Bear to the next level. With new challenges around every corner, the team must adapt, adjust and overcome. The pursuit of excellence isn't just about getting better - it's about deciding what's worth holding on to.
rg9400 reviewedJune 29, 2025
Early on in the season, a character mentions that they feel like they've been living the same day over and over again. Near the end of the season, a character explains that they can still keep on going, to which someone responds that isn't the right question to be asking...the right question is why keep on going? I feel like these two bookend quotes are a microcosm of the problems that The Bear has been facing for the last two seasons. There is an unavoidable stagnation throughout this season. The frenetic pace that defined its first two seasons slows to almost a complete standstill. I appreciate that the slower pace is meant to parallel a more introspective Carmy. However, there is no avoiding the fact that almost every character's arc across the last two seasons barely moves until the very ending of this season. And yes, this ending does create change, but it feels like it comes 15 episodes too late. It feels like the writers have been treading water, unable to figure out what they want to do anymore and are scared of messing with the formula that earned them so much success. So yes, this season feels like déjà vu, characters living the same day over and over again without being able to make the important decisions that have been plaguing them for the last two seasons. There is even the standard overlong episode filled with the same cameos that initially felt like such a surprise but now feel stale. There are moments of that brilliance that punch through, often revolving around cooking. However, most of the season is these heart-to-hearts between characters where they wax poetic about their feelings but are incapable of actually evolving. While these interactions used to be raw when used sparingly in the first two seasons, they now feel so overused that they veer on hokey. The saccharine philosophical musings are just not good television, especially when characters seem to regress or remain stuck. This is a formula that the writers can continue for more seasons, resting on the laurels of a few strong episodes despite the majority being mediocre. However, as the show itself asks us, why keep on going?