While all episodes of The Bear have been released on FX and Hulu, this reviewer has only completed the first five episodes. But we have enough to review!
Here’s the bottom line: Season 4 delivers a subtler, more introspective tone compared to the sometimes self-indulgent highs of Season 3. Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) emerges calmer, even subdued, having lost some of the fiery drive that defined his earlier seasons. That’s not to say the spark is gone—rather, it’s refined into a more deliberate flame.
The opening arc mirrors Bill Murray in Groundhog Day—Carmy trapped in cycles of repetition, subtly forced to reassess his purpose and creative impulses. He even sets a fixed menu for the first time, recognizing his obsession with constant change was doing more harm than good.
But Season 4 dares to ask a deeper question: Does Carmy even like working in restaurants? For three seasons, we’ve seen him push himself past the brink in pursuit of perfection, often at great personal cost. But now, stripped of adrenaline and running on exhaustion, the silence begs an uncomfortable truth—what if he doesn’t? What if he’s just been too consumed to realize it?
The season opens with a flashback of Carmy pitching The Bear to Mikey, who christens it “the Bear.” In the present, a mixed review from the Chicago Tribune critiques the food’s inconsistency and the restaurant’s chaos. Cicero and “Computer” Marshall lay down the law: two months to improve or close. Carmy and Sydney shift toward Michelin-star precision, bringing in former Ever staff—Jessica, Garrett, René—to help steady the ship.
Episode 2 sees budget constraints force Carmy and Sydney to streamline the menu, paring back complexity for consistency. Sydney learns of Shapiro’s new restaurant while Carmy struggles with grief and guilt, prompted by Tina to visit Natalie’s baby, Sophie. A phone call with Natalie gives Carmy permission to step back and regroup emotionally.
Sydney’s scallop dish makes the menu; Richie faces personal commitments as Tina aids Cicero, and Ebraheim brings in a consultant. At home, Carmy apologizes to Claire (real-life girlfriend, Molly Gordon), seeking forgiveness for his explosive behavior. In a symbolic moment of self-empowerment, Carmy reaches out to Pete to update his partnership with Sydney, signaling real change.
Directed by Janicza Bravo and co-written by Ayo Edebiri and Lionel Boyce, Episode 4 pivots to focus on Sydney. Visiting her cousin Chantel (Danielle Deadwyler), Syd spends a day with Chantel’s daughter TJ (played by Arion King), cooking Hamburger Helper and bonding over groceries, girl talk, and the emotional weight of being a Black woman in high-pressure spaces.
It’s a tender, deeply human detour that reminds us of the joy of cooking for someone just because you care. The metaphor Sydney uses—about sleepovers and where you feel most at home—becomes a mirror for her career crossroads.
Carmy makes a bold move—he commits to a fixed menu, rejecting his previous habit of relentless change. He finds balance, hiring Luca to support Marcus, and opens up at Al-Anon. The episode crescendos with Natalie bringing baby Sophie to the restaurant and a jarringly urgent phone call: Syd’s father (Robert Townsend) has suffered a heart attack.
Chicago’s Own Must-See Dramedy
The Bear remains one of Chicago’s most authentic portrayals, on par with The Chi, One Chicago, and The Bear itself. The city breathes through every shot: the restaurant’s grit, the human stories, the warm community ties.
The heart of the show still beats in the dynamic between Carmy, Sydney, and Richie. While a few beloved characters—like Tina—get less screen time this season, others like Ebraheim and Sweeps rise to the occasion. And yes, the Faks are finally dialed down to just the right amount.
Season 4 isn’t louder—it’s deeper. Carmy may finally be confronting the possibility that his misery isn’t just about grief or trauma or perfectionism. It might be about fit. What if this life, this pressure cooker, never really fed him at all?
And yet, this season offers space—for reflection, for quiet beauty, for character growth. It’s a show willing to slow down just long enough to let us all breathe.
The Bear Season 4 is a gentle triumph. And if this is the beginning of the end, let’s hope it’s one that gives this cast and this city the sendoff it deserves.
BOTTOM LINE: So does The Bear still have more to say? Maybe. Maybe not. But for now, it’s whispering instead of shouting. And somehow, that feels like progress. It’s still a REEL SEE. “Bearly.”
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