I’ve been watching The Bear since season 1, back when it was a hidden gem on Hulu. Now it’s a cultural juggernaut. And honestly? It deserves every bit of hype. Season 3 was a masterpiece—tense, beautiful, heartbreaking. Season 4 had impossibly high expectations. Could they pull it off?
I stayed up until 4 AM on June 20, the day season 4 dropped, and watched every episode. Here’s my unfiltered review. Minor spoilers ahead, but I’ll avoid the big twists.
The Setup: Where We Left Off
Season 3 ended with The Bear restaurant finally getting a Michelin star, but at a huge cost. Sydney had a breakdown in the walk-in. Carmy was still struggling with his grief over Mikey. Richie was... actually doing okay? The finale was a quiet, hopeful note—something the show rarely gives us. Season 4 picks up about a month later. The restaurant is thriving. But as anyone in the industry knows, success is its own kind of pressure.
The Good: The Cast Continues to Be Perfect
Jeremy Allen White is doing the best work of his career. This season, Carmy is trying to be a better person—going to therapy, setting boundaries, actually apologizing to people. It’s uncomfortable to watch, because we’re used to his controlled chaos. Seeing him vulnerable is almost painful. There’s a scene in episode 5 where he tells Sydney about Mikey’s suicide, and it’s the rawest thing I’ve seen on TV this year.
Ayo Edebiri’s Sydney gets more focus this season, and she’s incredible. Her arc is about deciding what she actually wants—is she Carmy’s partner, or is she building her own thing? The show doesn’t give her an easy answer. Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Richie has the funniest moments (his dating life is a disaster) but also the most moving. There’s an episode where he takes his daughter to work, and it’s pure gold.
The Bad: The Pacing Problem
Okay, I love this show, but season 4 has a real pacing issue. The first three episodes are slow. Like, really slow. They’re character studies, which is fine, but they lack the propulsive energy that made seasons 1 and 2 so addictive. Episode 2 is literally 45 minutes of Carmy prepping vegetables while having a conversation with his therapist. It’s well-acted, but I found myself checking my phone.
The show’s creator, Christopher Storer, has said he wants to slow down and explore the characters. I get that. But I also think The Bear works best when the kitchen is in chaos. The stillness feels off.