The Bear (Season 4)

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⭐ 6.5/10

What is going on with this show? They took something that felt so tight and dynamic with lots of pace and the last 2 seasons have been a dull bore where there are 5 episode spans where it feels like nothing happens. How long does Carmy go not saying how he feels? How many times do we see Sydney see a docusign email and not sign it? It's actually insane. I've heard the creator said he had 3 seasons of story, which might be all you need to know, and now they are making a 5th season? Terrible.

The first couple episodes in this season someone says "Every second counts" basically every scene and its the most ironic thing ever how the show is just wasting our time. No forward momentum at all. The show is completely in love with its characters and the vibe of the show and Chicago, there are so many random pairings of characters just chatting and they think we should eat it up because they swear a bunch and say goofy things and Chicago is a nice backdrop. Do these people even cook anymore!? All the best parts of earlier seasons are the intense moments where they are putting me in a kitchen and I have to survive a night of service with these broken people. Now we just see them hugging and encouraging each other and have ridiculous heart-to-hearts at a wedding where I don't know why half the people there would even get an invite. It's mushy in all the worst ways.

That said, there were some amazing moments this season, and some scenes that made me truly emotional, because when they 3 major characters finally got in a room and had it out it was great! Basically 2 seasons of things left unsaid are finally said in this finale, and it's great. Carmy finally has a conversation with his mom, and it turns out when you have 2 great actors finally sharing a scene the show can be propulsive, and also be about feelings and emotions. We can have it all, and this show has all the ingredients, but they just can't consistently put them altogether anymore.

There is a side plot about the sandwich shop that is super important but feels completely disconnected from what everyone else is doing. They start name dropping this random person that is important all of a sudden when its clearly just another chance to have an underwhelming celebrity cameo. Frustrating stuff when it felt so perfect to me early on.

There are 3 episodes in here I think are some of the best, and in one of them Sydney really gets a chance to shine, kind of becoming the star of the season in a way. That's what makes this so frustrating, when they put it together it can be so good. I used to love this show, and now it upsets me.

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