Spoilers for “The Bear” season 4 observe.
“The Bear” appeared to be having a charmed existence. Virtually from the leap, audiences and critics had been hooked on the present’s vitality and obsessive about its solid of broken characters and the fast-paced culinary world they inhabited. Awards got here rolling in. Everybody fell in love with Ayo Edebiri. Everybody wished to speak about how scorching Jeremy Allen White regarded chain-smoking cigarettes and yelling. Everybody wished to present Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Richie a hug. Then season 3 arrived and one thing modified. There was a really noticeable shift within the present’s reception, and a type of backlash appeared to be in peril of forming.
I gave season 3 of “The Bear” a optimistic assessment, however I additionally famous the present felt prefer it was stumbling for the primary time. Had Carmy and his group flown too near the range and melted their Italian beef wings? In my humble opinion, “The Bear” season 3 wasn’t dangerous. It was only a bit misplaced. In try and the hold the momentum up, collection creator Christopher Storer and his group appeared to embrace an experimental strategy with season 3. The primary episode unfolded as one lengthy montage — a call that I appreciated despite the fact that many different individuals didn’t. As season 3 plodded alongside, the story felt a bit directionless, after which got here the finale. Relatively than give us a satisfying conclusion, season 3 spent an enormous chunk of its runtime specializing in a gaggle of guest-star cooks taking part in themselves. Then all the things ended on a cliffhanger. It was disappointing and greater than a little bit underwhelming.
Fortunately, “The Bear” season 4 is a serious enchancment. However greater than that, there are such a lot of apologies thrown round on this new season that you just would possibly begin to assume the collection is apologizing for the misstep that was season 3. To be clear: that is in all probability a coincidence, because it looks as if seasons 3 and 4 had been written very shut collectively. However asking for forgiveness turns into a serious theme this season, and that is price noting.
There’s a variety of apologizing in The Bear season 4
One of many issues of “The Bear” season 3 was a way that the present had hit a wall and wasn’t going wherever. To be honest, that may be intentional as a solution to replicate the directionless spot the characters discover themselves in. Certainly, as season 4 begins, we catch a second the place Carmy is watching “Groundhog Day,” a film a few man caught in a time loop. Anybody who has seen “Groundhog Day” can inform you that the one escape from that point loop is for the primary character, a impolite weatherman performed by Invoice Murray, to grow to be a greater individual.
And an try at bettering oneself turns into important to “The Bear” season 4 as varied characters apologize for the awful issues they’ve achieved. Carmy does essentially the most apologizing, in all probability as a result of he has essentially the most to repent for. He apologizes for breaking the guts of his former girlfriend Claire. He apologizes to Sydney and the employees for altering the menu up each night time, throwing everybody into chaos. He apologizes to Richie for not realizing Richie was simply as damaged up over the loss of life of Carmy’s brother Mikey as Carmy was.
Different characters apologize, too. Most notable is Donna, Carmy’s troubled mom performed by Jamie Lee Curtis, who regrets alienating her youngsters together with her heavy ingesting and psychological instability. All these apologies can not help however make one assume that the present may be saying “sorry,” too. “Did season 3 annoy you?” “The Bear” season 4 appears to be saying. “Properly, we’re sorry about that. This is a a lot better season as an alternative.” Apology accepted.
“The Bear” season 4 is now streaming on Hulu.
