This post contains light spoilers for Season 4 of “The Bear.”
Two words ran through my mind as I finished the fourth season of “The Bear”: Yes. Chef. After a rather somber Season 3 that was filled with pretentious swings and aimless plots, I’m happy to report that the award-winning FX series has returned to its most delicious form in the latest season, with the premiere of all 10 episodes on Wednesday.
While last season did some muddled exploring beyond the restaurant as its fate hung in the balance, Season 4 brings everything back into focus as Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and the crew face a more stressful challenge: the 1,440 hours (roughly two months) left on the clock until The Bear runs out of money and Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) and Computer (Brian Koppelman) pull the plug on the whole operation. It seems that Chicago Tribune review did more harm than good for the restaurant’s future — on top of Carmy’s constant, arrogant changes to the menu — so now the chefs must figure out how to not only keep The Bear alive but also take it to the next level.
That means bringing in new hands to lighten the load — hello again to former Ever staff members Jessica (Sarah Ramos), Garrett (Andrew Lopez) and the general manager (Rene Gube), whom you’ll recognize most from Season 2’s “Forks” episode — and making lots of changes to the restaurant’s workflow. Thankfully, all of this means getting back to everything audiences loved about “The Bear” in its first two seasons: the frenzied workplace chaos, more culinary excellence and the occasional shouting match among the beloved crew.
