Season 4 opens with the Bear reeling from a negative Chicago Tribune review, triggering a desperate countdown: they’ve 12 weeks to salvage the restaurant before investor Uncle Cicero cuts funding. The tone is more somber than the first season's frenetic energy—listeners feel the weight of anxiety, yet there's an undercurrent of resilience. Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) becomes introspective, confronting his burnout and unaddressed family trauma. Haunted by past kitchen failures and grief, his attachment to the restaurant becomes his emotional crucible.

Despite this, he finds glimmers of catharsis, with a pivotal scene of emotional reconciliation with his mother, Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis), which sits as the season’s emotional fulcrum. Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) also blossoms—her role evolves beyond sous-chef to potential leader. She secures a major perspective-shifting episode co-written with Lionel Boyce, showcasing her emotional depth while balancing career crossroads. Supporting cast arcs gain focus too. Marcus develops his baking craft and personal growth, Ebraheim inches towards growth with newfound ambition, and Tina hones her culinary identity.

As a unit, they form an ensemble charting diverse journeys amid crisis. Still, critics note some narrative pacing inconsistency—moments veer between slow introspection and emotional disclosures. Some say the fervent energy from earlier seasons dims. Yet for every critique, praises follow. Season 4 re-engages the show’s emotional core, clearly showcasing family healing, mentorship, and food as connection. The climactic decision—Carmy stepping away, entrusting the Bear to Sydney and Richie—suggests an evolution: an institution maturing beyond its architect.

Critical reception balances acknowledgment of its flaws with appreciation of its ambition. Rotten Tomatoes dips slightly to 83% but affirms that the season “turns the heat back up with a renewed sense of urgency”. Critical reception balances acknowledgment of its flaws with appreciation of its ambition. Rotten Tomatoes dips slightly to 83% but affirms that the season “turns the heat back up with a renewed sense of urgency.”