When The Bear first hit screens three years ago, it made its way into our hearts for its freshness and emotional connect. With Season 4, the show finds that energy again after an uneven third season last year. And this time, there’s a deeper sense of introspection in the writing.

But here’s the truth: this is exactly where The Bear should end. The show has always been about more than food. It’s about grief, ambition, family bonding and second chances in life. With Season 4, it delivers all of that. It feels like the final course has been served.

Season 4 of The Bear starts with Carmy still coming to terms with the damning review his restaurant received in the previous instalment. While he strives to make amends for how he functions, his investor uncle drops a bomb. Carmy and his team have seven months to turn the restaurant into a profit-making venture or close down. A countdown clock in the kitchen adds to the tension.

Much of what works in Season 4 comes down to balance. The characters we met in the first season have grown, and so has the show. Jeremy Allen White continues to deliver a powerful performance as Carmy. The reckless chef from Season 3 is gone, replaced by someone who is learning from his mistakes. Whether he is making peace with Claire (Molly Gordon) or confronting his past with his mother, Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis), Carmy spends the season repairing relationships.

But this time, the spotlight doesn’t belong to him alone.

Chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) faces a life-changing decision. She must choose between staying with The Bear or going to a competing restaurant. Her quiet determination, her doubts, and her moments of strength all come through clearly this season. Edebiri also co-writes one of the standout episodes with Lionel Boyce (who plays Marcus), showing just how central she is to The Bear’s story.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach, as Carmy’s brother Richie, remains a strong presence. He struggles with his self-worth as he tries to find his place as a leader and a father.

While the earlier seasons of The Bear were known for their fast pace and high tension — the loud kitchens, the panic, the pressure — Season 4 takes the action outside the kitchen. Conversations are slower but more meaningful. After three seasons of watching characters hold in their feelings, it’s a relief to see them finally let go.

However, the show continues to struggle with the romantic subplots. Carmy’s relationship with Claire feels flat and a bit forced. They share a great chemistry, but their scenes lack spark. A possible connection between Richie and a new character is also teased, but the plot goes nowhere.

Some familiar faces are also underused. Oliver Platt’s Uncle Jimmy is mostly in the background, and characters like Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas), Sweeps (Corey Hendrix), and even Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson) get only limited screen time. Given how well The Bear has handled arcs of supporting characters in the past, this feels like a missed opportunity.

Season 4 is a return to everything fans loved about The Bear in the beginning. Stretching the story further would risk losing the emotional impact the show has worked so hard to build. It’s time Carmy hangs up his apron.

All seasons of The Bear are streaming on JioHotstar in India.