FX’s The Bear is a dramedy that explores family relationships (given and chosen), human flaws, suicide, ambition, and love in the pressure cooking environment of the restaurant business. The narrative follows the life of Carmy Berzatto, a young chef returning to Chicago after the death of his brother to run the family sandwich shop, The Original Beef of Chicagoland. The show explores Carmy’s struggles to manage the chaotic restaurant environment while dealing with grief and family dynamics. The series has been praised for its writing, character development, and realistic portrayal of the restaurant industry. The Bear stars Jeremy Allen White (Carmy Berzatto), Ayo Edebiri (Sydney Adamu), Lionel Boyce (Marcus Brooks), Liza Colón-Zayas (Tina Marrero), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Richie Jeramovich). You may be familiar with these actors through their previous work: Jeremy Allen White (Shameless), Ayo Edebiri (Bottoms and Inside Out 2), Lionel Boyce (Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, and Loiter Squad), Liza Colón-Zayas (Allswell in New York and If), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Girls and Punisher, where he worked on with fellow cast member Jon Bernthal).
The Bear’s fourth season premiered on the 25th of June, and I immediately watched it. The first three seasons. The show picked up immediately where season 3’s fiery finale left off along with the show’s reputation of blending anxiety inducing kitchen chaos with raw, human messiness. I’d like to preface the rest of this with a hefty spoiler alert along with a warning that I will be sharing my opinions on some of The Bear fandom that I have issues with.
The Cameos of Actors.
Similar to the past 3 seasons, there were numerous cameos of both reoccurring and new characters.
Jon Bernthal returns as Mikey Bear
Jon Bernthal reprises his role as Carmy’s late older brother, Mikey Berzatto. In the Season 4 premiere, he appears in a quiet flashback cooking with Carmy, bonding over their dreams – and lamenting their “asshole” absentee father. Though Mikey died before the series began, his presence looms large; Bernthal’s cameo grounds the season by reminding us of the legacy Carmy is trying to honor.
Rob Reiner as Albert Schnur
Comedy legend Rob Reiner guest-stars as Albert Schnur, a no-nonsense business consultant whom Ebraheim hires to mentor him. Albert first appears in Episode 3, when Ebra realizes the beef-sandwich window is The Bear’s cash cow and seeks help expanding it. Reiner’s character immediately sees franchise potential in the booming sandwich counter. Across the season, Albert pushes Ebra toward turning “The Original Beef” into a franchise operation (much to the others’ skepticism). By Episode 9, he’s meeting with “Computer” to map out a viable expansion plan. Reiner brings a warm gravitas to the role of mentor – encouraging Ebraheim to think bigger than the single restaurant.
The best episodes in my opinion:
Episode 7: “Bears”
The wedding episode was in my honest opinion my favorite. I thought it was the direct antithesis of season 2 episode 7 “Fishes.” Everything about Carmy’s family that made “Fishes” Chaotic, made this episode calm. Everything the episode stood for it provided and gave us a better insight into Richie and Tiff’s relationship post divorced and how they still love each other just not the same way as they used to. I think that’s a beautiful sentiment on how even though you may not be with someone anymore you can still love that person as family. I loved the season finale because of how emotional and searingly honest it was. The episode lacked music almost the entire episode and was just a conversation between Carmy, Sydney and Richie that was primarily a conversation between Carmy and Sydney and a conversation between Carmy and Richie.
Episode 4: “Worms”
Episode 4 was co-written by Ayo Edebiri and Lionel Boyce and shifts focus squarely onto Sydney during her rare day off, giving Ayo Edebiri’s character (and co-writing debut) the spotlight for a quieter, introspective chapter. Sydney spends the day weighing a tempting job offer from an old family friend, Chef Shapiro, who’s opening a sleek, well-funded restaurant and promises her creative control and stability, everything she doesn’t get from the chaotic world of The Bear.
But the heart of the episode isn’t about kitchens or career ambition; it’s about family, mentorship, and self-worth. Sydney visits her cousin Chantel (played by Danielle Deadwyler) for a hair appointment and ends up unexpectedly babysitting Chantel’s young daughter TJ. Through grocery shopping, cooking Hamburger Helper together, and bonding over TJ’s own “sleepover dilemma,” Sydney works through her own professional crossroads. A simple, poignant conversation with a fifth-grader helps Sydney realize she’s been looking at her choice all wrong: neither job offer defines her — she has to choose what’s best for her.
By episode’s end, Sydney seems ready to take the leap toward Shapiro’s offer, signaling potential big changes ahead for her and The Bear. “Worms” is a standout for its warmth, humor, and clarity of purpose. It slows down the season’s pace to reflect on bigger questions of work-life balance, ambition, and loyalty. It’s both a beautiful detour and a crucial turning point for Sydney’s arc.
Character Highlights:
Carmy Berzatto:
Carmy’s growth this season was surprising and refreshing to see especially after his conversation with his sister in episode 4 about his love of cooking and once she tells him that “you found something that you love and it’s completely 100% OK if you don’t love it anymore, because the most special part about it is that you were capable of that love” fully changes his perspective going forward and causes him to reflect. In a conversation with Tina, he confesses to Tina that he couldn’t cook the pasta dish Tina is obsessing over in under three minutes, the goal for the kitchen, only to watch Sydney cook that in under 3 minutes. I think this signals to him that maybe he’s not the best in the kitchen which culminates in the season finale. His conversation with Claire was very much due and I like how
Jeremy Allen White remains magnetic especially with his piercing blue eyes that seem to stare into the audience through the camera. He is able to balance Carmy’s tough exterior with occasional signals of vulnerability which become more apparent as the season progresses.
SydCarmy and my thoughts on it.
A common conversation that is discussed in The Bear Tiktok and Instagram and Reddit forums is the idea that Sydney and Carmy should be together which I personally am very much opposed to. I think the representation of platonic male and female coworker relationships in which they allow each other to thrive is a much needed dynamic on television. This same concept occurred between Ted Lasso and Rebecca Welton which I was also opposed to. I don’t think dating someone on the show is really relevant to Sydney’s character, but is to Carmy as he feels like everyone he’s loved has left.
Jonah Schumeister is a Staff Writer for The College Reporter. His email is jschumei@fandm.edu.