The Bear Is No Longer A Great TV Show

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After Season 2 of The Bear, I said it was the best show currently on television. I loved the constant sense of panic. The episode of Forks showcased so well what it means to have pride in what you do and who you are. The last episode was a great and heartbreaking example of self-sabotage. 

Season 3 was a step back for sure. It felt like we spent an entire season waiting around a review. But I did love the episode Napkins (which showcased Tina's very relatable struggle) and the goodwill from Seasons 1-2 gave me perhaps unrealistic expectations for Season 4.

Season 4 of The Bear proved that this is no longer a temporary setback. The show have become repetitive and plodding at times. It seems like I'm not the only person who feels this way.

SOURCE - “The Bear” was the seventh most-streamed title in the U.S. during the week of its Season 4 premiere, per Nielsen, hitting 917 million minutes watched from June 23 to June 29. 

That’s a drop off of approximately 24% from the 1.2 billion minutes the series reached during Season 3’s premiere week last June.

Don't get me wrong. I still think The Bear is a good show. The last 3 episodes of the season were very good and hopefully will set up the show for a new season that will feel fresh. In case you wondered, we're getting a fifth season. It's already been greenlit. Now, when we get that season is another story. With Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach all starring in major movies, I imagine syncing those schedules will be tough.

Emma McIntyre/GA. Getty Images.

I don't know why they've made the last two seasons move at a glacial pace. This season literally has a clock attached to it that instead of making the story feel urgent, is just a reminder that not much is going on. I find the business side of restaurants very interesting. We all go to these places and unless you work in the industry, you don't really have any clue how it all works. Having said all of that, is there just not much to say about working in a restaurant? It just feels like The Bear keeps telling the same story with the same beats season after season.

If I go to a restaurant, I want a good meal. We got great entrees with the first two seasons but I feel like the last two seasons of The Bear have been recooked leftovers.