One of the biggest hit shows of the post-pandemic era, The Bear, has just rolled out its fourth season on Disney Plus and Hulu.
The show follows the travails of Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) as he returns from the world of fine dining to run his family restaurant in Chicago following his brother’s untimely death.
Over the course of the first three seasons, Carmy has wrangled the restaurant’s ragtag crew of misfits into an elite team, with greasy spoon The Beef being transformed into the Michelin star-chasing The Bear over the same period.
It’s an often frantic, nerve-wracking show that rides some incredibly detailed character writing that has yielded one of the most well-developed casts on telly, but it’s come under heavy scrutiny for what some believed to be a muted season three.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the first series scored a critics’ rating of 93%, the second blew away fans and critics alike to win an average critic score of 99%, while the third dropped to a respectable 89%. While some have called season four a ‘return to form’, it’s got the lowest average critic score of the lot at 84%.
It’s been a divisive season. Globe and Mail said: “The Bear’s evolution suggests a creative team that has simply lost its spark. And it’s a shame, really – we used to have something truly special.”
Meanwhile, CBC Radio opined: “This is the season that these characters really needed. And there's something really beautiful in giving them that.”
Despite a decline in the critical response, FX has already renewed the show for its fifth season with a premiere in the diary for 2026.
Fans, by and large, have been pleased with the news, and many have shared the same hopes for where the titular restaurant might go next.
“In season 5 of The Bear, they will get the Michelin star and then Syd will be rich and famous and not heart broken or abandoned,” said one X user.
“I just want The Bear to get the star in season 5,” said another.
Another shared a more detailed set of hopes:
“My The Bear season 5 wishlist:
- NO MORE F**KING FAKS
- let Richie be happy
- Ebra & co franchise The Beef
- Carmy comes back and they get their star
- give Claire some actual character development if she’s in it
- more actual cooking
- NO MORE F**KING FAKS!!!!”
If you aren’t familiar, the Faks are a trio of brothers who work with Carmy at the restaurant, with one of those being played by none other than John Cena.
“I think The Bear is gonna thrive, getting a Michelin star and at some point,” said another X user. “Carmy will be back and find his love for cooking again.”
These hopes for the next season’s events belie the general excitement the news has fostered among fans.
“Season 5 of The Bear is happening! Morning made,” said one happy X user.
A final thought: “Season 5 of the Bear will hit like crack f**king cocaine. And in all honesty, I'm looking forward to the wait. Every season I've been on a different journey in life. And it's the fact that I've grown alongside this show. Wow. What a f**king rollercoaster season 4 was.”
Featured Image Credit: FXTopics: TV and Film, Celebrity, Social Media
Rachael Davis