[Editor’s note: The recap of episode four publishes June 29. This recap contains spoilers.]
When it’s firing on all burners, The Bear’s greatest superpower is knowing when to frustrate viewers’ hopes and when to give us the catharsis we’ve been craving. And like Richie pulling out his most epic “surprise” to date, this episode delivers the latter in spades with a propulsive 40 minutes that sees the whole gang on the upswing. And after the muck and mire of season three, it’s a massive relief.
We begin in the wee hours, as Sydney chips away at her latest masterpiece, a delicious-looking scallop dish encircled by buoyant foam. The dreamlike mood of this sequence, complete with colorful lighting and a cherry tree blooming in the dining room through the kitchen window, is a potent visual metaphor for the creative process. She’s terrified to present it to Carmy that morning, but to her surprise, he declares it more perfect than perfect.
And thankfully, Richie seems to have pulled himself out of the hole he fell into last episode. On a phone call with Tiff (Gillian Jacobs), he says The Bear is doing great—and actually seems to mean it. But even a good mood won’t get him to agree to attend his ex-wife’s wedding.
Over in the ’burbs, Jimmy is struggling to sell his house—and to sell his son on the move. (Where’s he moving to and is he planning on using the money from the sale to save The Bear? TBD.) Having neglected his own kid because he’s been too busy parenting the Berzatto babies, he’s contrite in the Jimmy-est of ways: “You don’t deserve disruptive, especially if the motherfucker who disrupted it was your own fuckin’ dad.”
The real-estate agent trying to find a buyer is none other than Donna Berzatto (Jamie Lee Curtis). As much of a disaster she is as a mother, she’s totally in her element here. She projects big “I will sell this house today” energy as she leads prospective buyers through the kitchen, lying through her teeth about the custom design and Gucci-inspired cabinet handles. Alas, it’s not enough to score a sale.
Back at The Bear, new-and-improved Carmy continues to be a good boss—and a good friend—to his employees. When he finds Marcus puzzling over whether he should agree to meet up with his crappy father, Carm empathizes about how lonely home can feel when your parents suck. We catch a glimmer of the younger, hopeful Bear when he tells Marcus that the truest thing about working at a restaurant is that you’re never alone. It’s an apt sentiment coming from a guy for whom work and family have always been intertwined.
Meanwhile, the Faks, Chuckie, and Chi-Chi are doing terrifying things with an extension cord inches from a large puddle. It’s all in the service of Richie’s surprise—Chicago snow in the early fall—for a family coming in that night whose daughter is celebrating six months cancer-free.
It’s been hard, even punishing, to have watched The Bear fail for so long, so it’s a true release to see the gang have a genuinely great night. There are finally more green Post-its on the order cards than red, Sweeps has found his stride as a somm, and Syd’s scallop dish is a huge hit. Hell, Richie even trusts Carm to amp up the presentation on an Italian beef he’s bringing to the VIP table.
A lone diner observing Richie make this family’s day compliments the food and the vibe and smiles when Richie tells him that making his customers happy makes him happy. He’s so jazzed that he fails to clock what, for us, is plain to see: This dude is a restaurant critic—maybe even the one Richie was wondering about.
I don’t know about you, but I started crying as soon as the family stepped outside into Richie’s winter wonderland, their eyes lighting up under a “snowy” sky. It’s a scene straight out of a Hallmark Christmas movie, and that’s not a dig in the least. Richie’s surprise is as much a gift to viewers as it is to the characters—a slow exhale, a moment of unadulterated joy that we’ve more than earned. “There’s better things you’re gonna get into / I wanna be there, too,” Dion sings sweetly on the soundtrack as the entire staff steps outside with beaming smiles.
Those feel-good vibes propel Carmy out of the kitchen and into the night, writing his own rom-com as he races across town to Claire’s (Molly Gordon) apartment. The tension between the two had me holding my breath: Bear struggling to find the words he needs to make things right, Claire hovering on the edge of slamming the door in his face. It’s a beautiful scene between a pair of actors who are fully living inside their characters’ skins. Even when Claire isn’t looking at him, Carm maintains unbroken eye contact—a massive deal for a person who hates to be seen. Once he finally finds his voice, he proves that beneath the gruff, nervous exterior beats the heart of a true romantic.
He tells Claire it was hard to be around her because he was so in love with her that it felt like he was on fire—and his life has never taught him what to do with happiness. It’s so loud in his brain, but it turns out Claire’s loud looks a lot like his: She’s also scared of intimacy, also terrified she’ll ruin everything she touches. When Carmy held her at arm’s length, she thought it meant he didn’t love her, so she pulled away, too.
Both overcome with emotion, they shout over each other until Carm finally utters the apology we’ve been waiting so long to hear. Claire reminisces about what might have been if they hadn’t been so afraid of opening up to each other. Though she doesn’t say never, there’s something final about her wish for him to “find some quiet” before she leaves him alone on the stoop. Aside from stolen moments with Claire, Carmy has never heard what quiet sounds like in his life. But when he calls Pete about amending the partnership agreement, we have a hunch it doesn’t sound like the din of the kitchen.
Stray observations
- • This episode’s soundtrack was packed with bangers from artists all over the genre map, among them St. Vincent, The Ronettes, Van Morrison, Love And Rockets, and R.E.M.
- • Doubling down on his bid to “create opportunity” at The Bear, Ebraheim enlists the services of a business coach played by none other than Rob Reiner. I was shocked when Ebra told him that the sandwich window is only open two hours a day. If partners want to get into the black, extending its hours seems like an obvious fix.
- • Marcus chides Carmy when he catches him trying to sneak a cigarette. Hot take: I think he should light up. Of all Carm’s self-destructive habits, smoking is the only one that’s ever really chilled him out.
- • Teddy Fak (Ricky Staffieri) is head over heels for Claire’s roomie, Kelly (Mitra Jouhari). In true Fak fashion, he describes the feeling as being like he’s inside a Disney Channel original movie—specifically, Motocrossed.
- • When Claire told Carmy she needed to grab something from inside her apartment, I can’t be the only one who thought it was going to be a positive pregnancy test.
- • It speaks volumes that Pete is listed in Carm’s phone as “Sugar’s boyfriend (Pete?).” Tending your life starts with tending your contact list, my guy.
