How 'The Bear' recaptures its magic in heartfelt Season 4

Stellar cast and guest stars, whipsmart dialogue, and a patience help.

Early on in the latest season of Hulu’s hit show, The Bear, Jeremy Allen White’s Carmen Berzatto is mixing a pot of red sauce while talking to his brother, Mikey (Jon Bernthal), while once again pitching the idea of a new restaurant to his beloved sibling. The younger Berzatto is all ambition and hope, but the older one is skeptical and hesitant to embrace his brother’s dreams. Neither has a clue how the next few years of their lives will go, something that affects real-life people who wish they had more time with a departed relative.

It’s another example of the television show cutting through the messy dysfunction of family with a deft touch, pushing forward an interaction that fills in another blank for the history of their characters. Creator and head writer Christopher Storer writes dialogue about family dysfunction in the style of Aaron Sorkin, giving the personalities of The Bear enough depth to expand their subplots and keep fans guessing about how their decisions will impact the big picture. Think of the intimate chaos of Season 2’s brilliant episode surrounding the Berzatto Christmas dinner that was chock full of guest cameos and a camera that never seemed to stop moving.