The Bear: Season 4, Episode 7 (Bears) - Review 

Rating: 5 out of 5

EVERY so often an episode of television comes around that deserves its own special mention. The Bear has already had several of them (from Forks to Fishes via Napkins and Braciole) but season 4’s Bears is truly exceptional.

In many ways it’s a fitting reward for taking the time to hang out with its characters as well as a sequel (of sorts) to Fishes. But it’s also genuinely emotional, sometimes heartbreaking and often feel-good.

The tension that surrounds so many of the best episodes is also there: albeit in a quieter form. The pressure cooker vibe associated with kitchen based episodes is replaced by a slower build, almost hold your breath alternative, derived from past alterations and fallouts, or impending decisions that could have damaging consequences.

The action takes place at a wedding… that of Richie’s ex-wife Tiff (Gillian Jacobs) to Frank (Josh Hartnett), which puts the central characters in a tinderbox-style scenario.

For Richie (the ever excellent Ebon Moss-Bachrach), it’s keeping his nerve (he’s already suffering a panic attack as the episode begins). For Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) it’s also keeping his shit together while potentially bumping into awkward alliances, including his mom Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis) and ex Claire (Molly Gordon).

For Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), meanwhile, it’s whether to reveal she’s about to accept an offer of a role at another restaurant, and for Sugar (Abby Elliott) it’s reuniting with a former best friend, Francie (Brie Larson), following a particularly painful betrayal.

Over the course of 70 minutes, each character will have their moment, which also affords the character they’re playing against a moment of their own to shine. And series creator Christopher Storer isn’t afraid to allow these conversations the room to breathe, often allowing them to run through awkward pauses and all. It’s one of The Bear’s consistently enjoyable elements: lengthy takes, driven by performance in close-up, that enables you to really get under the skin of each person.

Here, there were so many moments to savour. Carmy had two: a lengthy, even revelatory chat with Bob Odenkirk’s Uncle Lee - a pivotal family member whose presence in Fishes provided the catalyst for one of the most explosive family dinners in TV history. In Fishes, Lee acted like a jerk in the way he baited Jon Bernthal’s late brother, Mikey (who eventually retaliated by throwing the forks of the episode’s title at him).

But in Bears, he provides an unlikely source of solace and even comfort, revealing that he and Mikey even reconciled and talked regularly, during which Carmy would come up. Lee revealed (or rather confirmed) how much Mikey admired and loved him.

Yet in typical Bear fashion, such revelations don’t come easily. They land with difficulty, triggering complex emotions (guilt, confusion, sadness, relief) that are etched all over the character’s faces as they attempt to process these emotions. It’s a performance masterclass and an emotional tour-de-force.

Likewise, Carmy’s second big moment with Claire - a hold your breath moment where you’re willing the two of them to rekindle their romance. Again, the doubts, insecurities and self recrimination that are rife in Carmy’s psychological make-up were rife for all to see - just as Claire displayed a sense of longing and hope. Their love would appear to be intact, albeit shrouded in a desire not to hurt or get hurt. The scene was beautifully played.

Elsewhere, Richie’s early panic attack with Sydney set the tone for his rollercoaster wedding experience, while his heart to heart with Frank over parenting (and how Frank should go about building a relationship with his daughter) was so bittersweet: Richie once more putting aside his own feelings of anguish and hurt to play the good guy.

Miss-Bachrach has long been the standout actor in this show, for me - and here, he provided another terrific moment; rich in the same highs and lows that have come to define his journey.

Also knocking it out of the park, as ever, was Adebiri’s Sydney, still tearing herself apart over her impending choice, yet saddled with an awkward conversation with Carmy’s perennially unstable mom (Curtis). The exchange between them was fraught with tension… Donna seemingly only ever one misjudged comment away from another disastrous meltdown. Again, the show benefited from feeling real, not forced. It ended naturally, almost with a sense of relief from both sides.

And then there were the peripheral players such as guest star Larson, whose heated exchanges with Sugar throughout provided the comedic element, or a lovely moment between Tiff and Oliver Platt’s Uncle Jimmy, in which he allays her fears that her marriage away from the family will ostracise her from it. There was so much emotion wrapped up in that moment that I had to wipe away a tear or three.

And then there was the scene-stealing under the table moment, as one by one, each of the main characters found themselves congregating under a table to try and coax Richie’s daughter out from under it. There was comedy, there was a selfie and there was a go-around in which each character took it in turns to express what they were afraid of: when Sugar said losing anyone else, her words cut to the heart given the sense of loss that permeates throughout these characters.

Bears was The Bear at the peak of its powers. It was life affirming and uplifting, yet equally heart-breaking and tear-jerking. What’s more, it ended perfectly: with that selfie, a reminder of family, friendship and the good things in life.

Sadly, the struggle will almost certainly continue as the rest of the season unfolds. But the hope remains that the bridges built here will hold…