The Bear is one of the rare TV shows nowadays that has given us annual servings. From its debut in 2022, the culinary drama has kept audiences well-fed, earning high praise (and several Emmy wins) for its high-concept episodes and performances from Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Lisa Colon-Zayas and more. And, on June 25, service comes to a close, as The Bear will air all 8 episodes of its fifth and final season before the show turns off the oven for good.That said, while Season 4 was only a year ago, Hulu has always put the series out in a binge format. So you'd be remiss not to forget some larger plot points that have happened to Carmy, Sydney, Richie and the rest of the staff since last June. So here's what you need to remember from The Bear Season 4 before the final course.
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The Bear Season 4 recap
Dire straits and ticking clocks
(L-R) Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richard “Richie” Jerimovich, Will Poulter as Luca, Lionel Boyce as Marcus, Abby Elliott as Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto, Sarah Ramos as Jessica, Matty Matheson as Neil Fak, Ricky Staffieri as Ted Fak, Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto in 'The Bear'Courtesy of FX
When Carmy (White) and Sydney (Edebiri) decided to turn "The Beef" into a fine dining restaurant, there were, of course, going to be several costs incurred. And most of those are in the ledger of Jimmy (Oliver Platt), who decides, against his better judgment, to invest in the new venture. Unfortunately, the seemingly bottomless well of money that the family friend usually is has run dry, run afoul of a bad investment. And it doesn't look like his current assets show promise of becoming profitable anytime soon.Season 4 opens with fans finally finding out what was in the mysterious review from The Chicago Tribune, and the results...are mixed at best. While the restaurant is praised for its food, and the sandwich window running out of the side of the building, it's criticized for its havoc-filled atmosphere and unfocused menu. And so Jimmy and "The Computer" (Brian Koppelman) give the team an ultimatum at the end of the premiere. In two months, the money will run dry. If business isn't able to turn around by then, it will be forced to close. The two even bring a visual aid: A giant countdown clock, truly showcasing that every second counts. Now the stakes are clearer than ever: Get a Michelin star and improve the restaurant's reputation to put it in the black. In their pursuit of doing so, a myriad of familiar faces end up joining the team. The standout staff from Ever now work front-of-house, hoping to control the chaos a bit more. And Carmy brings on Luca (Will Poulter), who gets to reunite with Marcus (Lionel Boyce) and help support his award-winning desserts (and give a chance to deepen their "bromance" since meeting in Copenhagen).
Sydney makes her decision
Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu in 'The Bear'Courtesy of FX
While our main characters are consistently fighting to keep the restaurant afloat, they have no idea Sydney is battling with whether she even wants to be there in the first place. After receiving an offer from the former CDC of Ever (Adam Shapiro) to work at his new restaurant, she spends the majority of Season 4 mulling over what to do. Initially, after spending the day with her cousin, she decides that Shapiro is a better opportunity, especially with the controlling nature Carmy exerted in Season 3 making her feel like their partnership was in name only. But what ultimately sways her is not her blood family, but her work one. Attending Tiff's wedding (see below) allowed Sydney to get to know the Berzatto family (and all of their unrelated relatives) a bit more. Over the course of the day, she begins to realize the value of this messy, yet passionate community, and what she would be leaving behind to start over. Flipping her decision, she declines the job offer to Shapiro, who brusquely tells her she's making a huge mistake staying with The Bear. We shall see in due time if those words prove to be a prophecy.Related: The 9 TV Premieres We’re Most Excited for in June 2026
A Fak-tastic wedding
(L-R) John Mulaney as Stevie, Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu, Brie Larson as Francie Fak, Molly Gordon as Claire, Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richard “Richie” Jerimovich, Josh Hartnett as Frank, Matty Matheson as Neil Fak, Ricky Staffieri as Ted Fak, Lionel Boyce as Marcus in 'The Bear'Courtesy of FX
All the way back in Season 2, "Fishes" forever changed the face of The Bear. The feature-length episode took a deep dive into one fateful night at the Berzatto house, getting a full, blistering look at how dysfunctional and destructive the family can be. It was a star-studded occasion, filled with appearances from Sarah Paulson, John Mulaney, Bob Odenkirk and, of course, Jamie Lee Curtis. And now, in Season 4, we finally have its spiritual successor."Bears" had nearly the entire cast attending the wedding of Tiff (Gillian Jacobs), Richie's ex-wife. Despite technically no longer a Berzatto, she's the closest family Tiff has, and so it winds up being another gathering by default. Luckily, this one is much less eventful (everyone's cars — and walls — remain intact). But it still features plenty of cameos, with Brie Larson joining the fray as the oft-mentioned Francie Fak, former friend and current enemy of Sugar (Abby Elliott). One scene involving nearly the entire cast sat under a table showcases how deep this group of co-workers, friends and family roll, and why the Bears are always happy to welcome one more into their den.
Carmy gets his act together
Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto in 'The Bear'Courtesy of FX
To say Carmy was on a self-destructive path in Season 3 would be an understatement. After completely screwing up his relationship with Claire (Molly Gordon), he dove entirely into his work, pushing his staff way too hard with his list of "non-negotiables," among them changing the menu every day. The review served as a stark message that his hyperfocusing was, ironically, giving him no focus whatsoever. And so, it seemed that, starting in Season 4, he was ready to make amends and truly work to become a better person.And indeed, the rest of the season showcased just that for Carmy, not only professionally, but personally as well. After weeks of avoiding her, he finally paid a visit to Claire, where he was able to do what he hadn't for an entire season: Apologize. And, while the two are far being as hopelessly in love as they were in their heyday, their time at the wedding together showcases a connection is very much still possible. Initially against his will, Carmy at last had a lengthy sitdown with his mother Donna (Curtis), where she tearfully apologized for the trauma she had caused, asking to be part of his life again. Season 4 was one of monumental growth for Carmy, as he was able to put his ego aside and have tough conversations to mend fences with meaningful people in his life. But that doesn't make what happens next less shocking.Related: ‘The Bear’ Chef Reveals the Must-Try Food Trend Everyone Should Follow This Summer
Carmy walks away
Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu in 'The Bear'Courtesy of FX
At the end of the penultimate episode, Pete (Chris Witaske) drops a major bomb on Sydney: Carmy has written himself out of the partner agreement for The Bear. What follows is an emotional roller-coaster of a finale, as, sequestered to the restaurant's back patio, our three main characters hash things out and, at times, nearly come to blows. After Sugar floated the idea to him that he didn't need to pursue something he no longer loved, Carmy had the epiphany that cooking was not necessarily a passion for him, but an outlet to both escape and channel his familial trauma. As he puts it at one point, "I don't know what I'm like," having thrown himself entirely into his work simply because he didn't know what else to do. But being able to reconcile with people like Claire and Donna has made him realize there's more to life than the kitchen, and he's ready to explore what that is.This, of course, prompts an absolute freakout from Sydney, as her worst fears are coming true: Her partner is leaving her high and dry. But even if she has no confidence in herself, Carmy absolutely does. "Syd, you’re everything I’m never gonna be," he says. "Any chance of any good in this building started when you walked in. I believe in you more than I’ve ever believed in myself. Because you’re The Bear." When Richie hears the news, he, too, has an outburst. Carmy uses this moment to reveal he actually was at Mikey's (Jon Bernthal's) funeral, but couldn't bring himself to go inside. The tension immediately builds to a fever pitch, then slowly dissipates. Both men admit the resentment they had towards one another in the wake of Mikey's tragic death, which carried into their relationship ever since. But finally, for the first time since the deep personal digs they took at one another from behind a fridge door in the Season 2 finale, the "cousins" are on the same page.And, by the end of Season 4, so is everyone else. Sydney counter-proposes that Carmy can indeed walk away if Richie is made a partner in his place. Sugar learns of her brother's decision and tearfully embraces him, knowing that the words she gave him had finally stuck. It looks like, despite the massive upheaval, a new leadership is in place for The Bear. But it may not be for very long, as Season 4 closes with Jimmy's clock officially hitting zero.
And then there's Gary
(L-R) Jon Bernthal as Michael Berzatto, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richard "Richie" Jerimovich in 'Gary'Courtesy of FX
If you're a fan of The Bear, perhaps you'd be surprised to know there actually has been a new episode since Season 4 ended. On May 5, 2026, FX and Hulu dropped a surprise special, titled "Gary." Written by Bernthal and Moss-Bachrach, it recounted a day in the life of Richie and Mikey, as they head to the titular Indiana town to run an errand for Jimmy. Given its flashback nature, we assume "Gary" isn't necessary viewing to understand what's to come in Season 5. But it should be noted that it does end with a bang — or a crash — as Richie gets T-boned while driving through an intersection. So, regardless of how The Bear picks up on June 25, there's a chance it may involve our beloved front-of-house manager in a hospital bed.
Related: The Bear Drops Final Season Teaser and Fans Can't Handle It
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