The record-breaking performance ofThe Bearseason 4 sets up a big challenge that the highly anticipated season 5 will have to overcome.The Bearseason 4 received a Rotten Tomatoes score of 85%, a Certified Fresh rating that still marks a series low for the Emmy-winning show.
The bar forThe Bearhas been set incredibly high after the remarkable breakout successof season 1 in 2022, which earned a perfect 100% RT score as well as 10 Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy Series, and 13 nominations. Season 2, which some consider the best of the franchise, earned a 99% RT score and raked in 11 Emmys from its remarkable 23 nominations.
Whilemost TV shows would be thrilled with an 85% Rotten Tomatoes score, it marks a clear decline forThe Bearover the course of its last two seasons, considering that season 3, which many have criticized as being too unfocused and meandering, earned an 89% RT score.
The Bear Season 5 Has A Big Challenge To Fix The Show’s Rotten Tomatoes Downturn
The Bear Season 4’s RT Score Is An All-Time Low For The Series
The Bearseasons 3 and 4’s RT scores were much lower than seasons 1 and 2’s impressive 100% and 99% scores, with season 4 having the series' lowest yet at 85%.The Bearseason 5 automatically has a challenge to get a higher RT scorethan those two and return to the success of its first two outings.
1
100%
10 wins, 13 nominations
2
99%
11 wins, 23 nominations
3
89%
13 nominations
4
85%
TBD
The Bearseason 5 has already been confirmed by FX/Hulu, with some speculating that it may be the final offering of the celebrated show. AfterCarmy’s shocking decision at the end ofThe Bearseason 4,the anticipated fifth season should have a different look and narrative approach, one that may deviate even further from the characters' lives outside the kitchen.
The Bear Season 5 Already Has A Big Advantage To Avoid Season 4’s Lower RT Score
It Will Have More Time To Craft Its Story & Character Development Than Season 4 Had
The Bearseason 4 was shot back-to-back with season 3, so there wasn’t enough time to learn from season 3’s shortcomings and make adjustments for season 4.The Bearseason 5 still hasn’t started production at the time of writing, so the show has more time to address ways to improve upon 3 and 4, if it chooses to.
The Bearseason 4 still has much to offer, including an incredible soundtrackand a deeper dive into Carmy’s relationship with his mother, played by the impeccable Jamie Lee Curtis. While fewer critics may have found it to be as outstanding as the first two seasons,The Bearhas already cemented itself as one of the best TV shows of the 21st century.
