Oh, come on. Just when I thought The Bear had sorted itself out, "Sheridan" goes and reminds me why I was having doubts after Ep 3. This show's becoming maddeningly inconsistent.
Ep 5 meanders through various subplots without much purpose - there's some business with a food critic, more staff drama that doesn't quite land, and attempts at character development that feel half-baked. It's like watching a kitchen where no one's calling out orders properly; everything's happening but nothing's coordinated.
The pacing that worked so well in Ep 4 has gone slack again. Scenes drag when they should be tight, and the dialogue feels more forced than natural. Even Jeremy Allen White seems less engaged here, though that might just be the material letting him down.
What's particularly frustrating is that you can see the bones of good ideas throughout - the pressure from outside critics, the internal team dynamics - but none of it gels together into something compelling. It feels like the writers are still figuring out what kind of show they want to make.
I'm starting to wonder if The Bear is going to be one of those shows that's brilliant in patches but never quite consistent.
Still watching, but my patience is wearing thin.
