gavinsutcliffe-51124

I adore everything about series 1-3. I have cried and stood and applauded I have been so moved. As a cynical 47 year old man with kids and the whole stressy life schabang. But WHY is series 4 so bloody wistful, self-indulgent, dreary and abstract? Sidney's absurd indecision is now causing me to shout at the TV, while Bear needs a damn good slap and a harsh talking to. "Did you know there are starving kids and all you can do is mope about with your existential ennui...?!? GROW UP!"

It's a fantastic, elongated adaptation of the Forsyth novel and Redmayne rediscovers Fox's orginal movie wonderful Jackal beautifully. Yet he brings an accessibility to it, a beautiful example of how to play down, fluidly charm, and almost ad lib his efforts. Unfortunately I feel strongly that Lashana Lynch is a terrible miscast here. She's been picked thanks to Bond. It doesn't work and it looks silly as she hasn't got the investigative police drive and instead has this odd military background that feels deeply infeasible - so she seems just lost and mechanical as a character, way out of her depth, which is crazy as she's fabulous actor. It is an excellent show though and I am enjoying the extrapolation of the original!

Blown away by this conclusion to a superb second series of a wonderful programme. The transformation of characters, evolving from that incandescent "seven fishes" episode was just sublime. The two series of "The Bear" have been absolutely captivating, especially as I recall younger days working in a military officers kitchen to exacting and brutal standards. Nobody except those who have done this line of work necessarily appreciate the ungodly hell of delivering exacting, perfect food time after time after time to customers (or senior military officers!) without compromise or failure.

We all work for a reason and "The Bear" illuminates brilliantly the huge physical and emotional price it takes to deliver excellence.