With certain TV shows, it can be hard to win over the fans in between seasons. Sometimes, a hiatus becomes too long and the show is left in limbo. Other times, the follow-up seasons feel too rushed or disappointing. The folks behind The Bear are trying to keep the hype by finding that sweet spot: enough time in between seasons to digest the meal, but not so much time that we all forget about that savory cannoli we just ate.
In March, rumors surfaced that season three of The Bear would be shot simultaneously as season four, meaning that they could crank out some episodes to shelf for a later date in order to keep up with the cast’s demanding schedules and Bruce Springsteen cosplays. Then a report suggested that perhaps the additional filming didn’t happen after all, meaning that the cast would have to regroup for more. What really happened?
Even though season three consisted of 10 episodes, Ebon Moss-Bachrach told Mr Porter that they actually filmed more than that, meaning that season four could be on the way sooner than fans think. “We were going to make one season, but that season was getting bigger and bigger and at a certain point it seemed like maybe we should write more, not feel constrained and turn it into two seasons,” he added.
“We shot about 18 episodes,” he revealed. But he said that it’s not that simple. “But everything shifts. In the past, what was one episode on the page has been split into two. I just lose myself in the messiness and chaos of it. I like getting taken by a wave that’s bigger than you thought it was, tumbled around and spit out the other end.”
Earlier in the week, Moss-Bachrach also revealed that he thinks the story is winding down. “I feel like we’re getting near to the end of The Bear. It seems like that story is wrapping up to me,” he told The Telegraph.
As of right now, there is no official announcement regarding season four. Still, it seems like there are eight unaired episodes of The Bear floating around somewhere in the universe, so we might once again see Carmy’s frustrated expression sooner rather than later.
The Bear is currently streaming on Hulu.