The Bear is unlike anything else on television—a show that can make you hold your breath for seven minutes straight or break your heart with a single glance across a dining room. Ranking its episodes means weighing technical brilliance against emotional devastation, chaos against quiet.
These are the episodes that define The Bear. Yes, we can be reached.
Great Episodes (15-11)
#15: "Honeydew" (S2E2) Richie's resistance to change crystallizes. His conflict with Sydney sets up the season's major tension while establishing Richie as more than comic relief.
#14: "Pop" (S3E4) A quieter episode that deepens our understanding of the Berzatto family history. The flashbacks add context that recontextualizes earlier events.
#13: "Omelette" (S3E1) The Season 3 premiere. The pressure of The Bear's opening and what it costs everyone involved. Sets the tone for the most demanding season.
#12: "Ceres" (S1E6) The calm before the storm. The episode that introduces Tina's humanity, Sydney's ambition, and the quiet moments that make the chaos matter.
#11: "Napkins" (S2E9) Tina's origin story. How she came to The Original Beef and why she stayed. Liza Colón-Zayas delivers a beautiful, understated performance.
Excellent Episodes (10-6)
#10: "System" (S1E2) Sydney's reorganization of the kitchen. The first time we see what this restaurant could become. The first time we see what Carmy and Sydney could become.
#9: "Sundae" (S2E10) The Season 2 finale. All the threads converge for opening night of The Bear. The tension is unbearable—and then the release.
#8: "Dogs" (S1E5) Sugar negotiating with the bank while Carmy and Richie's relationship deteriorates. The business side of restaurant desperation, rendered heartbreaking.
#7: "Tomorrow" (S3E10) The Season 3 finale. The most divisive episode of the series. We won't say why, but it forces you to reconsider everything.
#6: "Ice Chips" (S3E8) Sugar gives birth. Donna is there. An entire episode of two people in a hospital room, and it's one of the most intense hours of television this decade.
The Best of The Best (5-1)
#5: "Braciole" (S1E8) The Season 1 finale. After "Review," the aftermath. Quiet and devastating. The letter. Michael's truth revealed. The question of whether to continue.
#4: "The Bear" (S2E1) The Season 2 premiere. New York flashbacks showing Carmy at his peak in fine dining. The origins of his perfectionism—and his trauma. The meal at the end is transcendent.
#3: "Forks" (S2E7) Richie's solo episode. Sent to stage at an elite restaurant, he discovers meaning. The transformation from angry to present. The montage. The music. The moment he takes control.
#2: "Fishes" (S2E6) The Berzatto family Christmas, years before the show. Everyone you've wondered about, finally seen. The dysfunction that made these people who they are. An hour of escalating dread that's somehow also funny. Jamie Lee Curtis's performance is staggering.
#1: "Review" (S1E7) The one. Seven minutes of real-time Christmas chaos that broke Twitter. The accumulated stress of six episodes exploding in a single, perfect, horrifying service. Marcus's mother. The ticket. "LET IT RIP!" This is The Bear at its most The Bear—and it's never been topped.
How We Ranked These
Ranking The Bear is impossible. Every episode is connected. Here's what we weighed:
Technical Achievement: The oners, the choreography, the craft. Emotional Impact: Did it make us feel something profound? Character Development: Who grows? Who changes? Rewatchability: Do we want to experience it again? Cultural Impact: Which episodes define the show for audiences?
"Review" wins because it's the episode that proved The Bear wasn't just good—it was something new. But ask us tomorrow and "Fishes" might take the crown.
Honorable Mentions
Every Bear episode deserves recognition:
"Hands" (S2E5): The research montage. Sydney's notebook. The music.
"Meat" (S1E4): Understanding why this all matters. The Berzatto legacy.
"Bolognese" (S2E8): Carmy and Claire. The calm before various storms.
"Violet" (S3E7): Another character study that expands the world.
There's no such thing as a skip episode in The Bear. Even the quieter ones are building toward something devastating.