PicoBlog

“It’s not the food they remember—it’s the people.”

The “To Be Continued” at the end of “Forever” is so confusing.

First and foremost, the show hasn’t formally been renewed for a fourth season—Deadline reported in March that the show was rolling production into a fourth season for logistical reasons, but that report was never confirmed, and FX still hasn’t formally renewed the series. But even if there were a fourth season renewal, why does the show have to tell us that the story will be continued? Of course it will be continued! This is a serialized television show, and thus the fourth season will no doubt be a continuation of what’s happened so far.

So why is it there? You could argue it’s there because the show leaves us on a cliffhanger, as the Chicago Tribune has finally published its review of The Bear and Carmy’s got numerous missed calls and messages from Cicero and the Computer. But again, why do we need the point underlined when the fact seems so obvious? We’ve seen cliffhangers before, and know that they implicitly promise resolution.

Ultimately, my best guess is that Christopher Storer is self-aware of the degree to which “Forever” punts on the character arcs that the season has ostensibly focused on, and “To Be Continued” is a half-hearted—and undercooked—apologia for the choices made in this finale. I didn’t expect for everything to be wrapped up in a neat bow, but to put Carmy in a room with both Richie and Sydney and achieve so little resolution to the tension that’s surrounded their dynamic all season is borderline sociopathic. Whatever thematic catharsis comes from this finale’s rumination on chefs and their inspiration lacks impact when its only tie to the ostensible subject of the show—the restaurant our characters work at—is done through memories and flashes, and leaving so much of the show’s work unresolved is deeply unsatisfying.

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