All 6 Ships in ‘The Bear,’ Ranked

The heat is turning up in The Bear — and it’s not from the fire in the kitchen. The restaurant business has its drama, but none quite compares to the never-ending chaos experienced by Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White). Together with Cousin Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri), they’ve argued, screamed, and fought with each other — all while serving focaccias and bucatini in under three minutes. But throughout all the angst and tension, relationships grow for better or for worse. In celebration of these couples, here’s every ship in The Bear ranked.

6

Carmy Berzatto and Claire Dunlap

Childhood Sweethearts

Nothing’s more charming than a childhood sweetheart. Claire Dunlap (Molly Gordon), a long-time friend of the Berzattos, and Carmy grew up around each other until they went their separate ways as adults. Their reunion is the stuff of rom-coms: an unexpected meet-cute at a grocery store, followed by a heart-to-heart conversation at someone’s party. The next thing they know, they’re locking lips. For the first time in his life, Carmy experiences life outside of the brutal, hot kitchen. It turns out that, with some real effort, Carmy is well capable of opening his heart and letting people into his tightly-scheduled routine.

And that’s the problem. Due to underdeveloped characterization, Claire is merely portrayed as Carmy’s sole savior. It feels like Claire is the only person in Carmy’s orbit who would put him back on ground, which does a great disservice to people like Sydney, who has long tried to get inside his head — crucial, since they’re both actual work partners. Carmy is also guilty in this. It’s not that he doesn’t deserve love, but for him to take care of someone like Claire, the least he could do is take accountability for his feelings in the workplace before they hurt someone.

5

Carmy Berzatto and Sydney Adamu

Co-Workers to Lovers Potential

Carmy and Sydney are in a continuous push-and-pull motion, and it’s painful to watch. Starting as a sous-chef at The Original Beef in Season 1, Sydney has always made it her goal to bring her expertise to Carmy’s establishment (though much of it went ignored due to Carmy’s lack of focus). By the time they decide to renovate the entire place, it’s the peak of Carmy and Sydney’s work relationship — researching meals together at his home, building tables together, and more. At this time, Sydney still tries to respect Carmy as her boss, even though he’s constantly running to Claire behind Sydney’s back (which she tries to play cool about, but she’s clearly still annoyed by his lack of professionalism).

But by Seasons 3 and 4, it becomes clear that their shared passion for the culinary arts is not enough to sustain their relationship. Season 3 is peak Carmy annoyance — his drive to put the restaurant on top of its game with its excessive expenditures and changing menus is doing harm to the business. Not only that, but he doesn’t keep Sydney in the loop of things, despite her being his right-hand woman. Sydney loves the restaurant, but she struggles to decide if she loves it enough to sacrifice her mental well-being due to Carmy’s lack of openness and communication. They’re already on the edge as work partners, let alone a potential romantic match.

4

Richie Jerimovich and Tiffany Jerimovich

The Exes

Richie and Tiffany Jerimovich once had something real. Even after their divorce, and even as Tiff marries Frank (Josh Hartnett) in Season 4, there’s a lingering connection — as seen in the way she tearfully hugs Richie during their dance. In “Fishes,” much of the tension between them comes from Richie’s inability to maintain steady employment, a struggle made worse by his then-volatile behavior. Even when Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) offers to help him find a job, Richie takes it as an insult.

Since their divorce, Richie and Tiff have built a mostly stable, civil co-parenting relationship. In Richie’s standout solo episode, “Forks,” he wins back some of Tiff’s admiration — not just by changing for the better, but by scoring Taylor Swift tickets for their daughter, Eva (Annabelle Toomey). Although Richie tries to rekindle their romance, it’s clear that Tiff understands they function best as exes, and even better as co-parents. They may not be together anymore, but there’s mutual care and respect that still binds them.

3

Richie Jerimovich and Jessica

From Ever to Forever?

Richie and Jessica (Sarah Ramos) are what Syd and Carmy aspire to be. When Richie first stepped into the kitchen at Ever as a stage, Jessica was already holding things down as head waiter and expo, conducting both the kitchen and dining room like an orchestra. She’s the complete opposite of Carmy: confident in her direction, punctual to the millisecond, and fully in control of how everything operates. Just as Syd is initially in awe of Carmy’s fine-dining background, Richie is in awe of Jessica’s work ethic, something he later brings with him to The Bear. Their connection doesn’t end with his time at Ever. After the restaurant shuts down, Richie makes sure to maintain his relationship with Jessica.

Jessica brings out something different in Richie. She sees the unpolished diamond he is, making him feel safe and confident enough to let his guard down in Season 4. This leads him to open up about the death of Mikey (Jon Bernthal), despite them initially having no bond outside the kitchen. Even in vulnerability, Richie is thoughtful. He doesn’t immediately unload his trauma. In “Green,” he pauses to ask Jessica if he’s oversharing, showing a level of emotional awareness. At this considerable, slow-burning pace, it’s safe to say they might hold real romantic potential that neither feels forced nor rushed.

2

Natalie Berzatto and Pete Katinsky

The Wholesome and Underrated Pair

It takes a real man to face the Berzattos, let alone marry one. Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto (Abby Elliott) might be the most rational and emotionally aware member of the clan, but she carries her baggage, especially when it comes to sensitive topics like Frank’s passing or her strained relationship with her mother. And that’s not all Pete Katinsky (Chris Witaske) has to deal with. He still has to come to terms with the fact that the Berzattos, especially Richie and Cicero, find him annoying.

Still, Pete is a genuinely kind person who holds no grudges. He’s so used to being the butt of the joke that he doesn’t even mind the occasional public humiliation. As Natalie takes on the role of project manager while pregnant, Pete remains her grounding force. Even when Donna hurts Natalie, Pete encourages her to come into The Bear to see his wife, always prioritizing family. Pete is there for Natalie, no matter what. And while Natalie understandably buckles under stress from time to time, she never fails to show her gratitude for Pete.

1

Sydney Adamu and Richie Jerimovich

The Unexpected Duo

Sydney and Richie have come a long way from wanting to kill each other in the kitchen (unintentionally, with a knife to the butt in “Review”). When Sydney first stepped into The Bear, she was immediately met with skepticism from the old-school Richie. But despite their clashing personalities, the two share a similar sensitivity when dealing with Carmy’s impulsive whims and the fallout of his unresolved struggles. In the aftermath of “Fishes,” Richie finally begins to believe that Sydney genuinely cares about the restaurant and doesn’t just see it as a project.

A major reason Richie has been able to grow is because Sydney sees potential in him — something he initially couldn’t see in himself. The two have grown so comfortable around each other that it’s Sydney who stands by Richie outside the venue, helping calm his nerves as he prepares for Tiff and Frank’s wedding. The relationship they’ve built over four seasons is set to become even more crucial heading into Season 5. With the Season 4 finale placing Sydney, Richie, and Natalie in a partnership without Carmy on board, they’ll have to rely on each other more than ever.

The Bear

Release Date

June 23, 2022

Network

Hulu

Showrunner

Christopher Storer

Directors

Ramy Youssef

Writers

Catherine Schetina, Alex Russell, Karen Joseph Adcock, Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, Stacy Osei-Kuffour

Watch on Hulu