Plot: The fifth and final season picks up the morning after Sydney Adamu, Richard “Richie” Jerimovich and Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto discover that Head Chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto has quit the food industry, leaving the restaurant to them. With no money, the threat of a sale and a torrential storm in their way, the new partners must band together with the rest of the team to achieve one last service, hoping they’ll finally earn a Michelin star. Ultimately, they learn that what makes a restaurant “perfect” might not be the food, but the people.
Review: The Bear premiered four years ago with a stunning debut that blended comedy, drama, and culinary artistry in a way we had not seen before. Set against the Chicago food scene, and featuring an ensemble cast led by breakout stars Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edibiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, along with a slew of famous guest stars,The Bear has been one of the most beloved series of the last decade. While the last two seasons did not quite match the quality of the first season, the recent standalone prequel, “Gary” (written by series stars Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Jon Bernthal), showed just how insightful and emotionally resonant The Bear can be. The final season of The Bear is finally here, and not only does it return to what made the first season so fantastic, but it may be one of the all-time best seasons of television ever. Changing up the formula of the series a bit, The Bear goes out with an absolutely great final run that will leave everybody satisfied, as any perfect meal should.
The eight-episode final season picks up the day after Carmy (Jeremy Allan White) told Sydney (Ayo Edibiri) and Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) that he was quitting The Bear and leaving it in their hands to run. With the trio still striving to gain a Michelin star despite a lukewarm review on their opening night, they decide to keep Carmy’s news quiet until after one final push for greatness. While the first couple of seasons dealt with the transformation of The Beef into the titular restaurant, followed by the fourth season spread over several weeks after the opening, the fifth season is set completely within a single day as the hours count down to not only whether The Bear earns their star but whether they can stay in business at all. It is a propulsive and fresh way to tell the story that this series has been building towards. Like a sports movie leading to the title match, The Bear’s final season is all about overcoming adversity and living up to each character’s full potential. Every challenge they have faced to this point comes together in a literal perfect storm as Chicago is inundated by a thunderstorm that puts the restaurant staff on edge and leaves them facing ingredient shortages, power failures, leaks, and every other obstacle you could imagine coming between The Bear and their Michelin star.
Other than a few scenes, the entirety of this season is set within the restaurant and focuses on the transition of power from Carmy to Sydney and Richie. The training and education that every character has gone through factors into the episode, especially Tina (Liza Colon-Zayas) as she embraces her culinary skills, and Marcus (Lionel Boyce) as he continues to learn from Luca (Will Poulter). There are solid moments for everyone from Abby Elliott and Matty Matheson to Oliver Platt as as Jimmy and Jamie Lee Curtis as Carmy and Sugar’s mother, Donna Berzatto. The first seven episodes move quickly and address the cliffhanger ending of “Gary” that showed Richie getting into a car accident. The chaotic opening episodes transition into the ebb and flow of a busy restaurant kitchen as the series runs each half hour episode to the limit before the penultimate entry clocking in at just under an hour. The first seven episodes were made available in advance with only the series finale held back, leaving critics to experience how The Bear ends along with everybody else.
Where the previous seasons boasted famous guest stars like Bob Odenkirk, John Mulaney, Rob Reiner, and more, the special appearances are limited this season. There are some fun surprises in store, especially for those from the Chicago area who may recognize some famous cameos, but this season is focused squarely on the crew running The Bear. As usual, Jeremy Allen White is a subdued but standout lead who begins to move to the sidelines as Ayo Edibiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach fully come into their own as their characters take over the restaurant. White’s energy has shifted as the series has progressed and it fits as this last run of episodes is all about passing the torch. Some critics complained that the last couple of seasons felt like they were treading water in terms of character development but that is not a problem in this final run. Each episode gives the ensemble their due without forcing any unearned goodbyes.
At times, I felt like I was watching a movie like Best of the Best or The Karate Kid as each character stepped up when needed. Series creator Christopher Storer, who wrote three episodes this season and directed seven, sets this season up like a five hour movie rather than a collection of chapters. Every episode rolls directly into the next with the writing team that includes Rene Gube, Karen Joseph Adcock, Catherine Schetine, Rachel Wiggins, and Nicole Kohut presenting a unified story broken out into sections. Duccio Fabbri directed one episode, the excellent “Raspberries” which bridges the intense preparation for our final shift at The Bear that unfolds over the last episodes. How the series will end remains to be seen, but the first seven episodes promise that the series finale, titled “The Original Beef of Chicagoland”, will bring things full circle and show us where the characters go next.
The Bear has always been a unique series that defied the conventions of television comedies and dramas while showcasing the art of cooking unlike any other show or film. With the entire cast operating at their best in this final season, The Bear manages to top every season to date with this magnificent final run. The Bear‘s fifth season is an accomplishment of storytelling that is as heartfelt as it is intense and exciting to watch. For any misgivings I have had about the previous few seasons, Christopher Storer has stuck the landing with an amazing conclusion to one of the best series of the last decade. The Bear is going away but bookends the standout first season with the exceptional final one. There are few runs of episodes I can think of that deliver as well as this last season which will absolutely rank as one of the all-time best.
The Bear premieres with two episodes on June 25th on FX with all eight episodes debuting the same day on FX on Hulu.
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