After four years and umpteen awards, The Bear opens the doors for its final service. Last season saw the beleaguered Chicago establishment racing to survive against a literal ticking clock. The restaurant made just about enough money to see another day but Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) revealed his shock decision to walk away, handing The Bear over to talented protégée Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) and “cousin” Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach).
Season five picks things up the very next day. The ragtag crew of chefs are elated that The Bear survived but it’s not long before they’re faced with another challenge – a storm which engulfs Chicago, resulting in burst pipes and a semi-flooded kitchen.
Season four was more about contemplation than cuisine, as it showcased the characters outside the kitchen, but this final hurrah returns to the anxiety-inducing tension of earlier seasons. The staff fight against almost comically impossible odds (and each other), while trying to manage their own personal paths in life. Sydney is trying to find her feet after having leadership thrust upon her and Richie assembles numerous inspirational quotes and coping techniques to finally find some self-belief. Marcus, played by the brilliant Lionel Boyce, is preparing to impress his father with his cooking skills. In the absence of an overarching storyline about the future of The Bear, these plots are given plenty of room to breathe. It’s funny, gripping and jaggedly sentimental.
The format of The Bear is also given a shake up, with seven of the eight episodes set during one day (the final episode was not available to critics prior to release). The result is a bingeable buffet, with the end of each chapter introducing another problem to overcome.
There are moments of quiet beauty in between the shouting, such as Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis) discovering Carmy’s old recipe book, or Richie’s improvised but heartfelt speech to the staff. These moments represent what The Bear is best at – humans doing their best despite the messiness of life, and throwing everything at the chance of finding happiness.
One peculiar aspect of the season is White, the former lead who now feels like a ghost haunting his own show. Carmy may have quit at the end of last season, but he’s still around to help Sydney’s transition to executive chef. The series has become more of an ensemble piece as time has gone on but it’s strange to see The Bear’s breakout star so redundant.
The trade-off is that it gives others the chance to seize the spotlight with superb performances. As Sydney, Edebiri perfectly portrays the wordless build of anxiety. Her mixture of sensitivity and sarcasm makes her the highlight of the season and she could easily lead a spin-off, if viewers are left hungry for more.
Meanwhile Moss-Bachrach gives a masterclass in tender masculinity, with the gruff and profane Richie working on his emotions. Those who have stuck with the show from the beginning will be delighted to see him and other characters, such as handyman Neil Fak (Matty Matheson), find their feet in roles they’d never considered.
The exact fate of The Bear will be discovered by viewers when the final episode arrives, but the fifth and final season is a suitable send-off to these unlikely comrades. It might not reach the boiling temperatures of the show at its peak, but it’s a satisfying final course.
‘The Bear’ season five is available on Disney+ from June 26