Yes, chef, one last time.
The fifth and final season of “The Bear” takes inspiration from “The Pitt,” as the whole story takes place over the course of just one day.
This makes it the best season in several years. That’s not saying much; this show has always been more mediocre than its Emmys would have you believe. But, it’s not a disastrous finale (like “Euphoria”). It’s a solid send-off.
Similar to past seasons, Season 5 of the Chicago-based workplace drama follows Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and the rest of their ragtag team of restaurant staffers, as they scramble to avoid falling apart (both emotionally and literally), and achieve culinary excellence.
This time, they’re doing all that as a wicked storm wreaks havoc.
And, there’s Carmy’s looming departure from the restaurant, which he announced at the end of Season 4, because the job no longer makes him happy.
The first few episodes of Season 5 follow the team as they try to salvage the place enough to provide dinner service after the storm causes damage.
Meanwhile, Jimmy (Oliver Platt) is in a last ditch effort to see if they can sell the “air rights” above the building, as a final push to keep the lights on.
Of course, Neil Fak (Matty Matheson) gets involved in the repair work. The show continues to think that he’s ten times more hilarious than he really is.
The time constraint gives the season a “ticking time bomb” sense of pressure. So does the question of if they’ll have the funds to keep the place running (although, that’s been a repetitive issue in every season).
Setting the final season all in one day is the best idea that creator Christopher Storer and his writers have had in years. It gives the story more momentum and more narrative flow than previous seasons had.
“The Bear” has always pretended to be more character-driven than plot focused, without having enough character development (beyond Carmy, Syd, and Richie) to justify that. It’s only feigned at being an ensemble show. Side characters like Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson) still remain underdeveloped.
It’s also never been funny enough to work as a “hang out show,” (despite the running frustration of how the Emmys and Golden Globes nominate it in the “comedy” category – one can only hope that “Widow’s Bay” knocks it out of the running this year).
In the past, The Bear” has spun its wheels, gesturing at a semblance of a story without telling one. The final season doesn’t entirely fix this, but it’s an improvement. Setting it all in one day gives it a sense of urgency, and makes Season 5 feel less aimless than Seasons 3 and 4.
It also means there’s less opportunity for stunt-casting guest stars like Josh Hartnett, which is for the best. A final season should focus on the main characters. And Season 5 still has some heavyweight actors, as Jamie Lee Curtis returns as Carmy’s mom.
The show remains strongest when it zooms in on small moments. When Carmy drops a plate in Season 5, the story treats it like a gunshot, complete with a slow pan to everyone’s horrified reactions.
Looking at “The Bear” as a whole, it’s stunning how little has happened since Season 1 first premiered in 2022.
The show has had more impact outside of its story – making “Yes chef” a worldwide slogan; launching White and Edebiri to A-lister status. Within the story, it’s a lot of repetitive “same old, same old” moments for the characters.
Over the course of the show, Carmy has been constantly stressed, and had a boring on-again, off-again relationship with Claire (Molly Gordon). Richie has yelled and cursed a lot. Syd has been frazzled a lot. Carmy’s dead brother, Mikey (Jon Bernthal), has appeared in too many flashbacks.
It’s not Bernthal’s fault, as he’s a phenomenal actor, but too many flashbacks to a dead character give away the game that there’s not enough story juice in the present. Maybe as a sign of the show’s growth, Mikey is largely absent from Season 5 – and mercifully, so is Claire.
Season 5 is the kindest to Syd and Marcus (Lionel Boyce). They depart as the characters who grew the most, and found their confidence.
In the end, “The Bear” did have some engrossing glimpses of what restaurant work is like, the cost of excellence, and flawed people trying to connect. It’s too bad this story overstayed its welcome, and took on a more baggy and shapeless format than it should have.
Season 5 did its best to whip it into shape. The final season doesn’t leave a bad taste in your mouth, and that’s all you can ask for.
“The Bear” Season 5 premieres Thursday, June 25 at 9 p.m. on FX and Hulu.
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