Roush Review: ‘The Bear’ Prepares Its Last Supper in a Stormy, Succulent Final Season

The Bear

Matt's Rating:

When it rains …

Noah would be right at home on The Bear, which endures a seemingly endless thunderstorm of Old Testament proportions in its characteristically intense but also poignant final season. For that matter, Job would likely have sympathy for the many challenges and trials faced by the overwhelmed staff of the embattled Chicago restaurant during this long day’s journey into a soggy, busy night.

The countdown clock from Season 4 is at zero, symbolizing the perilous financial situation The Bear eatery faces, with troubled financier “Uncle” Jimmy (Oliver Platt) looking for a way to unburden himself from this money pit and its crumbling infrastructure. (There’s even speculation that the building sits atop a sinkhole, which would explain a lot.)

But a new clock has started, looking optimistically forward towards that evening’s all-important dinner service, a deadline that looks increasingly improbable as the hours (and episodes) tick by and the calamities continue to pour on. There’s not enough food, the reservation app is glitchy, and the pipes are making noises more appropriate to a horror movie. So, when Sydney (the wonderful Ayo Edebiri), the gifted sous chef now taking the reins, addresses her crew with a pep talk, daring to tempt the gods by saying, “Nothing else can go wrong if we have each other, right?”, you know to expect the worst.

FX

Ironically, even amid all of the angst, The Bear finally begins to resemble an actual comedy in its last lap, albeit a comedy of all-too-human errors with an undeniable gallows humor. These indelible characters have grown over the seasons, and grown on us, and as the volume and temperature in the kitchen have simmered, the flavor of the ensemble has flourished.

This is made possible by moving master chef Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), the moodiest and most maddeningly combustible of culinary maestros, away from the center. He ended last season with the surprise announcement that he was quitting the food trade, no longer finding joy in it. It’s quite a change watching him defer decisions during this stressful prep and service to Sydney, who’s determined to keep her cool for as long as she can. Carmy as a calming influence, who saw that coming?

The day is also a trial by fire — and precipitation inside and out — for colleagues including Marcus (Lionel Boyce), the pastry chef basking in the acclaim from a well-deserved award and who needs this service to be perfect for personal reasons; Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas), the line cook who has found purpose and pride in this fragile workplace; and Ebra (Edwin Lee Gibson), whose plan to franchise the beef sandwich window that harks back to the restaurant’s origins could be the lifeline the business needs. (The late Rob Reiner is much missed as Albert, the consultant helping Ebra achieve his vision.) In the front of house, Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) continues to struggle with self-doubt while preaching a “maximalist” doctrine, while in the business office, reluctant absentee mom Natalie (Abby Elliott) is confronted with a stubborn bottom line, but like the rest, can’t help voicing the refrain, “I’m not ready to say goodbye.”

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An understandable sentiment, and I know how I feel whenever a favored establishment closes its doors. (The shuttered French restaurant across the street from me is a particularly tender wound.) We keep hearing throughout these final chapters what a rotten enterprise restaurants are, and even loyal Bear patrons would probably concede the show peaked in its second year, though it has returned to form of late, and even at its most aggravating has been an exhilarating place to visit.

So, let’s celebrate The Bear going out with the bang of a thunderclap and the satisfaction of having served its audience something special in its climactic courses. (The food will make even a GLP-1 user feel hunger pangs, and don’t get me started on Marcus’ dessert, because I’d never feel like stopping.)

Does it leave us wanting more? Debatable, but no one can say we weren’t well fed.

The Bear, Fifth and Final Season Premiere (eight episodes), 9/8c, Hulu (Episodes air weekly at 9/8c on FX)