{"id":2480604,"date":"2026-06-29T15:35:44","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T15:35:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2480604"},"modified":"2026-06-29T15:35:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T15:35:44","slug":"the-bear-final-season-review-one-last-meal-worth-savoring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/the-bear-final-season-review-one-last-meal-worth-savoring\/","title":{"rendered":"‘The Bear’ Final Season Review: One Last Meal Worth Savoring"},"content":{"rendered":"

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It\u2019s last call at \u201cThe Bear<\/a>\u201d as FX\u2019s Emmy-winning series closes out its fifth and final season.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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With just eight episodes, the Chicago-set kitchen drama returned last week to finish what it started with our favorite chaos-fueled crew, picking up the morning after Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) dropped the bomb on Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Natalie (Abby Elliott) that he\u2019s quitting the food industry for good and leaving the restaurant to them. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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But his timing couldn\u2019t be worse.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In the middle of a literal (and figurative) storm, The Bear faces its worst service ever; it has run out of money, time, nearly all of its food and much of its crew. But as always, the scrappy team \u2014 including Marcus (Lionel Boyce), Tina (Liza Col\u00f3n-Zayas), Luca (Will Poulter) and Neil (Matty Matheson) \u2014 know just how to work under pressure to make the best of their circumstances.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Taking a page out of \u201cThe Pitt\u201d playbook, nearly all of Season 5 follows what seems like the last shift the restaurant will ever pull off in real-time, as the chefs desperately band together to finally earn a Michelin star. Their methods may not be perfect, but they do it as a family to cap off quite a run.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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We look back on everything we loved (and hated) about \u201cThe Bear\u201d over the last five seasons, from our favorite performances and moments to our thoughts on how it\u2019s been categorized as a comedy to how the final installment measures up to others. Plus, we discuss whether the final episode does the entire series justice.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Performances We Loved Over The Seasons<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"Ebon<\/picture><\/div>\n
Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richie in “The Bear.”<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
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It\u2019s so hard to choose between my favorite performances over these past five seasons. But aside from Jeremy Allen White\u2019s Carmy, Ebon Moss-Bachrach brilliantly plays one of the most complex characters on the show, simply because he has wholeheartedly made us believe in Richie\u2019s transformation. When we first met him in Season 1, he was an arrogant, selfish, rude asshole who couldn\u2019t care less about being a team player. But to see him now in Season 5, acting like the captain running the tightest ship in the restaurant industry, it\u2019s amazing to see how Moss-Bachrach has captured what literal personal growth looks like in a person. He\u2019s the MVP of the show because Richie\u2019s the MVP of The Bear.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Now, if we\u2019re talking about guest stars, Jamie Lee Curtis\u2019 Donna is on my list of favorites. She\u2019s been a vital part of the show since she showed up in Season 2\u2032s flashback \u201cFishes\u201d episode, and has remained that way. The mania and alcoholism we saw in her character helped explain how we ended up with a traumatized Carmy and Natalie still grappling with their pain as adults. But I loved how Curtis handled her emotional redemption arc in Season 4 when she got the chance to make amends with her kids. Even with the few moments she received in Season 5, it was a reminder of why she deserved the award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series at the 2024 Emmys. I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if she snagged another win this year. \u2014 <\/span>Njera<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I also want to shout out Emmy winner Liza Col\u00f3n-Zayas, who portrayed Tina. She won the award for her work in Season 2, one of the series\u2019 best seasons. I remember boo-hooing over her performance in Season 3 in \u201cNapkins,\u201d when we get to see Tina\u2019s origin story. Then, I burst into tears again as the credits rolled, once I learned that Edebiri had directed the episode. Any time those two were together on screen, I knew some magic was going to happen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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My favorite guest star had to be the legendary Robert Townsend, who portrayed Syd\u2019s dad. He added so much warmth to the role, and I loved seeing him on my TV screen again. \u2014 Erin<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Why We Loved \u2018The Bear\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"Liza<\/picture><\/div>\n
Liza Col\u00f3n-Zayas as Tina and Ayo Edebiri as Sydney in “The Bear.”<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
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I loved so many of the performances, but I thought the show really shone when it stepped back from the interpersonal dialogue and showcased what it looked like to run a restaurant. We got to see so many aspects: plating five-course meals, all those close-up shots of prepping the food, and, of course, the moments where we saw Jess (Sarah Ramos) and Richie expedite and stage the service for the night. Those quick action shots had a lot of intensity, and I loved seeing that process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cForks,\u201d Season 2, Episode 7, is a standout for that reason. Richie ups his skills at a fancy restaurant before The Bear opens, and I remember cheering at the end of the episode because it was such a triumph.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The standalone episodes that stepped outside of the kitchen were also a highlight. I loved \u201cWorms,\u201d Season 4, Episode 4, when we got a peek into Syd\u2019s life. Her cousin Chantel (Danielle Deadwyler) was supposed to braid Syd\u2019s hair, but ran out of hair. Syd ended up babysitting Chantel\u2019s daughter while weighing whether she should accept a new job offer. There was so much to love about the episode: Edebiri and Boyce wrote it, and it felt so authentically rooted in the Black experience. Deadwyler offered a very funny portrayal \u2014 and I\u2019m dying to see her in more comedies. \u2014 <\/span>Erin<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I\u2019ll be honest, I\u2019ve stuck through the show this long now because I\u2019ve gotten attached to certain characters and their arcs, but it\u2019s hard to remember what made me love the show in the first place. I didn\u2019t watch \u201cThe Bear\u201d as soon as it premiered, but I kept hearing about it through word-of-mouth, so curiosity eventually got the best of me. I watched the first episode and just couldn\u2019t stop after that. Eventually, I binged all of Season 1 damn near in one sitting. It was the most stressful experience, yet I didn\u2019t want to look away from it. The show obviously hasn\u2019t lost that quality in the seasons since, thanks to the Berzatto family\u2019s toxicity. But, for me, the characters are what have carried \u201cThe Bear\u201d through to this final season.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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My favorites were Tina, Syd, Richie and Marcus because they all grew in their own ways over the course of the show, and it\u2019s been beautiful to watch. Tina and Marcus have become more confident as chefs; Richie has turned into quite a leader at the restaurant and has matured in his personal life; and Syd, even though she still had her humble moments in Season 5, recognized her own growth and ability to lead without Carmy by her side.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Outside the main cast, I also loved the guest stars that \u201cThe Bear\u201d introduced us to (Curtis\u2019 unpredictable Donna being one of them). I also agree that Deadwyler\u2019s hilarious portrayal of Syd\u2019s cousin, Chantel, is one of the very best guest characters on \u201cThe Bear.\u201d Shout out to Edebiri and Boyce for writing such a funny, nuanced and relatable episode for her to sink her teeth into (more comedies for Deadwyler, please!)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Poulter\u2019s Chef Luca was another lovely addition to the show, bringing some much-needed calmness to the kitchen chaos. Hence, it broke my heart a little to see him and Marcus fighting this season because you could tell the latter took Luca\u2019s announcement to heart. Again, in my opinion, \u201cThe Bear\u201d succeeded because of the characters who made the show great. That\u2019s probably what I\u2019ll miss most. \u2014 <\/span>Njera<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Where \u2018The Bear\u2019 Failed<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"Ayo<\/picture><\/div>\n
Ayo Edebiri as Sydney and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richie in “The Bear.”<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
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At some point in the series, it just started to feel aimless with all the flashbacks that, yes, helped fill out some characters\u2019 backstories, but didn\u2019t actually contribute to the show\u2019s purpose. \u201cThe Bear\u201d began as a seemingly balanced dramedy about a family-owned Chicago sandwich shop. A very simple concept. But once it started following the shop\u2019s transformation into a Michelin-star-worthy restaurant, I feel like it got too complicated for its own good. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The other thing I felt like \u201cThe Bear\u201d (really Hulu) always dropped the ball with was releasing all the episodes at once every season. I never understood the point of not giving a show like this, with so much story to digest, a weekly release schedule. At the very least, Hulu could\u2019ve released \u201cThe Bear\u201d in batches to keep the conversation going on social media for more than a couple of days or a week. I hate that we\u2019ve been forced to binge-watch this stressful ass show season after season. It\u2019s done a disservice to viewers, but especially to the show. As much time and energy as the cast and crew poured into the show, you would think Hulu would deliver a viewing experience that kept us full and satisfied. \u2014 <\/span>Njera<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Why \u2018The Bear\u2019 Is Still Not A Comedy<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"Matty<\/picture><\/div>\n
Matty Matheson as Neil Fak in “The Bear.”<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
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If we\u2019ve done nothing else at celebrity.land, we have repeatedly made the point that \u201cThe Bear\u201d is not a comedy. Yet every season, its network and creators decided to submit it for comedy writing, acting and directing categories at the Emmys. It was wild to see. It\u2019s not the kind of show where you\u2019re ever cracking up laughing. Sometimes you get a little giggle, but that\u2019s about it. The supposed comic relief of the series often arrived through the Fak brothers, but their whole schtick got old really quickly. Richie (Moss-Bachrach) was funny, too. But not nearly enough to categorize the whole show as a comedy. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I definitely won\u2019t miss seeing the series go up against actual comedies like \u201cHacks\u201d and \u201cAbbott Elementary\u201d at the Emmys and other TV award ceremonies once we get through next year\u2019s awards cycle. (Reminder that this upcoming Emmys, Season 4 of the series will be eligible.) \u2014 <\/span>Erin<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I\u2019m definitely a firm believer in the fact that \u201cThe Bear\u201d should absolutely, positively <\/span>not<\/span><\/em> be considered a comedy by any stretch of the imagination (I even wrote a <\/span>whole essay<\/span><\/a> about it). We have said this every single season, but I\u2019m waving the flag extra hard for this final installment because it\u2019s quite literally the most dramatic of all. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Nearly the entire fifth season takes place in one day, marking what seems like the last service The Bear crew will ever pull off as the restaurant arrived at death\u2019s door. The city is storming. The restaurant is flooding. And the whole mood is sad and somber. There\u2019s nothing funny or lighthearted about this farewell, aside from maybe the finale. Not even the few moments of comedic relief provided by the Faks can make a solid case for the show being submitted in the comedy categories during next year\u2019s awards cycle. And yet, somehow, they probably will be.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Our efforts to stop this show from competing against actual comedies have been futile, but let the record show we tried. \u2014 <\/span>Njera<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How The Final Season Stacks Up<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"Jeremy<\/picture><\/div>\n
Jeremy Allen White as Carmy and Ayo Edebiri as Sydney in “The Bear.”<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
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If I had to rank the seasons, I\u2019d put Season 1 first, then Season 2 close behind, then Season 4, then Season 5, then the dreaded Season 3 dead last. At its height in Seasons 1 and 2, \u201cThe Bear\u201d was one of the most compelling shows on TV. The middle seasons felt a bit hard to get through, aside from a really fun episode in Season 4 that centered on Syd and her cousin. As I started the final season, I was both excited to re-enter the world of \u201cThe Bear,\u201d somewhat sad that it was the final time, and relieved to know that the show wouldn\u2019t drag on without its same level of quality. It felt like the story needed to end before the storylines felt repetitive. Obviously, restaurants face constant headwinds, but there\u2019s only so much I want to see play out on TV. \u2014 <\/span>Erin<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Honestly, I think that\u2019s the best ranking! Season 1 truly set the tone for the rest of the series, but that following season was when we started seeing certain characters get their moment to shine. I always think of Marcus going to Copenhagen in \u201cHoneydew\u201d to shadow Luca, or Richie heading to Ever in \u201cForks\u201d to train with some of the best in the biz. And who could forget the wildly chaotic (Emmy-winning) \u201cFishes\u201d episode that introduced Donna? Season 3 wasn\u2019t exactly my favorite either, but it did give us Tina\u2019s \u201cNapkins\u201d episode (brilliantly directed by Edebiri), and Col\u00f3n-Zayas\u2019 first Emmy. The most memorable episode of Season 4, besides the finale, was \u201cWorms,\u201d which might be the most thoughtful and heartwarming of \u201cThe Bear.\u201d We not only got to see another piece of Syd\u2019s life, but it was such a Black-coded episode that felt necessary to color in her existence in a world that revolves so much around Carmy, his family drama and his own personal trauma. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Season 5 doesn\u2019t rank low on this list for me because it\u2019s necessarily bad, but it does take on a completely different direction, primarily because it all occurs in one day. When I realized that\u2019s how the season was shaping up while screening it, I was initially annoyed, but I kind of get it now. The Bear closing its doors is all that matters, so it\u2019s pointless to explore any other storyline outside of the restaurant. Even things that do take place outside lead back to it, and I can appreciate that they decided to keep the focus there as they brought the show to an end. \u2014 <\/span>Njera<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Did The Finale Do The Series Justice?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\"Ayo<\/picture><\/div>\n
Ayo Edebiri as Sydney in “The Bear.”<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
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I love that the series finale ended on such a heartwarming note. For the past few seasons, we\u2019ve watched The Bear focus on becoming a top-tier fine-dining establishment with the best hospitality and fanciest dishes in town. But the heart of the show was always about the people inside the restaurant, making and serving the food that put smiles on people\u2019s faces and left them with warm memories. Thankfully for us, the final episode remembered what made the series, and the restaurant, so special in the first place: \u201cFamily,\u201d as Poulter\u2019s Luca pointed out to Marcus in his cheesy airport farewell. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Even though the finale wrapped up everyone\u2019s story in a neat little bow, it was a satisfying ending that showed just how far this once-disastrous crew had come from barely making it through a shift without ripping each other\u2019s heads off. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson) finally received Carmy\u2019s stamp of approval to franchise The Beef sandwich window (yay!). Marcus was able to give his pastry pal Luca a proper sendoff back to Copenhagen. Tina, now fully confident in her culinary skills, was excited to take on the role of Syd\u2019s chef de cuisine. Richie boarded his first-ever flight to an international hospitality seminar in Japan (love that for him). And Syd and Carmy finally achieved the dream: after busting their asses, \u201cStar Man\u201d Peter Clark called to tell them The Bear had been awarded not one but <\/span>two<\/span><\/em> Michelin stars. And Syd received the honor of leading the newly crowned restaurant since Carmy was officially out of the cooking game. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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As for the now-retired chef, he finally got to find some peace as an intern at an architectural firm, where he could apply his love of colors and presentation to buildings without stressing about trying to survive another chaotic day in the kitchen. After all of the trauma and turmoil he endured over the last five seasons, I\u2019d say that\u2019s a welcome, <\/span>healthy<\/span><\/em> change. Since he shoots a simple \u201cAll good\u201d text to his late brother Mikey at the end of the episode, it seems he\u2019s in a much better place than where he started.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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That\u2019s honestly been the entire point of the series. Over its five-season run, \u201cThe Bear\u201d has been one big lesson in growth, and each character in the show has represented a different stage of it. I think what the finale, and really the entire final season, did best was remind us about the resilience of this crew. Despite what they\u2019ve been through, they\u2019ve always managed to stick it out <\/span>together<\/span><\/em>. That\u2019s actually what I\u2019ll miss most about this little lightning-in-a-bottle hit. \u2014 <\/span>Njera<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Well said. My only complaint about the finale was that they don\u2019t cook anything! I needed one last dinner. \u2014 Erin<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThe Bear\u201d is streaming on Hulu.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n