Courtesy of Apple TV
FX/Hulu’s Modern Landmark Series Goes Out On Top With A Rewarding, Moving, and Cathartic Final Season That Cements The Show As One of TV’s Finest Dramas
It seems that a ton of folks fell out of love with “The Bear” after its second season. And that totally doesn’t not make sense, considering the show went from its crown jewel, freaking spectacular sophomore season to a really rough slump in a third season that was good, but nowhere near the glorious heights of its predecessors. It was quite the dip in quality, as much as I adore the show.
BUT, it’s nevertheless a shame, because since that rift occurred for so many people, a ton of folks missed the rally in quality that was the show’s fourth and penultimate season. And it’s even MORE of a shame because those same folks missed what was an absolutely incredible fifth and final season. It was a season that both displayed the type of insane tension and anxiety the show became known for, as well as the mature, character-oriented drama it had worked so hard to perfect in its less popular seasons.
Because as much as folks loved (“loved” being a loose word here) the anxiety-inducing, breathtakingly intense atmosphere of the show’s earlier seasons, series creator Christopher Storer made it abundantly clear that that isn’t what the show is supposed to be about. By introducing us to the world of “The Bear,” the titular restaurant, and its harried denizens like Syd (Ayo Edibiri), Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), and Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Storer didn’t just want to put his characters through hell for entertainment’s sake – he wanted to put them through hell to show how with support, compassion, empathy, and mindfulness, even folks going through seemingly insurmountable psychological hells can come out grown and changed for the better on the other side. We’ve seen these characters change and mature in that regard one episode, one scene, one moment at a time, and all of those arcs pay off in spades in the show’s final season.
The show’s still got its token tension, though, don’t be mistaken, especially considering 7 of the season’s 8 episodes take place over a single day leading up to a do-or-die shift for the restaurant. But even Storer’s handling of this new type of format and tension is matured from the earlier seasons. Things are intense, absolutely, but it’s a controlled, almost sublime sort of chaos. And intermingled throughout it all are incredible moments for both the show’s central and expanded cast, moments that really show how far they’ve grown as people. Some of the characters and relationships are near unrecognizable relative to where the show began in the best and most positive way, and you’ll find yourself smiling and absolutely pumped the hell up at their progress and triumphs, emotions fairly foreign to “The Bear” back in the day.
It’s a remarkable season of television that is just a breath of fresh air. I don’t know if there are many shows legitimately in the history of TV that pushed the envelope more than “The Bear” did. And while that pushing lost it some viewers, it didn’t lose this viewer, and I’m happy to report it ends as maybe the best drama of the decade. If you gave up, I implore you, return to the kitchen and visit your old Bear pals again. It’s worth the journey to get to the end.
