It begins questionably but ends beautifully
Two months before Season 5 debuted, Hulu released a bonus episode called “Gary,” set a few years before Season 1, following Richie and Mikey on an errand that devolves into an afternoon of insults and goofing around. There’s a sourness to “Gary” that doesn’t really fit with Season 5, which probably explains why it was released separately.
The final episode of “The Bear,” though, sends out the series on a sweet note. The finale answers most of the remaining big questions. Yes, the Bear will stay open. That one crazy night of service filled the coffers enough to pay the staff and buy more food. More important: Michelin awards the restaurant two stars, meaning it is likely to remain booked solid with big-spending foodies. (In a twist confirming some fan theories, the real Michelin assessor, played by Gary Janetti, ate at the Bear in Season 4.)
In other positive news, Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson) is able to sell Uncle Jimmy on the idea of franchising the beef sandwich business, which should get some more money flowing. (Ebra’s mentor Albert was played in Season 4 by the late Rob Reiner, whose absence the series marks by having Ebra quote “The Princess Bride,” saying “as you wish.”) Richie gets an opportunity to appear at a hospitality conference in Japan, to which he flies hand-in-hand with his colleague Jess (Sarah Ramos). The hard-working line cook Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) is named Syd’s chef de cuisine.
As for Carmy, he applies to be an intern at an architecture firm, though Syd lets him know he can return to work with her any time — and it’s not hard to imagine that he might, given how much he romanticizes the highs of a great restaurant service.
Rather than ending the series with his job interview, the finale closes with a birthday party for Richie’s daughter, attended by pretty much every “Bear” character (including Carmy’s love interest, Claire, played by Molly Gordon). It’s a reminder of the most touching scene in “Caramel,” when Syd walks into the dining room and is struck by how much the guests are enjoying themselves. One diner tries to pay the chef a compliment, and she replies, “It’s everyone, but thank you.” The only way to end this story wasn’t with Carmy alone but with everyone — all the “hands!”
