If fans have learnt one thing from watching The Bear, it’s that every second counts. But how do you know when the next meal you serve will be your last?
In the fifth and final season of Disney+ hit, led by Jeremy Allen White, the restaurant is clinging to hope that the doors can remain open. But food is scarce, money has run dry and there’s a raging storm that is wreaking havoc on Chicago – essentially a metaphor for the show itself, which is chaotic, loud and sweeps up the audience with ferocity.
Meanwhile, Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) is quitting the restaurant leaving Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) and Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) in charge.
Saying goodbye to The Bear
The Emmy Award-winning drama will no doubt go out on a tearful note and it seems even the cast wasn’t quite prepared heading into the finale.
Lionel Boyce, who plays pastry chef Marcus Brooks, says the closer they got to filming the final scenes, the quieter people appeared to be – the opposite of what we see on screen.
“It started with excitement and then around the halfway point, you realise this is coming to an end, so you start to get sad,” Lionel tells TV WEEK.
“Everyone gets more internal and quieter and then conversations are getting longer, there are more hugs and [people get] more sentimental.”
Matty Matheson, who serves as an executive producer and culinary advisor, as well as playing Neil Fak, describes the last scene as a never-forget moment.
“It was intense all the way up to the end,” Matty says. “There’s a lot of pride in this; there’s a lot of love in this too.
“Our last scene was at nighttime and we’re shooting Uncle Jimmy [Oliver Platt] and Computer [Brian Coppelman]. It was a little moment, you know, we all kind of came together there and it was cold out being wintertime in Chicago… it was a special moment.”
Marcus has his moment
As far as evolutions go, the character of Marcus has gone from shy beginner to an award-winning creative. But as Lionel explains, a new side of him will bring some animosity to the team when his estranged father comes back on the scene.
“I’ve loved every season for different reasons but the coolest thing about this season is that Marcus is no longer questioning or wondering if he’s capable to do what he wants to do in regards to the creative side with the food,” Lionel explains.
“He doesn’t have anything to prove. But the irony is by adding his dad into the mix, he feels he does have something to prove. There’s this chip on his shoulder.”
Serving up the stars
Working in front of and behind the camera has allowed for Matty to oversee a lot of the production. But when it comes to groundbreaking episodes, he can’t go past “Ice Chips”, from season four, which included guest star Jamie-Lee Curtis.
“When was the last time a TV show did an entire episode based on labour, you know, and a mother-daughter thing,” Matty says. “It’s beautiful thing and that episode was two takes, which is wild. Producers said they’re like, “Go ham, Jamie”, and then we kind of reeled it in for the second take. Then we got to the hospital and an hour later, we were gone. And when you see it, it’s such an incredible episode.”
Jamie is just one of many guest stars to join the show. From Bob Odenkirk to John Mulaney, Sarah Paulson and Brie Larson to John Cena and Josh Hartnett, the list was a who’s who of Hollywood.
“My brother’s John Cena!” Matty says with a laugh. “I’m not a huge wrestling fan, so, I didn’t geek out or anything, but it is a trip.
“I remember another time, we were sitting backstage and [Bob] Odenkirk and [John] Mulaney were sitting there talking about Saturday Night Live stuff and I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, he’s a comedic genius!’ But then you’re seeing him as his character who is kind of an asshole.” [laughs]
The Bear season five is available now on Disney+
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