When The Bear first premiered in 2022, it caught the post-pandemic zeitgeist—the search for purpose in cultures broken into isolated pieces. Finding camaraderie in fine dining culture seemed an answer, and “Yes, Chef” became a friendly greeting rather than a traditional kitchen salute. The result brought 21 Emmy awards and star-making performances by its leads Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri. Four years on, the intense yet endearing drama reaches its final season, with the restaurant facing challenges to keep its Michelin star alive without Carmy (White) at the helm. At its core, the show isn’t about restaurants at all. “It’s a family story. It’s about the butterfly effect of a sibling taking his life and how the family is coping,” the producer and actor Matty Matheson told The New York Times. “I think that’s why it’s so big.” —Maggie Turner