This story contains spoilers from “The Bear” Season 5, Episode 8.
“The Bear” ended its award-winning run with Season 5, and subtly paid tribute to the late actor and guest star Rob Reiner in its finale.
Fans of the FX comedy will recall that Reiner guest starred in Season 4 as Albert Schnurr, a restaurant consultant who comes into the fold to help Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson) enhance the experience of the Beef walk-up window business. His advice proved instrumental in inspiring Ebra to pitch the idea to franchise the Beef, which became a key storyline of the final season.
Though it’s unclear if Reiner was set to reprise his role on “The Bear” prior to his death in December, his character was referenced in the final season and included a sweet tribute to the actor and filmmaker’s legacy.
“The Bear” Season 5 took place mostly in the events of a single day, as the staff of the titular restaurant prepared for and endured a particularly chaotic service — infused by a massive rainstorm that caused damage to the building, an overbooked dining room after a glitch in the reservation system and not enough food leading to smaller portions. Elsewhere, Ebra worked up the courage to pitch his idea to Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) — which included one call to Albert.
The series finale saw as Cicero (Oliver Platt) beat Ebra to the punch, telling Carmy about the franchising idea and how its profits would help finance the Bear. By the time Ebra and Carmy spoke, it became a quick yes, allowing Ebra to spring into action with his plan.
Later, we see Ebra and some other members of the team find a good location for the Beef’s second location. After that, he called Albert to share the good news. At the end of the call, Ebra says “as you wish.” That line served as a quick reference to Reiner’s film “The Princess Bride,” honoring his legacy both on the show and Hollywood.
How ‘The Bear’ Ended After 5 Seasons
Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead on Dec. 14 in a double homicide from “multiple sharp force injuries,” according to the L.A. Medical Examiner. Their 32-year-old son Nick Reiner — who has battled mental health and addiction issues in the past — was later arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances. He pleaded not guilty to the charges back in February.
Nick Reiner is set to appear in court next on Sept. 15.
“The Bear” Season 5 is now streaming on Hulu.
