The Bear season 5 has to be the show's final run – and there's a key reason why

Yesterday, on Wednesday 18 February, Jamie Lee Curtis appeared to make an announcement. While not exactly shocking, that announcement, in a post on Instagram, appeared to pretty much confirm the end of multi-award-winning comedy-drama The Bear.

Curtis, who has been a supporting player/guest star on The Bear since its second season, posted a photo of herself along with her on-screen daughter Abby Elliott, AKA Natalie 'Sugar' Berzatto

In her post, Curtis celebrated the end of filming, and wrote: "FINISHED STRONG! Surrounded by an extraordinary crew and group of writers and producers and scene partners on the show that Chris Storer created, completing the story of this extraordinary family that we have all fallen in love with. Got to finish it out with my baby Berzatto bear."

If the use of the phrase "FINISHED STRONG" wasn't hint enough that The Bear's upcoming fifth season would be its last, the suggestion that creator Chris Storer is "completing the story of this extraordinary family" surely is.

So that's it, it would seem. The Bear is shutting up shop.

Here's the thing, though – that should never have actually been in any doubt. The Bear has to end with its fifth season, something which became clear as soon as the fourth season's final episode was released.

To recap, for those who have fallen off the show's bandwagon or have forgotten what happened last season – at the end of season 4, Jeremy Allen White's Carmy announced to his friends and colleagues Syd and Richie that he would be leaving the restaurant, and signing it over to them.

It was an emotional, cathartic episode, after what had been a somewhat rocky season (or, if we're being honest, seasons).

In fact, it was somewhat unclear whether we had just witnessed the end of The Bear altogether. At that point, no fifth season had been commissioned, and the team behind the programme were remaining tight-lipped about its future.

It would have been an understated way to go out, particularly without declaring that what viewers were watching was actually a series finale, but it still would have made some sense.

Therefore, when the show's return was announced, it was a bit of a pleasant surprise, but also instantly clear that the fifth season should be its last, for one clear reason – it's the only way to honour Carmy's journey.

Jeremy Allen White's Carmy has been through a lot on The Bear, and at times has shown signs of legitimate growth, working on his own anxiety and anger and learning not to take his own personal issues out on those around him.

However, at other times the character has reverted to type and even gone backwards in his emotional journey. This is far more realistic than many picture perfect, on-screen versions of growth that we've seen before, but admittedly can be frustrating to watch when wider plot elements and character stories appear to be spinning their wheels.

One thing that can't be denied, is that Carmy's decision to leave the restaurant is seismic. Given that discussion surrounding it took place over an entire episode, it's not something that can simply be reversed in the first episode of season 5 – at least, not in a way that feels satisfying.

It appears to set up two potential versions of season 5. One of these would see Carmy genuinely finding what he's looking for outside of the restaurant business, finding a sense of purpose, tranquility and self-acceptance that he's previously been unable to find.

The other, which perhaps seems more likely, would see Carmy return to the restaurant later on in the season, but as a changed man. He would accept that he will never be perfect, but he will have found a new way to operate in the culinary world, inspired by his experiences away from it.

In both of these scenarios, its hard to see how that journey is stretched beyond one season. Character growth may be fulfilling to watch in the short term, but in the long-term it can stifle that all-important factor in dramas – conflict.

Without conflict, and considering that The Bear has never been a particularly story-heavy show, there would be very little left for The Bear to show us or to do.

One therefore feels that the team behind the programme would feel the need in further seasons to have Carmy revert to his old ways once more, meaning his whole venture out of the restaurant space would have been for naught.

For a series which has already been accused of being repetitive, this would really be fatal. The worst thing a character-led series can do is to tempt an audience with change and growth, in this case on a massive scale, only to pull the rug out from under them and return to business as usual.

All of this means that I can't personally see a satisfying version of The Bear season 5 which doesn't bring Carmy's journey to some sort of end, whatever that may be. A sixth season seems out of the question from a story perspective.

Of course, this isn't even considering the practical, real-world factors which may have led Storer to bring his series to a close. For one thing, there's the critical and fan reception, which has undeniably dipped since the show's acclaimed second season took home every award going.

The idea of continuing a series indefinitely while knowing that it will never be as popular as it once was, and some quarters of the comedy industry in particular have an out-and-out hostility to it, can hardly be appealing.

Then, there's the factor of the actor's schedules, which must be a nightmare to wrangle. The stars of Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach aren't rising anymore, they've risen, with all three of them having worked on either Marvel or Star Wars projects by now.

If The Bear's story wasn't set up in a way where an end was not only in sight, but at this point necessary to do right by the characters, one would have to imagine the series would be brought to a close anyway for a whole host of external reasons.

However, as it is, the apparent decision Curtis has alluded to in her post would be the correct one. The Bear has always been about two things, both of which are referred to in its title – Carmy himself and also the restaurant.

By separating the two of them at the end of season 4, the team has set up a really rather unpredictable next run, but one which does feel like it has to be a definitive end point.

Who knows how The Bear will be considered in years to come? After two seasons where the word acclaimed doesn't quite cover it, and another two where the tide felt like it was firmly turning, it feels as though the show's legacy rests in the hands of this fifth run.

It appears that at least one correct decision has been made at the outset – now there's just that small matter of sticking the landing.

The Bear seasons 1-4 are available to stream now on Disney+ in the UK - you can sign up to Disney+ from £5.99 a month now.

Add The Bear to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.