If you’d told me before I started watching The Bear Season 2 that I’d burst into tears at the sheer sight of a chocolate banana I would have laughed in your face. And yet, by the time the end credits rolled on Episode 10, I had indeed shed an outrageous amount of tears over the sweet treat.
As we know from the many fork mentions throughout the second season of Christopher Storer’s FX critically acclaimed dramedy, The Bear has mastered the art of the callback. But when a chocolate-covered banana shows up in the Season 2 finale, viewers may not realize its significance unless they were paying super close attention to Episode 6, “Fishes”.
The star-studded standout hour of television had a lot going on to say the least, so it’s understandable if you were too busy thinking about Jamie Lee Curtis’ Emmy-worthy performance to take note of a chocolate covered banana mention. So for anyone wondering what the significance of the chocolate covered banana in The Bear finale is, we’ve got you covered.
Towards the end of Episode 6, “Fishes”, the Berzatto family and friends finally sit down for dinner and get their small talk on while they wait for Donna (Curtis) to join them. Richie’s (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) then wife Tiffany (Gillian Jacobs) has been throwing up from her pregnancy all day, so Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) asks if she’s feeling better and she explains that all she can handle for dinner is a banana. Then he asks if she’s ever had a chocolate covered banana and takes a trip down memory lane, sharing his personal connection to the snack.
“On the drive out here we actually passed the stand my dad used to take me to get ’em. I swear to god I could smell ’em, you know? And him,” Unc said. “It’s weird, right? We remember smells. Cologne. Anyway, it’s kinda been sittin’ with me, you know? Sittin’ on my chest. All of a sudden after all these years I’m missing that fat fuck? And here you are you’re eating a banana. Anyways it’s kind of funny.”
It was a quick conversation between Jimmy and Tiff — one that Richie was technically present for but didn’t partake in. Later on in the series, however, we learn that Richie was absorbing every word of his uncle’s heartfelt story. And though it seemed like a throwaway line at the time, The Bear creatively brings back the chocolate covered banana in the finale.
In Episode 7, as Richie is training at Noma for the week, he learns all about acts of service, the importance of listening, anticipating people’s desires, and remembering special moments and details. In Episode 9, as he’s giving The Bear staff an inspirational pep talk ahead of their dress rehearsal for friends and family, he stresses the importance of reading minds, remembering everything, good listening, and having heightened sensitivity on the job.
“We’re gonna be streets ahead tonight,” he tells the staff. “Anticipation creates luxuriation.”
When their big night arrives, Richie follows his own advice, takes what he learned at Noma, and puts it into practice by having a server take a “surprise” to Uncle Jimmy’s table. The server presents Unc with dessert — a golden box on a silver platter — and he politely declines. But the server says “Mr. Jerimovich insists” and removes the box to reveal A CHOCOLATE COVERED BANANA. I’m crying just writing about it!
Taking the immensely thoughtful, layered gesture in, an emotional Jimmy says, “You, um, you tell Mr. Jerimovich thank you for me,” and I can’t stress this enough…I am SOBBING.
Aside from being a powerful callback, the scene marked a beautiful moment of growth in Richie and reassured Uncle Jimmy that he made the right investment — not only by becoming a partner of The Bear — but by believing in Richie all these years. With a single chocolate covered banana, The Bear also brilliantly emphasized the power of food and the ways in which it connects people. I don’t know about you, but I need a chocolate covered banana ASAP.
The Bear is currently streaming on Hulu.