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Full spoilers follow for The Bear season 5, including its finale.About Power On...Nowadays, everyone has an opinion they want to share with the world — and TechRadar senior entertainment reporter Tom Power is no different. That's why he created Power On..., aka a collection of articles that allow him to give his verdict on the industry's biggest stories, things that grind his gears, and more besides. For more pieces like this, check out the full series here.I love The Bear. It's one of my favorite TV shows of the past decade. And, while I understand the criticism leveled at its third and, to a greater extent, fourth season, I don't necessarily agree with all of it.Nevertheless, when it was announced that The Bear season 5 would be the FX TV Original's last hurrah, I'll readily admit that I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach. The reason? Other shows I've enjoyed that ended recently, including Stranger Things and The Boys — coincidentally, they also stopped after five seasons — failed to stick the landing with their finales.I feared that The Bear would go the same way. You can probably sense my relief through the screen, then, that its series finale not only delivered a fittingly bittersweet conclusion to its overarching narrative, but avoided the pitfalls that its TV peers blindly stumbled into. One of the biggest issues — among many other problems that I don't have the time nor space to cover here — that befell the hit Netflix and Prime Video shows' finales was that they didn't utilize their time well.Where The Boys season 5 was concerned, the Amazon TV series' rushed ending gave the impression that it simply couldn't wait for its end credits to roll. In sharp contrast, Stranger Things season 5's finale was dragged out to the point where I was begging for its final credits sequence to begin.Admittedly, The Bear season 5's pacing isn't perfect, but it uses its time more efficiently and wisely. Indeed, part of its success comes from how this season's plot is structured.Carmy, Syd, Jessica, and the rest of the gang are dealt blow after blow in season 5's first half (Image credit: FX Networks)Unlike past seasons, The Bear's fifth installment is 24-esque in its storytelling approach. Vis-à-vis its eighth and final chapter notwithstanding, it takes place over the course of a single day. In episodes 1 to 7, we follow the titular restaurant's ragtag but lovable crew as they navigate what could be their final-ever service, due to the eatery's lack of funds.That possible scenario ends up being the least of their problems. A massive, unrelenting thunderstorm not only floods the restaurant but also results in the next food delivery being canceled, meaning the staff can only serve what little stock they have left. Throw an overbooked guest list and storm-related traffic issues in for good measure, meaning their table turnover has to be on point, and it's no surprise that tensions and tempers are soon running at an all-time high.It ends up being smiles all around by The Bear's final-ever episode (Image credit: FX Networks)However, rather than do what past entries have done by slowly but purposefully building the pressure until things boil over, The Bear 5 deliberately shows how its eccentric — and, depending on who we're talking about, emotionally damaged — cast of characters have evolved over the five seasons.A great example of this happens midway through the penultimate episode, titled 'Caramel'. Here, the storm's impact on the restaurant's power supply makes the lights flicker and leads to Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto dropping a lamb rib-based dish for one of the evening's most important diners.Previous seasons would've seen Carmy completely spiral and take his anger out on his colleagues, which would've likely resulted in a verbal and/or physical altercation with occasionally confrontational associate — oh, and long-time family friend — Richard 'Richie' Jerimovich.I lost count of how many times I fought back tears, clapped, and fist-pumped the air in The Bear's final two episodesThis time, though, Richie and Carmy's former protégé, Sydney 'Syd' Adamu, calmly prevents him from overreacting, keeping what's already been a nightmarish day on track.That's just one of myriad instances this season I could point to that show how far these individuals, and the collective as a whole, have grown since the series first premiered on Hulu and Disney+. Compare that to Stranger Things and The Boys, whose approach to individual character development wasn't always on point, and, from a character study perspective, The Bear is — if you pardon the pun — a different beast altogether.Every character gets their moment in the spotlight this season (Image credit: FX Networks)Speaking of character progression, each member of The Bear's primary ensemble gets their moment in the spotlight, as well as a fitting conclusion to their personal arcs.And when I say everyone, I mean everyone. With Carmy's blessing and Uncle Jimmy's backing, Ebraheim finally starts to turn The Original Beef of Chicagoland into a franchise. Meanwhile, Sydney reaffirms her trust in Tina by appointing her as the restaurant's new chef de cuisine. Furthermore, Marcus starts to make peace with his estranged father and proves that his recent award win wasn't a flash in the pan. Natalie, aka 'Sugar', and the Berzatto family matriarch Donna's previously strained relationship continues on an upward trajectory. Heck, even Gary, aka 'Sweeps', gets a genuinely crowd-pleasing moment; after the storm ruins the 1997 and 1999 year labels on two bottles of red wine, he correctly guesses the right one – using his wine-based powers of deduction – to serve to a diner who happens to be a wine connoisseur.Yes, chef! Jessica and Richie are finally together (Image credit: FX Networks)The biggest wins are reserved for Carmy, Syd, and Richie, though.Richie is offered the chance to attend an international hospitality summit in Japan. He's not only accompanied by Jessica on the trip, but showrunner Christopher Storer also gives fans what they've been wanting for this pair by ending the 'will they, won't they' subplot and establishing their romantic feelings for each other.As for Syd and Carmy, Syd fully establishes herself as The Bear's new head chef, while Carmy quits the food business entirely and, putting his love and skill for drawing to good use, becomes an architectural intern.However, the biggest cause for celebration is that, almost four seasons after they first set their sights on earning a Michelin star, they don't get one, but two.You're lying if you say you didn't get teary-eyed during this scene (Image credit: FX Networks)Like so many other moments in season 5 – and after watching this duo endure hardship after hardship throughout the series – the emotional release I felt once they processed their achievements and shared a joyful hug was euphoric. It's the sign of great writing when you genuinely care about a bunch of fictional characters, and I certainly lost count of how many times I fought back tears, clapped, and fist-pumped the air in The Bear's final two episodes as its crew individually and collectively triumphed against the odds.Stranger Things 5 and The Boys 5 occasionally struck an emotional chord, and there's no denying that they have their fair share of impactful moments. Held up to the light against another tale centered on a group of underdogs fighting the impossible, though, and it's clear The Bear just does everything better in a concluding chapter whose every bite is delightfully delicious.If I had to choose a fictional, found family to be a part of... I'd choose The Bear every timeThough it ends in magical albeit bittersweet fashion, The Bear doesn't wrap up every storyline in a neat little bow, nor give every character the perfect send-off, but I suppose that's the point. As a fixture of the Chicago food scene, the eponymous eatery doesn't end simply because Carmy is no longer a part of it — its story, and the lives of those past and present who were involved in it, continue whether we have a seat at the table to see what happens next or not. As Lucca reminds Marcus towards the end of its finale: "The Bear has something that no other place has... family" — and he's right. If I had to choose a fictional found family to be a part of out of the previously mentioned shows, I'd choose The Bear every time.All five seasons of The Bear are out now on Hulu (US) and Disney+ (everywhere else), aka two of the world's best streaming services.

A new episode of "Almost History," the alternate-history podcast from All About History, explores one of the biggest "what-ifs" of the ancient world: What if Carthage had defeated Rome during the Punic Wars?The episode is hosted by Emily Staniforth, a staff writer at All About History, a sister publication of Live Science. It features historian and archaeologist Eve MacDonald, a senior lecturer in ancient history at Cardiff University in the U.K. and author of "Carthage: A New History of an Ancient Empire" (W. W. Norton & Co., 2026). Together, they examine how close Carthage came to changing the course of history and what the modern world might look like if one of Rome's greatest rivals had emerged victorious."Carthage ha[d] enormous resources, because to even be in the fight for as long as they were is extraordinary," MacDonald said in an interview. However, despite Carthage's capabilities, they were always fighting an uphill battle, she noted."I always think the Romans were probably never going to go away," MacDonald said.Tactics and turning pointsThe Punic Wars, fought between the Roman Republic and Carthage from 264 to 146 B.C., transformed the ancient Mediterranean. Although Rome ultimately prevailed and went on to build one of history's largest empires, victory was far from guaranteed. During the Second Punic War, the Carthaginian general Hannibal famously marched elephants across the Alps and inflicted devastating defeats on Roman armies, bringing the republic to the brink of collapse before Rome eventually recovered.Related stories'Landmark' elephant bone finding in Spain may be from time of Hannibal's war against Rome2,200-year-old battering ram from epic battle between Rome and Carthage found in Mediterranean'Extraordinary' Roman helmet from war-ending battle found in the sea off SicilyIn the podcast, MacDonald discusses the political and military turning points that could have tipped the balance in Carthage's favor. The conversation also explores how a Carthaginian victory might have altered trade, culture and the distribution of power across Europe and the Mediterranean, offering listeners a glimpse of an alternate version of world history."I think that's one of the things that we would appreciate more now: As much as the Greco-Roman history of the Mediterranean is part of the Western world, so too is all of Carthage, Phoenicia and Numidia" in northern Africa, MacDonald said. "But we haven't got those tales anymore for us to understand."The episode is part of "Almost History," a series inspired by All About History magazine's long-running "What If" feature. Each installment invites historians to examine pivotal moments from the past and consider how different outcomes might have reshaped history. Recent episodes have tackled questions such as What if D-Day had failed? and What if the Bolshevik Revolution had never succeeded?You can listen to "What If Carthage Won the Punic Wars?" on Acast and other major podcast platforms. W. W. Norton & Company Carthage: a New History A landmark new history of ancient Rome’s most famous rival―home of Hannibal, jewel of North Africa, and foundational power of the western Mediterranean. Can you match these historical maps to the empires that ruled them? Test your geography skills with our ancient empires quiz!