Rob Reiner in The BearImage via FX
By
Erin Konrad
Published 12 minutes ago
Erin Konrad's love for everything entertainment dates back to elementary school when she became obsessed with classic Hollywood musicals. When she's not catching up on all her favorite television shows, she's advising her friends and family on what they should binge watch next.
She has her Bachelor's degree in Journalism and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Creating content for Collider gives her the opportunity to combine her writing skills with her passion for television and movies. She spends her free time trying to beat her personal record of reading 126 books in a year and cuddling with her dog, Gracie.
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Hollywood lost one of the greats this past weekend. Celebrated actor and director Rob Reiner, along with his wife, Michele, were victims of a double homicide, creating an ending for his story that no one would have wanted. Reiner, son of the legendary comedic actor Carl Reiner, burst onto the scene in the groundbreaking sitcom, All in the Family in the 1970s, and followed up his acting roles by directing some of the best films that have ever been made, including This Is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally..., Misery, and A Few Good Men. Reiner had continued to pop up in supporting roles, but one cameo this year proved that he was a worthy addition to any cast. Now his tragic death means we're losing our chance of seeing him on our screens again.
Rob Reiner Was Instantly One of the Best Parts of 'The Bear'
When The Bear returned for its fourth season, everyone knew the series would likely continue with its offering of impressive guest stars. But most people were surprised to see Reiner appear in a cameo in Episode 3. Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson) has been a stalwart figure at The Beef since Season 1, but his confidence was definitely shaken when he realized his skills weren't up to snuff in culinary school in Season 3. However, seeing that an otherwise disastrous review of The Bear praised The Beef, he becomes inspired to level up The Beef's status. He meets with a business consultant named Albert Schnur, played by Reiner. At first, we're not sure what to make of Albert: can he be a true mentor, or is he just there to swindle Ebraheim in some way?
Immediately, Ebraheim impresses Albert by providing color-coded spreadsheets and pages of data that illustrate the success behind The Beef. In Episode 5, Albert comes back with a plan of action. Ebraheim can grow the business and increase profits by making The Beef a franchise operation. In the penultimate episode, Ebraheim agrees to pitch the franchise idea to Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), and Albert will be cut in on the deal. Ebraheim now has the confidence to take a step forward because Albert showed him his potential. It's a relief to see that Albert isn't a total fraud, and it's easy to trust him because of Reiner's innate affable, charming nature.
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There are plenty of recognizable faces on 'The Bear.'
Posts By Rachel LeishmanIt's a True Shame That We Won't Get More of Rob Reiner's Character in 'The Bear'
It definitely seemed as though The Bear was setting up Albert to be a recurring character. We haven't yet seen how Ebraheim would approach his conversation with Carmy, and Albert could have been an essential part of Carmy's businesses. Of course, there's always a chance that Albert could have turned out to be a shady character in the end, but it's more likely that Reiner would have played him with a fast-talking, no-nonsense quality that could have brought increasing success to The Beef. The fact that Reiner will no longer return to play this character is a significant loss for the series, especially since it's unclear how The Bear will choose to continue with Ebraheim's storyline.
However, it's an even greater loss that we won't have Reiner's presence in the cast. Some of the guest stars over the past four seasons have almost been a distraction from the storytelling at hand (John Cena and Brie Larson come to mind). Some big-name actors draw focus away, and it can be difficult to become fully immersed in their characters. This was definitely not the case with Reiner. His steady presence, warm personality, and purposeful nature instantly made him necessary to the narrative, but also a perfect addition to The Bear cast. It's undeniable that he would have continued to be a bright light who managed to hit every single comedic beat.
The Bear will, of course, still be worth watching when it returns for its fifth season sometime in 2026. But it's likely that the series, especially Ebraheim's storyline, will now have a somber tinge that just reminds us of what could have been had Reiner's life not been cut short. Luckily, we still have a wealth of Reiner's projects to watch so that we can commemorate his immense talent forever.
Seasons 1–4 of The Bear are available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.
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The Bear
Like Follow Followed TV-MA Drama Comedy Food Release Date June 23, 2022 Network Hulu Showrunner Christopher Storer Directors Ramy Youssef Writers Catherine Schetina, Alex Russell, Karen Joseph Adcock, Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, Stacy Osei-KuffourCast
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Jeremy Allen White
Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto
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Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Richard 'Richie' Jerimovich
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The Bear
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