The culinary world is an intensely fascinating industry. It’s a career path that is filled with dozens of highs and lows. As a result, it’s no surprise that you can find culinary content focused on a huge variety of angles. From wholesome baking tutorials, educational travel shows, or intense culinary competitions the food industry is a universal language that has captured the attention of everyone at some point. With such a vast array of content to choose from, what is it about The Bear that warrants your time? Hopefully, I can articulate some of my thoughts well enough that you may give the series a watch yourself.

At its core, The Bear is a drama series produced by FX with some elements of comedy. This review will cover the first two seasons of the show, the latter of which premiered in June of this year. The series follows an Italian-American family named the Berzattos who operate a small sandwich shop in Chicago. Our protagonist Carmine, has been absent from the family business for a number of years.

Carmine has been working within the gourmet restaurant industry at some of the most prestigious spots in the world. He returns home following the tragic suicide of his brother, the owner of the family restaurant who leaves it in his care. The rest of the show follows his journey trying to salvage the business while grappling with his inner demons and strenuous interpersonal conflicts amongst employees and family members.

I think what really makes the show stand out is how well it captures the stressful atmosphere of a restaurant. The first few episodes will have you wishing you could simply reach into the screen and organize things or tell everyone to calm down for a few minutes. Ironically, however, it’s also this same atmosphere that helps the show feel more grounded and realistic. Everyone has had a stressful day at work, school, or some other place, and seeing these characters cope and react in such flawed ways is relatable even if you haven’t worked in a kitchen at some point in your life.

Each episode of the show follows a different conflict within the restaurant. Often episodes focus on one particular character or a specific relationship dynamic between two or more characters. The first season is all about developing character personalities and giving small victories that gradually improve the overall dynamics and situation of the restaurant.

Most of the character development in season one is focused on Carmine as he tries desperately to hold things together. We learn a lot about Carmine’s relationship with his brother which plays a key part in the current issues and the eventual climax of the season which is executed quite beautifully.

Season two kicks things up a notch from all angles. After a slightly rocky season premiere, the stakes are risen and our side characters take center stage. It’s here where you fall in love with the whole cast. As you learn more of the individual struggles each person faces you can’t help but root for them.

I was surprised at how well the show was able to balance individual arcs simultaneously while introducing compelling new characters. The real high point here was the mid-season finale which finally unveils the entire Berzatto family in an hour-long rollercoaster of emotions. The episode is a masterclass in foreshadowing as it brings all the core elements of season one into sharper focus. This all leads to a riveting finale that sets up big cliffhangers for the eventual third season.

While I’ve discussed a lot about plot and characterization, these aren’t the only good parts of the show. The cinematography is excellent throughout the entire series with interesting camerawork, stellar editing, and beautiful shot composition that puts the Chicago skyline to full use. I also enjoyed the symbolism employed throughout The Bear.

Though it’s not the most subtle it nonetheless helps to further push our core themes and provides some interesting visual language for the viewer. The acting is also generally fantastic with great performances from leading and supporting roles, as well as some truly standout guest stars like Jamie Lee Curtis, Will Poulter, and Bob Odenkirk who manage to leave a huge impact on the show.

One thing that I find is the biggest weakness of the show is the overall runtime. Most episodes are around thirty minutes and while I usually prefer this length, here it can cause the pacing to suffer, especially given that the seasons are only 8 to 10 episodes each. This show has a lot to say and I think an extra five to ten minutes could help to solidify a few of the character arcs or plot intricacies.

Additionally, the comedic elements of the show also can be hit or miss. There are some actors who clearly thrive comedically more than others and although rare, the script can at times misplace who should be delivering jokes. There are also a few moments where the comedy feels a tad forced, instead of naturally occurring as most of the best gags are. If you enjoy character-driven stories that will make you feel a huge spectrum of emotions then give this one a watch. Both seasons are streaming now on Hulu.

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The Bear

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• Great character arcs and devlopment
• Cinematography
• Fantastic Performances from Cast

Cons

• Comedy can be hit or miss
• Pacing can be too fast at times