Some US viewers are calling The Bear the year’s best drama: others, with experience working in the culinary world, have said they couldn’t “bear” to watch it. Such is the intensity of the show’s setting and themes, revealing the underbelly of a fast-moving, struggling Chicago sandwich restaurant.
The Bear currently has a perfect 100% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and heaps of glowing reviews: it’s kept building buzz despite the fact that all eight episodes of the series dropped at once for US audiences to binge. Here’s what you need to know about the show’s appeal before The Bear premieres on Disney+ this August 31.
Jeremy Allen White, who played Lip in Shameless, already attracted a bunch of new fans to the series with the thirst-trap thumbnail below. But there’s a formidable supporting cast behind him as the stressed-out new owner of his late brother’s Italian beef sandwich shop. Jon Bernthal, Joel McHale, and Molly Ringwald make cameo appearances alongside the central kitchen cast of new talent.
this screenshot did more for the bear than any advertising could pic.twitter.com/E1cj8Bsa7G
— iana murray (@ianamurray) July 3, 2022
A tangible atmosphere of grief hangs over the show, with White’s character Carmy doubting himself when his brother Michael (Bernthal) commits suicide and leaves the ailing restaurant to him in his will.
A green young chef Sydney (the hilarious Ayo Edebiri) challenges his authority; Michael’s chaotic bestie Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) causes trouble: and Odd Future rapper L-Boy’s character Marcus just wants to make chocolate cakes, goddamnit.
Here’s the US trailer for the first season of The Bear. Luckily for our inner Gordon Ramsays, a second season has already been greenlit after this one’s success.
While audiences are eagerly latching onto the high-pressure comedy and drama (even getting too into is, as per the Tweet below), some viewers with hospitality and service experience can’t stomach the show’s realism. In a Vanity Fair interview, White and Edebiri related that one of the chefs they trained with in preparation for the show had to stop watching as it hit too close to home.
“She was like, ‘just so you know, I’m taking a break from watching the episodes,’” Edebiri said “‘It’s really painful to watch. But it’s really good!’”
my wife: can you get me a glass of water
me, just watched the bear: YES CHEF ONE WATER ALL DAY
my wife: you don’t have to-
me: CORNER— Ben Rosen (@ben_rosen) July 6, 2022
The first season’s seventh episode is filmed in one long, anxiety-inducing take, showing just how quickly everything can go wrong even in a group of hard workers with the best of intentions. Watching the swearing and fumbles below, you might not believe that Carmy and co. will become a loving found family for one another to rely on.
It’s a shame The Bear isn’t available for international audiences to watch already, as the show has nothing but glowing reviews. Grappling with weighty themes of family, mental health, and how our work and passions can both build and destroy us, it’ll either make you hungry for more or a little queasy with its relatability.
