I originally checked this show out because of everyone talking about Jeremy Allen White…and I’ll say I’m impressed. Being from Illinois, it made me happy to see the setting being in Chicago. The whole premise was also intriguing as I have always loved the world of food and restaurants. A fine-dining young chef is suddenly left in charge of his family’s sandwich shop after the untimely death of his older brother. Carmy has to deal with his own mental health while surrounded by the strong personalities of his coworkers, all while trying to keep the shop afloat. Every one of these characters were fantastic, and the actors did remarkable jobs bringing them to life. I watched season 1 and 2 back to back because I just couldn’t stop. Each episode was like an adrenaline rush over and over. Getting to see the complicated relationships and dynamics of everyone develop from running The Beef in season 1, to transforming it into The Bear in season 2 was amazing. I look forward to the next season and seeing what happens next for everyone. This show doesn’t hesitate to show that the characters can be shitty people, but I think it makes you like them more. It transforms the characters from just people on a screen to people you can actually imagine in the real world. For example, I couldn’t stand Richie in the beginning. He was honestly an asshole and felt so full of himself. But as the show continued on and we got to see more about him and the reason he acts how he does, he slowly became one of my favorite characters. It’s easy to understand how this show has been on a lot of people’s minds. From the writing, to the cinematography, and the themes…it’s truly a masterpiece.
The Bear Season 1&2
