The Bear, the series created by Christopher Storer and starring Jeremy Allen White, premieres its second season later this month. In a matter of days, we will once again delve into the suffocating kitchen of the Berzatto family. Since its premiere in June of last year, the production about a Chicago family restaurant has received well-deserved praise from critics and audiences alike.
With episodes of around half an hour, the FX/Hulu original fiction moves between drama and comedy to reflect the harsh realities of the restaurant business. The Bear deals, among many other things, with the world of the food industry, the tension in the kitchens, the work culture and resistance to change, human relationships, repressed anxiety, and the grieving process.
It is worth noting that few series and films have been able to reflect and describe the rigor of the gastronomic world as realistically and convincingly as The Bear. Obviously, the fiction deals with the kitchen and the cooks, but it also explores less publicized logistical aspects, such as paperwork and regulations, payroll, hygiene and safety, the work of plumbers, and inspections.
Overall, the sharp writing, cleverly paced editing, thoughtful character development and bold aesthetic were the perfect combination for FX/Hulu’s success.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5U-w1yL4r0
The American Film Institute (AFI) ranked this dramatic comedy as one of the best TV shows of 2022. It is worth noting that this production received important nominations at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, Critics Choice Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, Gotham Awards and Satellite Awards.
Actor Jeremy Allen White, meanwhile, won the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award for his role as Carmy. Critics and audiences agree that Allen’s performance was nuanced, authentic and moving.
The plot
The series chronicles the life of Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), a decorated and ascending chef, who goes from working in some of the best restaurants in the world, to taking over the small and battered The Original Beef of Chicagoland, an Italian steak establishment owned by his family.
Berzatto decides to abandon his aspirations in the world of haute cuisine due to the suicide of his older brother Michael (Jon Bernthal). In the midst of the tragedy, the young chef feels compelled to preserve the family heritage even though the sandwich shop is in the red and the employees are not cooperative with him.
In general, the show reflects the freneticism and intensity of a commercial kitchen, exalting the chaos and beauty of the culinary profession. Everything happens against the clock, the heat is pressing without hesitation and orders are overwhelming; over the course of eight episodes, stoves rattle, plates clatter, and The Original Beef of Chicagoland team feels the imperative need to do whatever it takes to keep the business afloat.
It is undeniable that the filmmakers of The Bear go to great lengths to create an immersive experience for the viewer. One can almost smell and taste what is being cooked in the restaurant. Everything feels extremely close, intense and emotional.
Carmy is a kind of “outsider” who breaks into a close-knit work community, and seeks to transform the environment and culture.
The sophisticated chef dreams of improving the sandwich shop by implementing the order and practices of haute cuisine. However, he is continually faced with overwhelming debts, an uncomfortable work environment, and high resistance to change from staff.
In this sense, Carmy’s culinary pretensions generate great tension with the employees, who are used to the more casual and less professional ways of his late brother. Michael’s essence is everywhere and this hinders the transformation Carmy wants to achieve.
While looking for alternatives to redirect the dramatic situation of The Original Beef of Chicagoland, Carmy also tries to manage the emotional wounds caused by Michael’s suicide. Although he has few clues as to what caused the tragic event, the chef tries to understand his brother’s decision and cope with the burden one step at a time.
It is worth noting that the show does not deal with grief directly. The kitchen setting is the perfect metaphor for exploring Carmy’s process; the chef struggles for the survival of the restaurant as he struggles to understand and digest his own suffering. His way of processing the loss and the trauma, is to withdraw emotionally and bury himself in the frenetic pace of the kitchen.
In reality, the cooks, servers and dishwashers at The Original Beef of Chicagoland are also mending their own grief at the loss of their boss and partner. Like Carmy, all of the employees are confident that work can help cushion the pain. The kitchen seems to be the heart of everything and everyone.
At its core, The Bear explores the sorrow and burdens of those who survive the suicide of someone close to them. The first season of this dramatic comedy comes to a satisfying end, but we are more than impatient to find out what will happen in the show’s future.
Season 2: Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto’s kitchen gets a renewal
The first season ended with Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto and his staff closing the doors of The Original Beef of Chicagoland and making the necessary plans to open a successor restaurant, called The Bear.
According to official previews, the second season will focus on the young chef’s hopeful plans for the future. And the fact is, Carmy has its sights set on an encouraging and refreshing start, in a “renaissance” of sorts.
Here’s the Season 2 synopsis:
“Carmy, Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) and Richard “Richie” Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) work to transform their grimy sandwich joint into a next-level spot. As they strip the restaurant down to its bones, the crew undertakes transformational journeys of their own, each forced to confront the past and reckon with who they want to be in the future…”
In this regard, Joanna Calo co-showrunner commented the following: Season 2 will focus on hospitality, caring for others and making the cast’s lives a little bigger. At the center, Carmy will continue to reel from the death of his brother and his own demons.
Of course, Carmy and his team will have to juggle the transition from one location to another, arrange for permits, adapt the facilities, and come up with a wonderful menu. As you can imagine, the staff will be forced to come together in new ways and navigate unthinkable challenges.
At first glance, the second installment promises the same dizzying chaos we saw in the series’ debut. This installment of The Bear is scheduled to have ten episodes.
The cast of the second season
FX has confirmed that the main cast of The Bear will be in Season 2. This means that Jeremy Allen White (Carmy), Ayo Edebiri (Sydney), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Richie), Lionel Boyce (Marcus), Liza Colón-Zayas (Tina), Edwin Lee Gibson (Ebraheim), Corey Hendrix (Gary) and Abby Elliott (Sugar) will continue to do their thing in the food industry.
New signings include Bob Odenkirk (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) and Molly Gordon (Shiva Baby), who will join the team in recurring roles. So far, no further details about their characters have been revealed.
Will there be a third season of The Bear?
Although no official announcement has been made about the show’s renewal for a third season, there are incessant rumors about it. Audiences and critics seem to agree that The Bear’s story can go beyond two installments.