Season 2 - 10 episodes (2023 June 22)
Watch The Bear Season 2 on Hulu
Created by: Christopher Storer
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce
Rating: TV-MA
Watch the trailer
Plot
A young chef from the fine dining world returns to Chicago to run his family's sandwich shop.
Verdict
The first seasons was amazing, and the second season doesn't skip a beat. This trades one set of dramas for another, but the dialog is just as sharp, the world still engrossing, and the character development fully realized. Carmy and Sydney want to open a fine dining restaurant. The obstacles are many, money is tight, and it's going to take everyone for any hope of reaching their goal. This season is an absolute delight.
Watch It.
Review
I loved season one, and couldn't wait to watch season two. The bulk of this season trades the tension of being in a kitchen with a new boss and the daily grind for the friction of completely renovating the restaurant for fine and dining under a demanding schedule. Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) have a shared vision, but right off the bat, they don't have enough money. There's never enough money and this season presents plenty of hoops to jump through en route to reopening. It's a great first episode that retools the show. This still has all the tension, but now we know the characters and they have an understanding.
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| Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri play Carmy, Sydney |
Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) has a big season. In the first episode he admits he's looking for purpose as he doesn't know where he fits in the new restaurant. He's trying to lead the renovation and since Richie can't admit he's wrong that poses problems. Later in the season he finds his purpose, and it's such a nice moment when we see him realize how he fits in to the new restaurant.
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| Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach play Carmy, Richie |
Carm and Sydney are both passionate but after different things. She wants the validation of stars, Carm just wants to create something great. While they become upset at each other, they're both passionate and realize when they go too far. Still it becomes strained as Carm meets Claire (Molly Gordon) and they connect romantically which seems to always come at the expense of the restaurant. It's clear from the beginning that's going to have repercussions as it's a distraction. He needs to be focused on the restaurant, especially leading into and during the opening.
This season does split the characters, taking them out of the cramped kitchen. Tina, Ebraheim, and Marcus all head to culinary school. While we get nice character moments, this loses the fast paced tension of the first season. The timeline to open the restaurant drives this season.
It does include a flashback episode which I don't usually like, but it provides a lot of insight for many of the Berzatto family. That episode keeps ramping up from one outburst to another.
This season is capped by the restaurant's opening night. It's a nice moment getting there in episode nine which is a bit uncharacteristic for this show. The final episode is the first night and I like how the episode delves into characters' fears while also providing a chance for others to prove how they've changed.
This is a great season, and a great second season. This strikes a nice balance between retaining the tension from the first season while also redirecting it. We've seen characters grow and get to see that continue. This is a big season for Richie, and it's a great to see him find his place. This season is the lead in to a new restaurant, and I can't imagine this show not getting a third season. I'd assume we're going to explore the tribulations of running a fine dining restaurant as well as trying to get the iconic Michelin stars.
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