The Bear Season 2 Review: Created by Christopher Storer, who also directs a few of the episodes along with Joanna Calo and Ramy Youssef, this series stars Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Molly Gordon, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas, Edwin Lee Gibson, Corey Hendrix, Abby Elliot, Matty Matheson, Richard Esteras, Jose M Cervantes, Chris Witsake, Oliver Platt and Jon Bernthal, alongside other cast members. The episodes are written by Karen Joseph Adcock, Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, Alex O’Keefe, Joanna Calo, Rene Gube and Catherine Schetina. Andrew Wehde serves as the cinematographer, while Joanna Naugle and Adap Epstein work as editors.
– The Bear Season 2 Review Does Not Contain Spoilers –
The Bear was already a masterpiece from the first season, and all the second season does is build over that Sistine Chapel of a masterpiece to create something fresher than last time. Chaos ensues, whether it be the menu or the vibes. It doesn’t matter. Where to begin? Let’s break this down like the restaurant. Our characters all had their arcs last time, showing us who they are in debilitating, glaring detail.
This season was about letting go and evolving. Perhaps some of the best sequences of this show are the brilliant character developments. Especially Cousin. Moss-Bachrach does so well bringing Cousin and his story to life with the empathy this character sorely needs. There cannot be a better representation of this character than the one this actor brought forth. If there was no hope for him last season, this one shatters all those preconceptions with a jackhammer.
Christopher Storer struck gold with this series, unearthing an industry so underrepresented that it actually blows minds when we see this. However, once is luck. Mining with a precision, this single-minded focus is absolutely magnificent. Additionally, the direction, shot selection, montages, and camera movements are indelible enough to engross viewers into nearly tasting their menu (and this writer is staunchly vegetarian).
Some people who absolutely cannot be missed while heralding this show are Ayo Edebiri, Jeremy Allen White and Abby Elliot. Their performances and ping-pong relationship are the glue that holds this season together. Conflict resolution and communication are the cornerstones of their relationship, and it is thoroughly brilliant that every single interaction is a nesting doll, peeling back layers and layers off their backstories.
Writers need to get on whatever track Storer is on because every episode is a nugget in their relationship. Pulling the most innocuous details from the interactions to reference them later in the best ways possible and building a crescendo so satisfying, it is almost difficult to look at because of all the tears blurring my eyes. The rhythm, lyrical detail, music selection and a specific beat that every scene is projected on must be studied in detail. Television has two gems at the moment, and they are The Bear and Mrs Davis.
It makes sense then that people would be interested in being a part of the world, and if the cameos are any indication, They absolutely cashed in their luck. Comedic actors, actors who have been on the Emmy and Oscar lists, actors who are just amazing and brilliant at their job. If you’re thinking of someone like that from the past year, you must have at least got one of them right. Their contribution to this set’s rhythmic chaos is why the episodes they feature in give the OG energy from the first season.
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They definitely managed to tone down the chaos in this instalment of The Bear. However, it wasn’t because they weren’t able to recreate that magic, but a conscious choice that turned the tables and really gave us a little taste of why restaurant workers continue to work in that environment. This is a whole-hearted, well-introspected letter towards this branch of the service industry. If we were almost too anxious to watch the last season, this time, we would crave and savour that hustle, the energy that comes from being in the kitchen.
Every episode has managed to sink its claws deep into the viewers. It is impossible not to let it simmer for at least some time. Every character comes with its own story, which was fleshed out in such granular detail that it only comes from being a good character writer. Because even though the whole show is about the bustling and frankly terrifying kitchen of a restaurant, the centre of this story is still the heart and the characters.
The Bear Season 2 Review: Final Thoughts
I would suggest everyone watch this show for the absolute cinematic beauty that it is. There are not often times that one comes across a diamond in the rough, the one thing that manages to stay pure, away from the clutches of popular discourse. This series is not afraid of being what it is, and that includes being respectful above all. All the accolades this show gets, it definitely deserves. If this show doesn’t get enough Emmy nominations and wins, especially for Edebiri this time, it would be a travesty for the Television Academy.
Moreover, this cumulative effort has been compiled into something so well-contained and sufficient that this might just be perfectly paced and timed when it comes to the narrative structure. If anyone is looking for a recommendation this week, push this in high on your list.
The Bear is currently streaming on FX and Hulu.
What did you think of this season of the series? Let us know in the comments below.
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The series looks so much fun for a culinary skills simp like me!????
Definitely going onto my watchlist. Thank you for the recommendation and this fantastic review.????