These days, it’s hard to make a streaming hit, what with the competitive climate of numerous streaming services competing for your attention and countless great shows getting canned immediately- Looking at you, Paper Girls. Which is why the breakout hit of summer 2022, FX on Hulu’s The Bear, was such a breath of fresh air, not because of its revolutionary premise, but because the show grew on people through word of mouth, slowly but surely gaining traction, leading to multiple Emmy nominations.
As such, a second season was ordered, which dropped all episodes at once on June 22 of this year. While the first season was excellent and a massive hit, many wondered if a second was necessary, or if the half hour dramady would suffer the dreaded sophomore slump. And yet, The Bear season two did the unthinkable and not only topped its first season, but overdelivered with a masterpiece of television on virtually every level.
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With the first season ending with the staff of Chicago’s The Beef restaurant uncovering a boatload of cash stashed by the dearly departed owner Mikey (Jon Bernthal), his brother Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) decides to use said cash to renovate the restaurant into a fine dining “destination spot” called The Bear. If season one was a hyper caffeinated and super stressed out look at the food service industry, the first five episodes of season two is that approach applied to a renovation show, as the literal and figurative cracks in the foundation of The Beef rear their ugly head.
It’s a departure from the format of what came before, but none less riveting as the team has a ticking clock to opening the restaurant before financier and uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) locks up his investment and claims the lot. Even without the constant screaming, cursing and yelling of “Yes Chef!” the show has you hooked because we get to experience what these characters are like outside of the kitchen.
Liza Colon-Zayas’s Tina, who began as a petty saboteur of newcomer Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) breaks out of her shell and learns to respect Sydney, herself and her work, while Carmy’s sister Natalie AKA Sugar (Abby Elliott) takes an active role in the renovation while also trying to navigate pregnancy. But the best development of the show and the best arc of any character in TV history goes to “Cousin” Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who goes from a uncaring, condescending, abrasive presence to a vital cog in the machine after training at a Michelin Star restaurant and his development isn’t just fascinating to watch, it’s satisfying.
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But somehow, it just gets better and better as the season goes on. Around the halfway mark, we get the all time classic that is episode six, “Fishes,” a flashback to the most chaotic family dinner in TV history, chock full of guest stars and anxiety that makes Uncut Gems look like a children’s show. And then, we get another hallmark in episode seven, which features Richie’s aforementioned growth as a person, followed by the prelude to The Bear’s grand opening, building up a satisfying payoff, only for the episode to end the second the doors are unlocked. I honestly would’ve been happy if the season ended here because the journey was worth every second. But it keeps going.
The self titled season finale, “The Bear,” ties everything together beautifully, beginning as a long take chronicling the chaos of opening night, much like the season one highlight, “Review,” before splintering off into a rapid fire rollercoaster of brilliance as things coalesce into payoff after payoff for every character as you’re on the edge of your seat hoping, praying that these people can pull it off. Episodes six through ten are perhaps the greatest consecutive run of episode of any show; each one of those could be studied in schools for how good they are.
The Bear season two is a masterpiece on every level. Whether viewed as a whole or individually, the ride is so satisfying and enjoyable from first minute to last. Move over, The Handmaid’s Tale, there’s a new best show on Hulu.
The Bear is now streaming on Hulu.
