Season two of Hulu and FX’s The Bear continues its delicious story of ambition, struggle, and trauma, while also incorporating a special ingredient: hope.
The show focuses on Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), who is tasked with taking over his deceased brother’s Chicago Italian beef shop, moving from working in the kitchens of Michelin star restaurants to a family-owned sandwich business. Through the chaos of an unconventional kitchen staff, unresolved family pain, and personal trauma, Carmy struggles to balance the weight of it all.
Season two of The Bear follows the transition of the family owned sandwich shop, The Beef, into a fine dining restaurant, and sets itself apart from its predecessor with its unique approach to world building. The show expands its breadth from season one, using flashbacks and highlighting its ensemble cast to create a much richer, fuller taste.
While White’s Carmy remains the main character, the show intentionally puts him on the backburner at times in order to feature the rest of the kitchen, such as Sous Chef Sydney ( Ayo Edebri). Throughout season two, she embarks on the turbulent journey of change alongside Carmy. While Carmy spends the season navigating his fractured personal life, Sydney is often tasked with cleaning up his mess. She deals with miscommunications and the fragile nature of her partnership all while working through her own stress and anxiety.
When the pair is apart, they are consumed by their own personal issues. But when they are together, they are electric. White and Edebri play their characters perfectly, leaning into their on-screen chemistry to create a close bond based on mutual respect and understanding. One of the most heartwarming elements of the season is their personal signal: placing a fist over their chest as an apology amidst chaos. It’s a silent acknowledgement of their bond.
An obvious standout episode would be “Fishes,” which depicts events that took place before the show began. “Fishes” is an anxiety-inducing masterpiece, managing to combine the multiple storylines and relationships within the Berzatto family to craft a chaotic Christmas dinner flashback. Guest star Jamie Lee Curtis is terrifyingly tragic as matriarch Donna, striking fear and sadness into the hearts of watchers as she tears into Natlie (Abby Elliot) at the holiday dinner table, fragilely croaking, “Do you know how much I fucking hate that you ask me that. Do you… do you ask the rest of these people if they’re okay?”
However, the most compelling performance in the season goes to Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s portrayal of Richie, aka Cousin. Richie acted as almost an antagonist to Carmy in season one, constantly clashing with his family friend’s modern, elevated standards and practices when running the business. Richie is stuck in the past, still mourning the loss of Carmy’s brother and reluctant to change.
Which is what makes episode seven “Forks” so incredible, and the best of the season (and show itself). “Forks” takes the most stubborn character and shows a completely different side to him. When Richie is sent to an upscale Chicago restaurant to practice “staging” and fine dining service, he is abrasive and clumsy as he struggles to adjust to a new setting. Yet with hard work and determination, he is able to perfect the art of serving, finding purpose and passion in the food world. The episode is a masterclass in optimism and character development, tugging at heartstrings as Richie succeeds on-screen. It’s impossible not to smile as he belts Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” on the drive home from work, a display of pure joy.
It’s these standout moments that make season two of The Bear unlike anything else on television. What could’ve been a clear-and-cut story is instead a captivating tale of joy, grief, hope, and trauma, complete with a chaotic kitchen and a broken family working together to stay afloat. And despite the stressful, anxiety-inducing nature the show is known to capture, the incredible storytelling of season two manages to instill a rare feeling in the viewers: a sense of hope.
The show has been nominated for 23 awards at the 76th Primetime Emmys, setting the record for a comedy series. The nominations include Outstanding Comedy Series, both Lead Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series, and Supporting Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series.