WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for The Bear.
Summary
The critically acclaimed FX/Hulu seriesThe Bearis celebrated as one of the best modern dramedies. With several outstanding episodes and 10 Emmy Awards,The Bearis arguably one of the best series of the 21st century and could end up becoming one of the greatest television series ever made. While the series is classified as a comedy for awards consideration,The Bearseamlessly blends chaotic and harmonious momentsto make something truly unique that, at its core, is united by a sense of family, shared passion, and a love for its community.
Debuting in 2022 on Hulu,The Bearis led by Jeremy Allen White as Carmy,an acclaimed chef who takes over his deceased brother’s sandwich shop in Chicago.The Bearfeatures an exceptional ensemble of Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce, Oliver Platt, and Abby Elliott. Most notably,The Bearfearlessly tackles challenging subject matters thoughtfully and profoundly. Season 2 changes course and expands the backstories of several characters, allowing for more divergent yet artistic scenes, while season 3 continues its experimental approach and focuses more intently on supporting characters such as Tina and Neil Fak.
The Bearwas created by Christopher Storer, who is also known for his directorial and producing work onRamyand several of Bo Burnham’s comedy specials. Despite adding some new greatcameos inThe Bearseason 3, the series left some viewers disappointed by the apparent amount of “filler” content that didn’t necessarily progress the action or raise many stakes. Audiences and critics have beendivided onThe Bearseason 3, which earned a Certified Fresh critic score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes but only generated a 58% audience score, thelowest of the series by a wide margin.
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10"Tomorrow"
Season 3, Episode 1
It may not be for everyone, but “Tomorrow” takes a big risk that mostly pays off in a beautifully meaningful and revealing montage.
Easily one of the most tonally experimental episodes ofThe Bear, “Tomorrow” feels like an elaborate intro track on a highly-anticipated album. “Tomorrow” is one of the more elevated episodes of the entire series and features dozens of thoughtfully constructed flashbacks that cover all kinds of bases, including showing more of Carmy’s rise at The French Laundry and Noma and his absence from Mikey’s funeral.
“Tomorrow” is one of the most cinematic and cerebral episodes ofThe Bear, which is admittedly different from the usual frantic energy and grit that fuel many of the other episodes. Still, it’s one of the best-executed creative experiments of season 3 while also featuring the most cameos of any episode. It may not be for everyone, but “Tomorrow” takes a big risk that mostly pays off in a beautifully meaningful and revealing montage.
9"Omelette"
Season 2, Episode 9
The penultimate episode ofThe Bearseason 2 finds Carmy on the other side of great trauma and persistent stress in a rare state of vulnerability with his girlfriend Claire. Season 2, episode 9, titled “Omelette,” begins with one of the series' most compassionate opening sequences for Sydney and Carmy until a wave of panic returns to torment him. It shows that Carmy can’t leave all his anxiety behind him and it will always be there to peck at him.
Richie “wears suits now” as the entire crew prepares for the opening night of The Beef, which tosses the series right back into the frantic energy of season 1 in a much more professional setting with a full-service team of waiters and servers.“Omelette” is remembered most for the scene in which Carmy and Sydney share an intensely real momentthat suggests they were destined to meet each other.
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8"Dogs"
Season 1, Episode 4
The hilarious early episode “Dogs” provides the best evidence thatThe Bearis actually a comedy series.
The Bearseason 1, episode 4, titled “Dogs,” has one of the best comedic premises of the series and arguably the most mouthwatering opening credit sequence as well. In what feels like the first scene in anIt’s Always Sunnyepisode, Richie and Carmy are stuck trying to fit an inflatable hot dog in their car before catering a kid’s birthday party. “Dogs” certainly is the best evidence thatThe Bearis actually a comedy series as it claims itself to be.
The episode also offers an extensive look at Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt), who is only featured in two episodes ofThe Bearseason 1, and reveals Richie’s previous battle with anxiety. “Dogs” provides one of the first glimpses of the Berzatto family dynamics laced with toxic subtext and bad blood, making it one of the most compelling and hilarious episodes.
7"The Bear"
Season 2, Episode 10
The season 2 finale ofThe Beargoes for another ambitious one-take shot in the same vein as season 1, episode 7, “Review.“While not as long as the 20-minute “Review,“the first 12 minutes of “The Bear” are impressively choreographed and achieve the same dazzling effect.In what was supposed to be an extraordinary night for Carmy, he messes things up with Claire in a way that may be irrecoverable. Syndey rises to the challenge but Carmy knows he should have never put her in that position.
As the new restaurant opens for its first night, a panicked Carmy loses his cool and reverts back to his old aggressive and insulting ways of running a kitchen. Carmy hides out in the freezer only to realize that he locked himself in, meaning Sydney is forced to take over. This is a great example of howlife appears to be working against Carmy despite his tireless effortsto improve. On one of the biggest nights of his life, he is forced to cool off from the sidelines and ends up losing the one person he could confide in.
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6"Braciole”
Season 1, Episode 8
The season 1 finale ofThe Bearfeatures a poignant monologue from Jeremy Allen White that likely influenced his 2023 Golden Globe and Emmy wins. The episodedepicts some of the most intense psychological elements of Carmy’s psycheboth visually and through dialogue, resulting in Carmy’s heartfelt reflection on how influential Michael was to him and his career. It’s a standout scene of the entire series.
The Bearseason 1, episode 8 sees Carmy at one of his lowest points after the destructive episode 7 “Review,” down two of his greatest talents in Marcus and Sydney. Richie finally gives Carmy the letter he found earlier in the season with Michael’s final message to his little brother:a family recipe that points to thousands in hidden cash and words of advice,“Let it rip.“It was a relieving way to conclude an electrifying first season.
5"Napkins”
Season 3, Episode 6
“Napkins” expertly uses backstory to move the story forward while also revealing a new redemptive angle of Mikey.
“Napkins” was by far the highlight ofThe Bearseason 3. As an extended flashback episode similar in concept to “Fishes”,“Napkins” features Tina’s origin story and how she first met Mikey and started working at The Beefseveral years prior. Tina had been struggling to find a job after being let go from her corporation after 15 years of loyal service. On a whim, and on one of the worst days of her life after being told the job she had applied to was already filled, she goes into The Beef for a cup of coffee and walks out with a new career as a line cook after meeting Mikey.
“Napkins” isThe Bearat its best, combining intricate character developments through a moving backstorythat adds another lens on both Tina and Mikey, two fan-favorite characters. In a season that didn’t have as many moving and memorable moments as previous seasons, “Napkins” expertly uses backstory to move the story forward while also revealing a new redemptive angle of Mikey, whose charisma and kindness towards Tina make for an unforgettable portrait and one of the best scenes of the series.
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4"Review”
Season 1, Episode 7
“Review” is the most unhinged episode ofThe Bearby a wide margin despite also being the shortest. In another stroke of irony, the episode opens with a title sequence accompanied with a soft tune by Sufjan Stevens, making the next eighteen minutes wildly unexpected and shocking.The episode feels like a stage play, relying on precise coordination, blocking, and camera movementsto achieve the ambitious feat of the extended one-take.
It seems like another ordinary day until Richie gets under Sydney’s skin, setting off a major chain reaction that intensifies to an unprecedented head and ends with Sydney quitting and Richie bleeding. “Review” made it clear that The Bear wasn’t interested in settling and was striving for excellence in every department, from acting, directing, cinematography, and everything in between.The sheer ambition of “Review” alone makes it an all-time classic.
3"Honeydew”
Season 2, Episode 4
Compared to the chaos of “Review”, “Honeydew” feels like it’s out of an entirely different series full of refinement, sophistication, and artistically confident calm.
Compared to the chaos of “Review”, “Honeydew” feels like it’s out of an entirely different series full of refinement, sophistication, and artistically confident calm. Ironically, the episode that is most unlikeThe Bearis actually one of the greatest of the entire series. Marcus flies out to Copenhagen to learn from a highly trained pastry chef named Luca, played by Will Poulter.“Honeydew” is the gentlest and most charming episode ofThe Bearand has high rewatch value.
The episode feels like a masterclass in dessert making, with step-by-step instructions essentially being given throughout the interaction between Marcus and Luca.The episode ended up helping Marcus to grow as a characterand gave him a great moment to develop the series. It’s the most notable episode ofThe Bearseason 2 in its portrayal of cuisine as an art form, leaving Marcus incredibly inspired when he returns to Chicago with Carmy.
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2"Forks”
Season 2, Episode 7
If Richie’s low point of the series was in “Review,” then his most redemptive episode arrived inThe Bearseason 2, episode 7, titled “Forks.” Richie, who has been the most stubborn character in the series with his reluctance to change and adapt, finally finds inspiration after staging at a luxurious restaurant.Richie can finally access his own worthat the restaurant and challenge himself in a professionally constructive way,similar to how Marcus leveled up from his Copenhagen experience.
Seeing Richie’s growth is incredibly rewarding in “Forks,“especially due to the outstanding cameo of Olivia Colman, who plays a coveted yet approachable chef. In the first season ofThe Bear, Richie was often difficult, loud, combative, stubborn, and unwilling to change. His transformation throughout season 2 from asking Carmy about purpose to eventually finding one as an integral part ofThe Bearin season 3 offers the greatest character development of the acclaimed series.
1"Fishes”
Season 2, Episode 6
Despite Richie’s inspiring change of heart in “Forks,” the best episode ofThe Bearis season 2, episode 6, titled “Fishes.” The hour-long flashback episode depicts a family Christmas get-together at the Berzatto home, giving platforms for further exploration of Michael and Carmy’s mother, Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis). The episode is also star-studded with guest appearances fromBob Odenkirk, John Mulaney, and Sarah Paulson, who all play extended members of the Berzatto family.
Besides beingexceptional in character acting, script writing, and world-building, “Fishes” is the greatest episode ofThe Bearbecause it represents the creative risks that the series is willing to take to keep it innovative, captivating, and meaningful. This is a nice look at the family that forms the basis of the restaurant in the series, and it shows why Carmy often behaves the way he does when he faces stress. Even withThe Bearseason 3 shedding new light on the Berzattos and expanding their stories, “Fishes” may never be outdone.
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