The Bear: An Overview
Photo from IMDb
Jack McCord
With season 4 of FX’s Emmy-Award winning The Bear being released early this summer, and season five expected to release sometime in the summer of 2026, a review of the series is long overdue.
Following the rather simple premise of an overly qualified chef being thrown back into the chaotic workings of his home in Chicago, The Bear evokes laughter, sadness, and an overall edge-of-your-seat atmosphere. Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) is a big-city Michelin-star-worthy chef out of New York. After he learns of his brother Mikey’s (Jon Bernthal) suicide, he returns to the hectic family-run sandwich shop in Chicago. This shop, “The Original Beef,” is run by an estranged group of obscene, ill-tempered chefs and waiters itching to yell at someone.
The first few episodes alone are racked with scenes of screaming, messes, and the occasional violent outburst. It is a showcase of what it means to be a chef and restaurant owner in a frantic city. The show explores many complex topics, ideas of faith, family dynamics, and nuances of love. Along with this, the show has an interesting take on psychology. With the early introduction of a family that lost a beloved member, the show provides a unique perspective on grief. Carmy, one of the main characters, expresses the highest distress as a result of his grief. The show explores the interesting psychology of talent through his grief. It is unique in this as rather than taking a cliche perspective of Carmy being cursed with knowledge, it showcases his talents almost entirely through his awkwardness and struggles.
To include a more relatable perspective for the viewer, the show also includes someone who is unique in her talents and a new set of eyes in the hellish kitchen. Chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), a culinary school graduate and stage(intern chef) for Carmy, enters the kitchen expecting cleanliness, professionalism, and a high-functioning crew. Yet as she enters, she is just as surprised as the viewer to see the disaster that is The Original Beef. She provides an exciting addition to the kitchen, as someone who sparks hope for Carmy and the rest of the motley crew. This hope runs through the show, making for incredibly exciting highs and lows for every viewer.
From quiet creativity to panic every episode, the show stops well short of a comedy as described. Though it has its moments, be prepared to lose sleep over the existentialism built into The Bear.
Though much of the drama shows off the unique interactions of the Berzatto family, it doesn't stop at just psychology. Debatably, the most important aspect - the food. Each episode is titled by a different meal or kitchen order, giving a unique preview of what to expect. Every season, the chefs show off their skills and passions by trying to perfect a dish of their own.
If you can handle a half hour of heart-string pulling, adrenaline-filled cooking, and chaotic family dynamics, then The Bear is the show for you.
