'The Bear' season 2

Season 1 thread.

Haven't seen it. And I don't know who Jeremy Allen White is, but for a split second I thought he was Simon Helberg, and it piqued my interest.

This is such a great show. The writing, directing and acting are fantastic. I look forward to the new season.

This is the most accurate portrayal of restaurant kitchens I've ever seen in media. Much better than Burnt or Chef (even though Chef is great.) Love this show!

I look forward to it; from the trailer, it looks like they're focusing not just on Carmie, but the other restaurant employees trying to adapt to this new environment. It also appears to feature the sister more & she was kind of annoying S1, but hopefully they'll give her more to do than just guilt trip Carmie & scream at her husband.

Abby Elliott is one of the best things about S2. I’m glad they gave her more to do.

Episode 6 is so bonkers, I thought it was going to say “Directed by Darren Aronofsky.”

The guest star casting is are a OTT, esp. by Ep. 7. I’m not sure it makes for very good casting.

Loving the season so far, but it's hard to watch this show without wanting to eat everything in the house.

I really need to start this show. I know this is a bit reductive, buuuuut.... fill in the blank...

[quote]If you like watching [SHOW], you'll really like THE BEAR.

R10, there's nothing like The Bear on television. You could binge watch S01 in about 4 hours really.

*Nothing ELSE like The Bear on television....

Episode 6. Wow! Is it too late for Jamie Lee Curtis to be nominated? What a great performance.

It was great R13. I was kind of over her after her obnoxious Oscar campaign, but she did some fantastic work in this episode.

I'm through episode 6 and agree with R7 that it's bonkers. I assume JLC will get a guess star Emmy nomination. It's a good performance and also a very "look I'm acting" performance.

Sarah Paulson and John Mulaney work as a couple in episode 6.

"Merry Christmas, guys."

"Maybe somewhere.

Lol.

I hear another recent Oscar winner (aside from JLC) appears this season too.

"It's a good performance and also a very "look I'm acting" performance."

To be clear, that wasn't a dig. Just noting that it's the type of performance that will easily get recognized and have people talking - very emotional, very physical, very high-energy. JLC is really good.

The day after completing Season 2, I had a burger from Culver's. It was quite a feat considering I'm struggling with long Covid. I thought about how happy it made me--usually I have rice or soup--and realized that I live in a different universe from the restaurant world of The Bear, particularly since I got sick. I think of all the effort, expense, misery, anxiety and perfectionism that goes into one of the those meals and wonder why anyone does it. I don't need minimum wage waitstaff listening in to my conversation so they can anticipate my needs or refill my glass. I don't need every course to be a revelation or an ironic commentary on diner fare or take-out food. If food is fresh, well-prepared and well-seasoned, I'm good.

Three tasting menu places in my city have gone under since the beginning of the year and one was around the corner from me and on a death watch for months. In truth, it never should have opened. There are all kinds of restaurants in my neighborhood but a place that charged 20 for Italian beef would have done much better than one that charged 135 for roast chicken.

I realize that I'm hardly the arbiter of fine dining but I am at a stage in my life where I can recognize people who operate on the basis of externals and impressing people. Carmie's nuttiness is absolutely connected to his fetishization of food and his need to re-enter a fine dining world that doesn't love him. Going to his brother's space was a bad idea but killing himself to go after a Michelin star is unlikely to work either. I predict that at the end of the third season he'll be back with a food truck or pop-up that serves delicious, simple food. Maybe he'll find happiness with the addition of cannabis gummies, meditation and good friends.

I thought JLC was good but the writing of her character was kind of one note.

I also think the writer, Christopher Storer, thinks he’s a really good writer of monologues and he’s not.

This is the best show on TV right now.

I miss Succession.

Season 2 was good, but now it's gone. Most of the episodes, other than ep 6, are 30-35 minutes.

Is this about how wacky and crazy chefs are?

Sort of.

The Marcus episode in Copenhagen was my favorite.

I ate at Alinea recently and really liked seeing the stand-in restaurant in episode 7.

I'm only watching this boring show for Fak.

I will say that they cast the three siblings incredibly well. Unlike, say, Succession, where you NEVER believe the three principals are siblings, on this show, I can absolutely believe Carmy, Mike and Abby Elliott are siblings.

Richie is also sexy as fuck and I don't care what anyone says about that.

Okay, in the 15 minutes since I posted R28, I have finished watching episode 6 and I now think this show is wonderful. Less cooking and more Chicago family flashbacks.

"I will say that they cast the three siblings incredibly well. Unlike, say, Succession, where you NEVER believe the three principals are siblings."

I believed it. Because it's a fictional show I could accept the built world they gave us.

[quote] I really need to start this show. I know this is a bit reductive, buuuuut.... fill in the blank...

[quote] If you like watching [SHOW], you'll really like THE BEAR.

If you like watching THE McLAUGHLIN GROUP, you'll really like THE BEAR.

[quote]I believed it. Because it's a fictional show I could accept the built world they gave us.

Right. That's why an entire profession around casting direction has never existed. That's why any two people in the world can play blood relations. Because the only thing required in order for a thing to be believable is for the script to tell us that is believable.

Idiot.

Meanwhile, here is R31 on the thread about And Just Like That:

[quote]Based on the cutaways to the various mothers of kids at schools, I have a hard time believing Charlotte was 3 on the MILF list. LTW at No. 2 I could believe.

That's a fictional show too. So why can't you "accept the built world they gave us?"

Really, idiot?

R33, R34. Idiot.

Creating a believable family is very difficult in every way. Writing, casting, acting.

That is why when a family is believable it is so striking.

Isn't Ayo Edibiri gay?

R37 Has she confirmed it?

Nope. It seems she was out three or four years ago, appearing in a queer comedy showcase but later on, a lot of her comedy was about dating loser guys. She's from a very religious home so she may not be comfortable coming out. Or maybe she's decided being gay is not a great career move. She dresses much more feminine now than she used to.

She's young and supremely talented. I wish only good things for her.

I don't really follow Award nominations, but I certainly hope this show nabs a ton of Emmy noms.

This is a fantastic show.

Jeremy Allen White does nothing for me. Talent or lookwise. He's too fucking mopey.

Richie is hot! I love how his character evolved by the end of S2.

Episode 6 was insane! It got exhausting watching it, but I couldn't stop. JLC first rate.

Sydney and Marcus are totally adorable together. I would have liked to see that relationship built out a bit more.

I'm assuming there won't be any subsequent seasons? Anyone here "in the know?"

This is a really great show…just not sure why it’s in the “comedy” category for awards.

Is Jeremy A. W. considered a sex symbol by people? Whether here or elsewhere. His jaw is very weak. His eyes are his best feature. He’s not hideous, but—

My god, that Christmas dinner episode!

I’m surprised someone here hasn’t diagnosed JLC’s character as “BPD” yet.

R45, nah -- I just diagnosed her as "Angry Italian Matriarch" which is much scarier than BPD.

R4 Are you chef at an upscale restaurant, Michelin rated or more regular. My ex is a chef.

I forgot to add so keep hearing what you are state about the show. I meant to say that first lol

I enjoyed John Mulaney in this.

I’m on the Christmas episode now, how did John Mulaney get on there?

He grew up in Chicago, now I see

They are in debt up to their ass but they can pay for the worker to study in Copenhagen and the other 2 at another cooking school?

R52, that didn’t bother me. Carmy is clearly placing value on high-quality training, as he had, and placing value on his long-time staff. I love this show and I love this season, especially the episodes and scenes focusing on these characters learning and growing.

r52 hahaha, I had the same thought!

But I did enjoy Marcus in Copenhagen and Richie at the fancy restaurant and he grew as a person/character after his stint there.

This show needs more of Tina.

R52, it was made clear only Tina was getting formal training.

The others were just favors called in. not actual formal training. It is later revealed that Carmy was close to Luca and had himself lived on the boat.

Richies week at the restaurant was a favor from Chef Terry.

So only Tina's training was being paid for.

Aren’t they also paying the salaries of their workers? A minimum wage worker like Tina needs money to live. I guess it makes some sense if staff is so hard to get. I like The Bear but S2 is somewhat far fetched.

Mulaney pings to high heaven in that part

Wow, Will Poulter was mad fucking sexy as the dessert chef in Copenhagen.

R59, agreed.

Apparently, Michelle Pfeiffer and Melanie Griffith are fans of the show and wanted to play Carmy's mother. JLC nailed it though.

It was great but Claire's euebrows drove me insane

One little nitpick -- Do Chicago Italians really call it gravy?

They call it saaaaaaaaauzaasss

R63, does that nasal tone rhyme with Fak?

Pfeiffer would’ve been very interesting as Donna, probably would’ve brought a lot more clarity to the role.

I still think they went overboard on the stunt casting. There’s a tipping point and they exceeded it with Paulson and Coleman who just didn’t seem at all part of the show. I still don’t know who “Cousin Michelle” was supposed to be but even when you leave a family behind you have to still feel a part of it; being there fascinates and repels you at the time. Maybe it was the writing.

Colman as some fairy godmother thing was just silly, especially after they used all of those real Chicago chefs in the previous episodes. I’ve worked in fine dining, top establishments in Chicago - the suggestion that goofy, flighty Olivia Colman could occupy that role is just silly. Those places are ruled with an iron fist and a person of that status would NEVER open up to a one-week intern. I’m not saying they couldn’t do it for the sake of the episode but in order for it to really work, the character had to be imposing in other ways, so you could show them really choosing to open up to Richie and also that, that part of the day was completely separate and apart from the rest of their day. They would have staff members that would actually keep someone like Richie away from them and when they were on the line, people would be pissing themselves with fear.

I didn’t mind Will Poulter but it just would’ve been so much more interesting to cast someone from Denmark. I’m not sure why they bent the circumstances to accommodate stunt casting. Especially since post-Brexit, a Londoner would never be able to have that job.

Just to follow up on Cousin Michelle, I just think a character actress would’ve really communicated a lot more given the limited screen time. Someone like Linda Emond, who had a long association with Chicago in the late ‘80s and ‘90s would’ve been perfect, without being a distraction.

I like S1, JLC in S2 is a big turn off. I didn't mind her before her Oscar campaign - she seemed earnest & was clearly putting on her best face to support her son/daughter with mental health issues, but the Oscar campaign/media blitz was so OTT. Granted, it was likely the last chance she had, but she came across as so annoying, smug and self-righteous, I can barely stand the sight of her.

Well she did a great job as the mentally ill addict mom

I'm in the minority here--I don't dislike the show but the yelling over each other--almost constantly--is so off putting and not believable. All those scenes about constructing the restaurant are over the top and annoying. I do like the quieter moments and I get that the mania/lunacy/noisiness is meant to recreate the trauma of Carmie's childhood.

They use cameos brilliantly but many of the repeat characters are cartoonish, not believable and not thoughtfully fleshed out. And, again I'm in the minority, but episode 6 Jaimie Lee Curtis performance was good in certain parts (the breakdown in the kitchen when Carmie was trying to coddle her; returning to the dining room with plastered smile; and the humiliating her daughter before leaving the house), but the early parts of the episode did not show much nuance -- it was just free form mania.

Also, I don't get the storyline on the menu planning. what type of restaurant are they trying to be? And why do they keep making test recipes that are so bad they have to spit them out?

As a Chicagoan, Italian beef is a legit big deal. Very unique to Chicago. So they get that right.

Again, I don't dislike it. There is a lot of great in it. But also can't binge it because the manic energy is too much.

Is there a name for the girlfriend's type of character? It's kind of the opposite of The Manic Pixie Dreamgirl. The Xanax PickMe Girl

The Just Add Water Girl.

I like the way they handled the guest stars. The only showy guest star was JLC and that was what the role required. Everyone else was just a quiet part that worked with the show. I think some people get hung up because they used big names, but that was minor.

Wow. What a great show. It's nice when something lives up to the hype. I watched both seasons in the past two weeks. I will say, one minor quibble, I agree with the posters who found the stunt casting this season distracting. If this show had been a more modest success in its first season and flown more under the radar, there's zero chance we would have gotten JLC, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson and John Mulaney in a single episode. All great actors (well... Mulaney is serviceable.) That episode would have been better served by having most of the roles cast with respected journeymen actors.

People are already saying Jamie Lee Curtis will get an Emmy for this next year! Shut up!

I just saw Alex Moffat who used to be on SNL

R75 - that was such a blink and you miss it role, that I have to wonder if the part was originally a little bigger and got cut down after Moffat got cast? He's on Broadway now.

Claire is nice but boring

There was something a little... CW about Claire.

I'm not sure I believed Claire was a doctor.

R78 What do you mean?

My 2nd generation Italian family from Detroit, called it "Zooga." Sauce. Never gravy. I thought the "Gravy" thing was east coast. Jersey, or NY.

That chaotic christmas episode gave me an hour long anxiety attack.

[quote] I'm assuming there won't be any subsequent seasons?

The show is a big critical hit. Don’t know about the ratings, but I would be surprised if there aren’t more episodes.

Critical AND ratings hit. With the strikes perhaps we won't see a third season before 2025, but it would be shocking if it doesn't return.

This entire thread is one shill talking to itself.

Me, too, R82. I couldn't sleep.

I was surprised it was considered a comedy, the Emmy nominations are for comedy. I would call it a drama.

wrong r85 I am about as far removed from the entertainment business as you can get and I have posted 3 times on here so there are others.

Agree, how is this a comedy? No jokes at all. succession which was hysterically funny at times was considered a drama.

Oh, I thought it was pretty funny that Carm got locked in the freezer and was stuck there....

I just watched the both seasons... it is quite chaotic but I am very glad I stuck with it . I am baffled by the comedy designation though

The Christmas episode was too much. It could have been 10 minutes shorter, a lot of them repetition.

It's Black comedy. Look it up.

I had "The Bear" chocolate cake at Loaf Lounge. Big glob of chocolate. Would have been greatly improved by coffee or liquor flavoring.

r93 - huh? What is that? Some pop-up shop promo for the show?

No, the chocolate cake popularized in the first season was developed for the show by a local chef. Their restaurant, a lunch spot, is called "Loaf Lounge." You can go there and order the cake. I did and I was disappointed.

Oh, gotcha. Thanks for being nice and explaining that, rather than calling me a cunt who doesn't know how to Google. Sorry the cake was disappointing.

Here it is for all to enjoy. Just add coffee to improve the flavor. I haven't made this but it's the same recipe sold at Loaf Lounge.

Bullshit casting. Lorraine Bracco, Marie Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Annabella sciorra, Edie Falco. All are 100x the talent of a fucking JLC, and are Italian. But JLC can plane INSANE, right enough…

*can play

R98 Annabella Sciorra would have been an amazing choice! Actually, all your choices would have been much better than Jamie Lee Curtis. I think she was fine in it but not a lot of nuance. And she's not Italian.

I was reading a book on the Godfather. It almost didn't get made because so many mob movies had bombed before it. Coppola said it was because earlier mob movies had Jews and other ethnicities playing the roles instead of Italians. So he insisted on casting almost all Italians (except for Brano and James Cahn).

Interesting r100. It really is an outstanding feat that the Sopranos cast was almost entirely Italian-American, with a few Jewish-Americans in key roles. I think it meant something

It’s probably unfair bc I think JLC is a one-note/feature actress. She can only do extremes. She’s fucking insane and nuance-/less

I was OK with JLC until the Oscar campaign. My god th e woman was obnoxious and pushy and just nasty. I can't stand her. She's one of those people who, when they walk into a room, you just want to run the other way and avoid them. She has very little talent and she is way too hammy.

R100 I can somewhat agree with the idea of casting Italians. But the other problem with mob movies was that they had no depth. The characters were stereotypes and plots were predictable. The Godfather was the story of a family. IMO one of the greatest movies ever made.

Jaimie Lee Curtis went too far. Grasping for an Emmy. Hope she doesn’t get it.

I thought Jamie Lee Curtis was phenomenal on that episode of The Bear, definitely Emmy-worthy. I didn't even recognize her and was stunned when I saw her name in the credits.

Has anyone experienced a holiday meal anything like that? Three lunatics at one table?

Who was Uncle Lee that he could come into Michael’s home and talk to him like that without getting thrown out on his ass?

R105, I didn't think she was acting. I can actually imagine her going on drunken rants in real life. Ugh.

Edie Falco would have been perfect as she somewhat resembles Carmy and the sister. We could then assume the husband was a dark haired/eyed Italian for Michael's looks. Plus she can act circles around thirsty Jamie.

I agree, R110.

I read Melanie Griffith also was interested in the part.

Was Uncle Lee sleeping with the mother?

Michelle Pfieffer was the first choice.

r113

a paywall free version

[quote][R105], I didn't think she was acting. I can actually imagine her going on drunken rants in real life. Ugh.

She’s sober and in recovery for pill addiction. I don’t think she drinks.

R114. , most of us know how to use incognito windows.

The best Italian-American show (but inclusive of many theme and characters) since the Sopranos.

SPOILER ALERT

SPOILER ALERT

Poor Carmy.

The producers and writers aren't Italian. The producer had a friend who was Italian whose father owned Mr. Beef. They're just riffing on stereotypes.

I think Eben Moss Bachrach does a credible job with a Chicago accent. Jon Bernthal can't do any accent except for the vaguely Southern DC accent he grew up with. He's compelling to watch so he gets away with it.

The show's geography is way off--South siders rooting for the Cubs. No, it's not unheard of but it is odd.

I should add that Moss Bachrach has an old school Chicago accent, which is relatively rare nowadays, just like the Brooklyn accents of 40s and 50s film are no longer characteristic of Brooklyn. But it's not inconceivable his character could have that accent. That annoying Food Network chef Jeff Mauro has a version of it.

Has anyone commented on the fact that Richie had a “White Squall” poster on his wall? Is he supposed to be secretly a fag?

Maybe he just likes extreme nautical weather stories.

R121, that would be an interesting twist. I actually thought Marcus' character was going to be gay. I'm not sure that I'm buying Marcus and Sydney as a couple.

Marcus is going after Sydney. She’s resisting. She’s more likely gay than he is

R124, well whichever one of them is gay, I'm not feelin' the romantic connection.

Richie's wife was so affectionate to him in the flashback Christmas episode, I am assuming he must have done something to fuck it up

I kept seeing Alex Moffat in the credits but I have no idea who he played, even when I was looking for him. Who did he play?

r127 he had a very small part of somebody who worked in the kitchen who was a junkie

Abby Elliott is the weakest link. Goodbye.

And doesn’t seem remotely Italian.

She did really well, the whole cast did

She’s a nepo baby who sticks out like a sore thumb.

She’s pregnant

BUMP

[quote] Richie's wife was so affectionate to him in the flashback Christmas episode, I am assuming he must have done something to fuck it up

I assume Richie being his usual (pre-Forks) self-loathing self was enough. Can you imagine living with someone that insecure? No thanks.

The episode centered on Marcus is my favorite so far. Watching the Christmas episode right now and not really feeling it.

The Christmas one is good but punishing.

R26, I just worked with Lionel, and he said that he got to eat at Noma, Copenhagen was his favorite city and wants to go back. Really lovely guy, very much a gentle bear of a man.