[Hulu] The Bear

[rittchard]

Apologies if this is being discussed elsewhere, but a quick search didn't yield anything.

A friend of mine mentioned this to me the other day and said it was the best show he'd seen all year. I was extremely skeptical but I did notice it's been getting more and more "buzz" lately. He tried to explain the premise, which didn't really help, but it's been a little slow on shows so I ended up giving it a try. I'm so glad I did because it was really an excellent show and I ended up binging the whole thing in a couple days. This is not my typical kind of show at all, but it was just really well done. If you do like kitchen/cooking shows, you'll probably like it for that. But also if you just like well written, well acted drama/comedy.

Here's the official description:

Carmy, a young fine-dining chef, comes home to Chicago to run his family sandwich shop. As he fights to transform the shop and himself, he works alongside a rough-around-the-edges crew that ultimately reveal themselves as his chosen family.

The first ep is a little hard to sit through as you are getting introduced to the characters, and the pacing is incredibly chaotic and fast (in terms of dialog). The second ep settles you in much more and it's not until the 7th that you get that really crazy energy again. BTW, that 7th episode may be one of the finest pieces of TV I've ever seen, it's one of those one-take deals and is incredibly intense. I need to rewatch it as I almost can't believe they pulled it off.

All the actors are excellent, and fans of Punisher S1 will be glad to see the goofy sidekick guy as Richie.

Spoiler:

And you'll be even happier when you see who plays Carmy's brother in flashbacks.

[Holman]

I'm surprised this thread hasn't taken off. The Bear is some truly excellent TV.

[Max Peck]

I didn't notice the thread until just now. The show is carried on Disney+ here in Canada.

[Holman]

My younger son is fascinated with cooking and kitchen culture (he has read all of Anthony Bourdain, etc).

He binged the whole series when it was first available, and he has been guiding all the rest of us (me, his mom, his grandmother) through it again.

I assume the OO Chicago crew should be all over this.

[rittchard]

Yeah honestly this was some of the best TV I’ve seen all year, maybe ever. I rarely like to recommend stuff because I know peoples’ tastes are so different, but I really think this is something worth watching. It may be a little TOO high energy/intensity I suppose, but I felt like it was just incredibly compelling.

[Smoove_B]

It's on my list, just absolutely swamped with TV. Like...I'm finally catching up to The Umbrella Academy's new season from ~4 months ago. I was specifically told to watch this show because of Episode 2. I think it's next as I've heard nothing but good things about it.

[Smoove_B]

Forgot to update that I watched the series and loved it. Excited for S2:

6/22/23

[malchior]

If you haven't watched this season, episode 6 ("The Fishes") might be the most intense, best acted episode of a show this year. My wife declared she needed to take a break after it.

[telcta]

That episode was exhausting. I cannot fathom how they edit shows like that where everyone is talking over each other. I am amazed at how well that show is put together. The episode titled “Forks” was my favorite of the season.

Bad thing about binging is it’s over so quickly. Sometimes it’s good to be forced to have episodes drop weekly.

[Smoove_B]

Is this one of the best shows no one is watching? I'm about halfway through the second season and it's so good.

Bad thing about binging is it’s over so quickly. Sometimes it’s good to be forced to have episodes drop weekly.

I agree - for whatever reason, I think I'd enjoy seeing this weekly rather than all at once. I know that's weird to say in 2023, but it's true.

[YellowKing]

I just started it a week ago but I'm only a handful of episodes in. I really like it so far though, primarily just due to the acting.

[naednek]

I just started it a week ago but I'm only a handful of episodes in. I really like it so far though, primarily just due to the acting.

would love to watch but even though it says FX, you have to have hulu. So, I guess I pass

[Smoove_B]

Yeah, I had thought it was airing on FX but apparently it's a Hulu exclusive show. The battle lines for the streaming wars have been established and they are not forgiving!

[hepcat]

I’ve started watching it on Hulu. I like that they name the correct roads to take when driving to various suburbs.

But it’s also really well written and acted.

[Smoove_B]

Good lord! Ep6 from S2 ("Fishes") is insane - insane! Between the story and the guest actors...I was on overload. I still need to finish the season, but that might have been the most important episode of the entire series.

[Smoove_B]

The episode that follows Fishes was also so damn good ("Forks"). I was wondering how they were going to come down off that intensity, and it worked.

Finished the season last night and I actually thought it was better than the first.

Regarding Hulu-only, I didn't realize The Bear was also on Disney+ at some point last year; it seems to have been pulled, but apparently will be back (?) on Disney+ at the end of July? I would hope they'd bring back S1 with S2, but in this crazy time with all the strikes and corporations doing everything they can to screw writers out of residuals, it won't surprise me if it's only S2.

That all said, I'm still not entirely sure if it's coming to the U.S. market either. These streaming wars really, really suck.

[Holman]

I just finished season 2, and I don't even know what to think. The final episode was very intense: not as much family drama as "Fishes," but definitely the highest pitch of workplace drama we've seen. Every character was given a new angle. Just very very strong stuff.

And of course it's clear that they're ending with the knowledge that they'll have at least a third season to further explore these new angles.

[coopasonic]

I didn’t find any mention of this in a search but the terms aren’t exactly unique either. My wife wanted to check this out. After a couple episodes I was ready to bail but we stuck with it and at the end of the second season I was googling for when season three is coming.

Ostensibly, it’s a show about running a restaurant in Chicago. In reality it’s a show about mental health. The language is brutal. They are constantly yelling. It’s almost always chaos. It’s also oddly beautiful.

[LawBeefaroni]

A friend of mine has a cafe in the space where the kitchen scenes of the first season were filmed. I haven't watched the show but it looks unchanged from the stills I've seen.

[Smoove_B]

Looks like they're releasing all episodes on 6/27

[$iljanus]

Season 3 has now dropped. Just saw the first episode and it was one of the most hauntingly beautiful episodes of television I’ve ever watched. Minimal dialogue but no lack of emotion. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross scored the episode and it was just quietly intense.

[Smoove_B]

Yeah, I just started last night, and that first episode is something else. Couldn't stop watching and made it through the first four in one sitting. This show is something else.

[LawBeefaroni]

They filmed some scenes of the new season at one of our hospitals. We were able to get some branding in.

I'm really getting the feeling I should watch this.

[mori]

One reviewer was not thrilled with season 3.

[Smoove_B]

If they didn't like S2 (which I can't even comprehend - it has one one the greatest episodes of TV I've ever watched), I can't imagine they were going to enjoy S3. I guess the world needs contrarians.

[EvilHomer3k]

We are on episode 3 of season 3. Absolutely loved 1 and 2. So far we are not sure we'll finish it. S301 was way to artsy for me and basically was a total filler episode that screamed film school project. Episode 2 was boring. We stopped episode 3 to watch Empire Strikes Back with the oldest. We only had 10 minutes left but felt we weren't missing anything. The first 5 minutes my wife insisted the speakers were off because there was no audio. It wasn't. Feels like the show is mirroring the pretentious artsy food they're making. Almost 3 episodes in and just not feeling it.

[Smoove_B]

I am quite surprised at the highly polarized impressions for S3. There's a super awesome surprise guest coming in in a future episode.

I have finished seven of the ten; not sure if I'll finish it tonight or tomorrow but I'm enjoying it all quite a bit.

[Smoove_B]

Yeah, finished it last night and I'm guessing if you're spiraling in the first 3 episodes, the last one is going to make you angrier.

For me, I think they're trying to evoke emotion in the viewer with the way it's being filmed/acted. For the S3 first episode, I think they were trying to transition from the insane energy that was part of the S2 finale into the new season. But then overall I think this season was about trying to have the viewer experience a bit of what Carmy is feeling - the chaos, the regret, the struggle. Yes, it's a show about a restaurant, but no, it's not really a show about a restaurant.

I enjoyed the hell out of every minute - the last 10 minutes of the season finale in particular. The entire show continues to answer (slowly) how did all this happen? How did Carmy become the person we're seeing now? It's fascinating.

[infinitelurker]

We’ve been trying to make season 3 last by limiting ourselves to an episode or 2 per night. We have 2 to go, and I agree that it has been amazing - all of the seasons have been the most engrossing TV I have ever experienced.

[Kraken]

Yeah, I had thought it was airing on FX but apparently it's a Hulu exclusive show. The battle lines for the streaming wars have been established and they are not forgiving!

Ah, that explains it. Wife said it was on FX so I searched YTTV and found season 1, and only S1. I guess we'll have to get Hulu if we want to see the rest of it.

[mori]

I have FUBO as a streaming service and I have all the episodes. I am starting from the beginning as I have only seen episodes scattered from the first two seasons and I need to piece things together.

Edit: Just checked this morning and its gone. Must of been removed the 1st of July .

[hepcat]

So is this show a comedy? It keeps winning Emmys in that category. But I’ve never thought of it as such.

[Daveman]

I thought season 1 was somewhat more comedy than drama but it's definitely shifted the other direction in season 2 and 3. It's a great show, but I wouldn't call it a comedy now either.

Seeing Jon Bernthal and Jamie Lee Curtis get emmys for guest roles in a comedy for the 7 fishes episode... yeah that's not a comedic episode.

[Smoove_B]

It's definitely a weird trick they're pulling, but they still deserve the awards. The show is so damn good - even the last season (don't listen to the nay-sayers).

[hepcat]

Oh, it’s a very well written and acted show. It deserves all the accolades it gets. But I don’t think I’ve ever laughed once at the show.

[Smoove_B]

There are...comedic moments, but it's not like Hans Moleman getting hit in the groin with a football kinda funny.

[Daveman]

it's not like Hans Moleman getting hit in the groin with a football kinda funny.

Ahem...

[hepcat]

There are...comedic moments, but it's not like Hans Moleman getting hit in the groin with a football kinda funny.

So I had taken a break from the show after finishing season 1 a few months ago. I started up season 2 last night as I figured it was time to get back to it.

And I have to say, you’re right. It does have quite a few comedic moments. I could watch Fak and Richie argue for hours. Throw in Sugar and her baby talk with Fak (which I finally realized is all about annoying Richie since he keeps trying to insult Fak every time he turns to Sugar by comparing it to calling his mom) and I laugh every time.

It’s still more dramedy but I no longer feel the comedy awards are unwarranted.

[Holman]

There are...comedic moments, but it's not like Hans Moleman getting hit in the groin with a football kinda funny.

[Homer]It works on so many levels!![/Homer]

[hepcat]

The episode that follows Fishes was also so damn good ("Forks"). I was wondering how they were going to come down off that intensity, and it worked.

Finished the season last night and I actually thought it was better than the first.

Regarding Hulu-only, I didn't realize The Bear was also on Disney+ at some point last year; it seems to have been pulled, but apparently will be back (?) on Disney+ at the end of July? I would hope they'd bring back S1 with S2, but in this crazy time with all the strikes and corporations doing everything they can to screw writers out of residuals, it won't surprise me if it's only S2.

That all said, I'm still not entirely sure if it's coming to the U.S. market either. These streaming wars really, really suck.

I’m back into this and finished season 2 last night.

For me, season 2 was all about Richie’s evolution. It was inspiring, heart warming and beautiful. It was exactly what I needed in this time and place.