The Bear (chef drama, not kids' show!) on Disney+

I'm halfway through this and finding it just extraordinary viewing.

The "high octane drama set in a professional kitchen" thing isn't new, but this isn't just about the kitchen... it's about the worlds beyond it for the individuals working there too. About real trauma and tragedy and stress and addiction and mental breakdown. And relationships, friendships and family... and plenty of funny stuff too.

Beautifully written and acted - some quite new faces, the lead character (a former top-class fine dining chef taking over his brother's chaotic Chicago sandwich place) played 'Lip in the US Shameless - utterly brilliant in this.

It's mentally draining and stressful to watch in places (very short episodes for a reason imo) but so worth it. Brilliant television.

kayevajo

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14452776/

If you enjoyed Boiling Point and Uncut Gems you will enojy this. 8 half hour episodes , very intense at times.

Brilliant series

Xander10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058267458/the-bear

Half way through and enjoying it. Really captured the pressure and tension of a kitchen in esp 1

Glebee

Just finished . Enjoyed and would defo watch another season. Kept thinking I was watching an episode of Shameless US with Lip running a restaurant.

siblers

It's brilliant. Episode 7 is one of the best episodes I've seen of any show ever.

JP Liz V1

Great Music

Brock Turnpike

I really enjoyed this. During the first episode I was thinking "this is far too chaotic, I won't be able to stick with this" but I gave it a chance and I'm glad I did.

It's funny as it's one of those shows that if trying to explain what it's about/the appeal of it to someone who knows nothing about it, you would probably struggle.

A definite surprise contender for show off the year for me. Lead actor reminds of a young Dustin Hoffman at times.

Yes, very like him!

thegreengoblin

I watched the first one and nearly had a panic attack! Next two episodes were great, the pace was much more manageable haha. Really promising so far. Richie is hilarious!

And I see Jon Bernthal is in it at some point. Thumbs up for that alone.

Brock Turnpike

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119907848#Comment_119907848

This is it exactly. You just need to get through the first one, and you'll end up sticking with it once you watch the slowed down pace of ep2.

JP Liz V1

Thread Merge Needed Please

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058267458/the-bear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119909569#Comment_119909569

Dammit. I thought I'd done enough of a search. Apologies!

JP Liz V1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119909574#Comment_119909574

Search is a pain on the new site format, no harm done

magic_murph

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119904784#Comment_119904784

More of a sean penn head on him. Best show I have watched in quite a while.

crushproof

Sensational show, only noticed it when I realised it's a real place I used to go in Chicago back in the day. Couldn't believe it, the place makes a dam good Italian beef sandwich!

The acting is incredible and gets better as the season goes on, episode 7 as mentioned before is fricking brilliant. Edge of my seat throughout, if you enjoyed the movie Boiling Point then you will enjoy this!

Mr.Nice Guy

Just finished this and really enjoyed it. Episode 7 was edge-of-the-seat viewing and one of the best bits of drama I've seen this year. It all came together really well in the finale too. I wasn't sure about the show at the start but I'm glad I stuck with it.

As an aside, having watched The Punisher only a few months ago, it was nice to see Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach reuniting on screen.

HalloweenJack

If episode seven is the one I'm thinking of (single take, was it? Very Sydney-focused), it is one of the best pieces of TV I've seen in years. It was gripping and breakneck speed. I asked my wife at the end if that was the entire episode cos it just flew by.

Overall, its a great show. I'd highly recommend it. Good acting, good pace, plenty of drama and outside action, not just about the kitchen. I like the characterisation so far and it really brings to life the feeling that the family are a real family.

Tazium

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119904784#Comment_119904784

Gene Wilder.

https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0000698/mediaviewer/rm3725367296/?ref_=nm_ov_ph

thegreengoblin

Finished it last night. Took my time with it, it's not a binge watch IMO.

Hugely enjoyable show. No gimmicks, just great characters, snappy and witty dialogue, and a good story to hang it all on. Looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.

JP Liz V1

Bob Odenkirk in for series 2

peteeeed

season 2 arrives on FX june 22nd

https://twitter.com/TheBearFX/status/1655618566295625729?s=20

peteeeed

https://twitter.com/DisneyPlusUK/status/1655881094237962243?s=20

https://twitter.com/DisneyPlusUK/status/1655881094237962243?s=20

was season 1 weekly?

EoinMcLovin

https://youtu.be/i5U-w1yL4r0

---

peteeeed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbJ8HbuW6tk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbJ8HbuW6tk

DrZeuss

Just finished the first season, wow that was thoroughly enjoyable. I had seen the thumbnail on D+ many times popping up on my stream but I don't know why I never gave it a watch until now.

Some very well written characters in there and mostly unknown folk to me at least (bar the Punisher links).

Roll on Season 2 now.

DrZeuss

Looks like S2 is available today on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in Canada, so avoid searches online in case of spoilers.....also damn you Disney+ Ireland 🤬

danoriordan1402

cracking season again - still recovering from that Christmas episode 😮

EoinMcLovin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120767301#Comment_120767301

Such a crazy episode, casting was on point

EoinMcLovin

Finished last episode there, such a great season with some stand up episodes like the Christmas one and the Richie centric one. This season was all about people having to up their game to cope with the change from a low level sandwich shop to a high end restaurant. Hopefully if it gets another season it's focused on the first year of The Bear and Carmy finally improving on himself. I think 3 seasons would also be perfect to get the while story out as sometimes shows go on for way too long.

nachouser

Yeah, looking forward to watching the second series. Boiling Point on Netflix is very worthwhile if you haven't watched it. Similar theme (incredibly stressful kitchen atmosphere) but compressed into about 90 mins. Stephen Graham is excellent.

markw7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120774565#Comment_120774565

Boiling Point was class, an hour and a half of ever increasing tension/pressure - my anxiety was through the roof come the end.

There's a series coming out later this year (5 episodes) you'll be happy to hear!

kayevajo

just finished season 2 , simply sensational. the acting , writing are off the scale. the soundtrack is fantastic.

episode 6 is as good an hour of tv you will ever see

Penn

Just watched episode 6. Christ...

One question though; who the f*ck was the woman sitting at the table between I think Pete and Cousin Michelle? IMDB just calls her Carol. Is she literally just there to be a Christmas Carol or who is she?

EoinMcLovin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120806317#Comment_120806317

I've a feeling she is Uncle Jimmy's wife as she is in the final episode with him

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120810321#Comment_120810321

Yeah, just binged the rest of the season so saw her again in the scene you mentioned. What really didn't help last night was I googled who was the woman and someone on Reddit said she was Uncle Jerry's wife, which just confused me even more.

Finished Season 2. Absolutely tremendous. The evolution of some of the characters in such a short space of time was a bit jarring and artistic licence used very liberally in that, but it still didn't detract from the incredible acting and story they told throughout. Episode 6 was by far a standout though. You instantly forget about the actors they brought in and just get sucked straight into the tension and stress of the entire situation, and it rarely releases its grasp on you.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120777241#Comment_120777241

Boiling Point is one of if not the only movie ever done hospitality right. Directors often misread Anthony Bourdain and think it "being like the military" is about precision and not panic and screaming obscenities.

Was also blown away by The Bear last year. It's a weird one to explain to people because the characters, setting and plot are so cliche and nothing much actually happens but it's done so so well.

Can't wait to see season 2 when it comes out 😉

markw7

It really is one of a kind. I rarely like a drama but this was done so well - pacing, dialogue and acting was perfect and fully fleshed out characters who were nuanced and complex. It could have fallen into cliched and hackneyed territory so easily.

If you like a good comedy you should check out Kitchen Confidential starring Bradley Cooper, based on and wrote by Anthony Bordain himself.

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0460654/

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120811734#Comment_120811734

It's not written by Bourdain it's just very very loosely based on the book of the same name.

I would be surprised if anyone involved spent much time working in hospitality

Jaymacc

Loved series one and just started watching series 2. Visited the location of the actual restaurant in Chicago when I was there in October and it was very authentic. No fuss or merch just a great eatery which doesn’t highlight its tv fame at all. Worth a visit if you are over that way.

markw7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120811793#Comment_120811793

Oh yeah its not in the least bit realistic, just thought it was very funny and you might enjoy it.

Hopefully the Boiling Point series follows on stylistically from the film and maintains the same crew involved.

billyhead

The only annoying thing about this show is when they keep saying cousin.

steve_r

Finished Season 2 and this is my favourite show in a long time.

Episode 6 a real standout.

I do wish this had come out week to week, I feel it would have got more buzz and attention than it does. It's an amazing show and it deserves the week-to-week attention that Succession got.

The Black Oil

Watched the very first episode, which popped off like a machine gun.

weemcd

This is the best thing I've watched since Atlanta, and Atlanta is my favourite show of the last ten years.

I was pleading with Carm to stop talking at the end when he was locked in the fridge and Claire was on the other side. My heart is completely broken for the two of them, I'm in bits now desperately wanting more.

It's a sensational cast, I just want to see them all win. Season 2 showed tremendous growth for nearly all the characters. I hope we get at least one more season, which I'm sure we will. Brilliant music used throughout, as others have also pointed out.

10/10 must see television.

breezy1985

I was a bit worried season 2 might have been a cynical cash grab like second seasons of tight short sleeper hits often are. But season 2 probably better than the first. Loved almost every minute of it. The fawning over the Michelin restaurant and silly situation with Carmie in the finale were about the only pasts I wasn't absolutely loving throughout the episodes.

Episode 6 would give a lot of us with big Irish families PTSD flashbacks.

Fitz*

spoiler tags please!

Nigel Fairservice

Season 2 has been fantastic. Episodes are short and snappy but pack a serious punch.

emo72

Neil Finn and Eddie Vedder in a big scene. Loads of Nine Inch Nails. REM, squeeze with goodbye girl! What a soundtrack. I had shazam open all the way through it. Probably loads more that I forgot, but it's a music nerds dream. Oh and the story and acting was brilliant. I did comment to the missus early on that this season seems to be a load of mtv music videos stitched together.

johnny_ultimate

Just finished season two last night and I have little hesitation in calling it the best thing I've seen on TV in years. Loved the first season but the way they expanded the scope and characters here was a stunning achievement. Wouldn't have expected The Bear of all things to become one of the most compassionate, kindest shows on television, but the way they allowed characters to grow here - Ritchie, Marcus, Tina - was such a lovely thing to witness. Episodes 4 & 7 particularly left me with a big old grin on my face throughout. The character growth wasn't always what you'd call organic (30 minute episodes mean they have to fly through major transformative moments), but it felt true and earned which is much more important.

They of course didn't compromise on what made The Bear The Bear - episode 6 obviously stands out in that respect, but the way the finale also recommitted to the messiness of the kitchen and the 'brokenness' of some of these main characters actually hit harder because the rest of the season was so committed to bringing everyone a few steps forward in their lives.

Anyway, plenty of lovely filmmaking too - beautiful use of close-ups, spectacular needle drops throughout (for all the incredible indie and alt-rock drops, that Taylor Swift one was inspired), and superb performances across the board (could list several names here, but Ayo Edebiri and Jeremy Allen White offer up two of the great lead performances of recent times). It's a season of television that just hit the ground running, and never let up. But the most impressive thing is the new ways it found to tell its stories, beyond the already exceptional template laid out in an uncommonly mature and confident first season.

lawrencesummers

This wont be popular judging by the last few posts but i think Season 2 has been shite. 4 episodes in and its somewhere between bad documentary about fancy desserts and run of the mill soap opera.

None of the tension drama or comedy of the first season, its like the writers have all changed, the lead characters who were great in S1 are on the back burner and the ones to the forefront now are simplistic and unable to carry it.

Not sure i will finish it tbh.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120905347#Comment_120905347

I'd recommend to keep going with it. The start of the season is slow enough compared to the first which just drops you in the middle of everything. This time because they're building the restaurant, things are a bit slower and less hectic at the start. But it is also about the characters growing, finding their feet and their place in everything. I remember Episode 4 and can see why it could start to put you off a bit. Even though I really enjoyed it, it was surprisingly chill and relaxed; more about prep work and design rather than a hectic service.

The show really shines in the second half of the season though. I'd say if you're still not feeling it by the end of Episode 6, then yeah the show has probably lost you.