- Jul 1, 2023
This publication is the first of a new series within The Gazette where periodic articles will be published on Saturdays featuring a film or series recommendation.
Loglines
"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."
- Hulu (view here: Hulu)
"Season two of FX’s The Bear, the critically acclaimed original series, follows Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) and Richard “Richie” Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they work to transform their grimy sandwich joint into a next-level spot. As they strip the restaurant down to its bones, the crew undertakes transformational journeys of their own, each forced to confront the past and reckon with who they want to be in the future."
- FX (view here: FX Network)
The Maple Press Review
Enters: The Bear — a fast-paced culinary-themed limited series with a strong pulse. Viewers are quickly pulled into the high-stress environment of the restaurant world, with the help of camera work that transports intense emotions through the screen and into the bodies of the audience. The series is considered a comedy-drama, and with the element of exploring a Chicago-based family-run business, that category could not resonate more.
The chaos has a twisted appeal that leaves an insatiable craving for more after each episode. The unrest of Carmy is tangible, the ambition of Sydney is unhinged, and the unmistakable Chicagoland roots of Cousin Richie are delightfully familiar. Each character is multifaceted with robust personalities giving the show depth and truth that merits recognition. The show welcomes you as family, but it's realistically flawed and dysfunctional.
Wrapped up in the complex relationships is the food. At first, it is local food in the form of beef sandwiches and Chicago dogs which hold a reputation as the heart of the neighborhood. "Family Meal" is the stabilizing exhale that the staff and family members (and viewers) need. Then, with Carmy's prior experience as Chef de Cuisine at the world's best restaurant, dishes of fine-dining variety appear, even more exclusively in season two. This form of food and dining experience is far from familiar, specifically to The Original Beef crew, but reveals the potential and abilities of Carmy's team.
The Maple Press Rating: 10/10
Based on the quality of:
STORY
2/2 points
ACTING
2/2 points
CINEMATOGRAPHY
2/2 points
CONTENT
2/2 points
EMOTIONAL CONNECTION
2/2 points
Highlights
Expect a range of emotions through the show's journey. From stress, anxiety, and frustration to heartache, desperate hope, and anticipation. Season one's seventh installment delivers a perfectly executed entire episode take, which equates to an insane level of intensity as everything goes wrong.
Season two's seventh episode, the longest episode among all the shows seasons, surpasses insanity as it crosses over into madness to flawlessly introduce the Berzatto family. The talent cast to play these troubled family members needed to be able to deliver a complete and dynamic character development in one episode, and with Jamie Lee Curtis, Bob Odenkirk, Sara Paulson, and John Mulaney, to name a few, the tall order appeared effortless.
The finale of season two was on brand for the show's established theme of constant disaster. Leaving viewers with the triumph of many moving character transformations paired with some devastating character setbacks and a looming curiosity of whether or not all the hard work will pay off.
Seasons
Currently, The Bear is what The Maple Press considers a limited series with having only two seasons (a mini series having only one season, limited series having between two to four seasons, and a series having five or more seasons). Season two ended with the potential to be renewed for a third season, however, FX has yet to announce if that will be the case.
Season one consists of eight episodes each running between 19-30 minutes and the final episode (eight) running 46 minutes. Released all at once in June 2022.
Season two consists of ten episodes each running between 24-37 minutes, episode six as an exception for running 65 minutes, and the final episode (ten) running 39 minutes. Released all at once in June 2023.
Cast
Streaming Service
Surprisingly, the FX Productions show is exclusive to the less popular streaming service, Hulu. Given the results in USA Today's article published in May of this year, Hulu landed in sixth place for the most popular streaming services (based on the number of subscribers), behind Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, Max (previously HBO Max), and Paramount+.
Rotten Tomatoes
Remarkably enough, The Bear obtained a massive following through, what appeared to be, primarily word-of-mouth during the first season in 2022, receiving 100% from Rotten Tomatoes and a 91% audience score. While not all reviews ring true, this one certainly was. Season two certainly had more buzz of excitement as teasers and trailers ramped up the suspense. Season two received 100% from Rotten Tomatoes and a 91% audience score, matching the first season.
Common Sense Media
Each episode is rated TV-MA for language (season one, episodes four, seven, and eight, and season two, episode six are TV-MA for language and violence).
Common Sense Media recommends the show for ages 15+, with parents recommending ages 14+ based on:
POSITIVE MESSAGES
3/5 - some
POSITIVE ROLE MODELS
3/5 - some
DIVERSE REPRESENTATIONS
3/5 - some
VIOLENCE & SCARINESS
3/5 - some
SEX, ROMANCE, & NUDITY
0/5 - not present
LANGUAGE
4/5 - a lot
PRODUCTS & PURCHASING
1/5 - very little
DRINKING, DRUGS, & SMOKING
3/5 - some
"Parents need to know that The Bear is an edgy dramatic comedy series intended for older viewers. Themes center around suicide, family relationships, and grieving the loss of a former life. There's also lots of cursing and cigarette smoking. People are sometimes shown drinking, too. Occasionally Coca-Cola and other food brands are partially visible; the Apple logo is prominently shown."
- Common Sense Media
Until next time,