When I was initially in talks to come aboard Respect My Region, I met with the goats Mitch and Joey to talk shop. The meetings were only scheduled to run at 30 minutes each, but because all three of us are creatures of passion, it was hard for any of us to limit the conversation to just work. We all care about what we do here at RMR and you can always feel the passion every time. Passion for the project is also a part of what makes The Bear season 2 so great.
I know I am a bit behind the curve when it comes to The Bear, it is really hard getting through this show. After the first season left a brick of anxiety in my stomach, you will have to forgive me for not wanting to reawaken that monstrosity. With that said, I needed The Bear season two more than anything and it is finally here. Let us take a look at FX’s sophomore season of The Bear. Spoilers ahead, but you already assumed that.
How We Got Started
Commercials and trailers for the first season of The Bear did not look appetizing to me at all. I do not want to see any more shows of someone walking into a super well-developed business. Start somewhere else! Luckily this was not the case and from that point on the show had a choke hold on me.
Season 2 arrived way quicker than I was hoping and all of the happiest parts of my brain re-lit back up. At the same time a brick reformed in my stomach. I love this show to death, but unfortunately it is not without my scrutiny.
Charred Ash Served Over Blackened Coals: Bad Stuff
Do not worry, this is really small. I promise there is nothing that really offends me nor is any of it actually bad. So far the only thing I have a “major” gripe with is the way a single plotline ends. Everything ended in a spot that has left me with enough salivation for more. The only two things I will find myself negatively thinking about until it is all resolved is how things ended with Carmy.
The Bear season 2 was fantastic in dealing with his relationships with Claire and Richie respectively. In the finale, I know everyone’s tensions were high and Carmy needed to scream and blame himself for something, but I did not love the way it all ended. For the most part, this series has managed to handle television cliches very well. There are always resolutions almost immediately, but if not then it is never a distraction.
Despite this scene being within the final moments of the show, I still do not enjoy stories that feature a good love story ending with a preventable miscommunication. The screaming match between Richie and Carmy was equal parts cathartic and disheartening, but my mind knows this happened before, they will make up and it will happen again.
A Plate of Ketchup: Bad Continued
Top to a little above the bottom of The Bear season 2 is utterly flawless. Since it will be some time before a possible third season, I will live with a slightly bad taste in my mouth regarding this finally sweet feeling The Bear created. With that said, it really is not the worst thing in the world for this show to rehash its own version of self-implosion on itself.
There are other ways to ruin a relationship/ dampen momentum other than overhearing the wrong thing or being in the wrong place at the right time. That is just me though. Aside from this little nitpick the only other thing I disliked this season was Ebra’s story.
I do not want to say it was a wasted opportunity for something, but he goes to classes, does not want to be there, leaves and disappears, then reappears in the finale. I was hoping for something else to come about this unless there was something I missed. Alright, that is enough negativity for now.
The Sensation of the Ghost Pepper: The Intensity
The Bear series does not have an official theme song, but to me the unofficial theme is New Noise by Refused. The second those guitar notes begin to flicker, you know someone may get hurt. There are so many layers to what makes this show so intense. Firstly and foremostly is the writing. Every episode has some kind of escalation that is already stressful enough, but is also heightened by the editing.
Every quick cut leads to a different chef screaming. Each quick shot of a dish looks nice but this season’s slogan is “Every second counts” so there’s not any time to enjoy it. As they say, “Every second counts” and boy they are not messing around. Season one was overall fat free- wasting no time, but season two threw in some slower moments that all add to the story.
On top of the pulse-pounding craziness of the cooking, there is now some added emotional tension. The budding romance between Carmen and Claire is adorable. It is sweet and nice and something desperately needed within this show. Short or small scenes with C+C Music Factory are cute. They not only allowed for moments of necessary breath in between the stress, but for both characters to grow.
Ingredients Mixing with Ingredients: Relationships
Since the first season was a nonstop anxiety attack in a greasy kitchen, The Bear season 2 creates more space to breathe. More time is spent developing and building upon relationships since the restaurant is not fully up and running.
Carmy’s relationship with Claire is cute and my frustration with where it stands now is all due to how much I like seeing them together. What can I say? I am a romantic and I like when people in shows get together. The sixth episode is a giant family affair about The Feast of the Seven Fishes. Seven Fishes is a meal celebrated by Italian Americans on Christmas Eve. Aside from the insane amounts of star power in this episode, we get to see more of Mikey, Carmy and Nat’s relationships with each other and their other family.
Seven Fishes: Relationships Continued
For the majority of the episode, nothing totally fazed me, because that is, to a degree, how my family is. Then I remembered what show I was watching and my anxiety rose. Since this episode is not directly connected to the overall story, it is a great opportunity to explore the Berzatto family and all their insanity. By the end of the episode, everything makes sense.
Vitriol, venom, and vicious attacks- both physical and verbal- shed enough light on every inch of these characters to the point that going forward it is easier to understand them.
Aside from the Berzattos, all other relationships are furthered in this season. Richie and Fak are cooler. Sydney and Tina are a great combo. Tina and Carmy are a power duo. Richie and Tina are a cute pair of coworkers. Look, I enjoy Tina as a character and think she deserves to be here.
Sydney and her dad have a relatable relationship. He wants to support her, but does not totally understand why being a chef is her life. Natalie and Fak together are the funniest pairing this season. Marcus working with Lucas was a nice breather and a cool moment of moving Marcus forward. Overall this assortment of chefs and cooks feels tighter and closer each episode and I can not say enough positive things about it.
Compliments to the Chef: Performances
The writing, relationships, and intensity would be nothing without the strength of these performances. Jeremy Allen White is simultaneously intense, cool, frustrating, and kind all wrapped into one as Carmen Berzatto. Ayo Edebiri is the perfect person to keep everyone grounded, but also has this fantastic ability to convey the stress needed when things are going horribly. Her range is too hard to pin down to just a few words. Sydney is probably the most important character in this show and Edebiri pulls it off fantastically.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach has been the only person to play Richie from the start. The same goes for everyone in their respective roles, but there is no one who can do Richie like Ebon. Going from the aggressive, but well-meaning cousin in the beginning to the future of fine dining service in one season is a hell of an arc.
The Bear Season 2 Created by Christopher Storer
Succession still remains my favorite series of all time at this moment. If showrunner Christopher Storer can give me at least two more seasons that are as crazy as this then I will easily put The Bear in that spot. There is still so much more for this show to do and so much for these characters to tell us. Season two of FX’s The Bear is a modern masterpiece of television.
You can feel in every inch of this show- in the writing, the cooking, and the character drama- there is nothing, but passion and care put into this. With the SAG-AFTRA strike currently happening, I have no problem waiting for everything to resolve the way it should. Once everything is resolved then I will be ready to hear news for a third season. The Bear is crazy awesome and I love it to bits. Season two of The Bear is a perfect 10/10. Give me more.
