The Bear Review ~ It’s Intense! Can You Take the Heat?

Carmen Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) returns to his hometown of Chicago to run his deceased brother’s sandwich shop in The Bear. Carmen is a formally trained chef and has different ideas about how the restaurant should be managed. This causes friction with family members and employees at the restaurant. Tons of chaos ensues.

It’s intense!

It’s safe to say that The Bear is much more than I expected. It is easily one of the most intense shows I have ever watched. The cooking and restaurant scenes, especially, are chaotic, intense and just straight stressful. I literally felt anxious watching a couple of the episodes. So if you watch tv strictly to unwind this might not be the show for you.

Brilliant acting

That being said the acting is brilliant. Jeremy Allen White (Shameless) is compelling. His character goes through so much and feels so much and White does such an amazing job of making you feel everything with him. Sous chef, Sydney played by Ayo Edebiri holds her own as well. Sydney is struggling with failure and Edebiri portrays her desire to succeed with such desperation. The rest of the cast is truly great as well. So much so that several of them have entire episodes dedicated to them.

Can you take the heat?

I had no real expectations of this show. I have never worked in a restaurant. I would love to know if it is anything like this. And if so I never want to work in one. But I will be anxiously awaiting the next season of this show because it is so well written, filmed and acted. Did I mention that they make food look like art? If you can take the heat, check out The Bear!!!

Good Stuff: Jeremy Allen White, Original story

Bad Stuff: Anxiety producing at times?

Where to watch: Hulu