It has endlessly confounded me why the series is called The Bear. You don’t really see why the show bears (haha) this name until, well, the end of the first season. And because of that, I kept searching for the wrong show when I wanted to continue watching it – I searched for Beef, for Cooked, for Carmy… and then I’d Google all that to remember that it was called The Bear.
But it worked. I eventually remembered the name, simply because it seemingly had nothing to do with the premise of the show (at least, for the first 7 episodes). I had to Google it. I had to find out why. This name, this seemingly unrelated name – it had captured my attention. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the first lesson that The Bear taught me about running a small business (albeit, unintentionally).
Names are important.
Synopsis
The Bear is a drama that revolves around a sandwich shop. The first season sees a new chef and owner, the brother of the recently deceased former owner, struggling to take over the business.
Creator: Christopher Storer
Showrunners: Christopher Storer and Joanna Calo
Directors: Christopher Storer, Joanna Calo, Ramy Youssef, Ayo Edebiri, and Duccio Fabbri
Writers: Christopher Storer, Catherine Schetina, Karen Joseph Adcock, Sofya Levitsky-Weltz, Alex O’Keefe, Joanna Calo, Rene Gube, Alex Russell, Kelly Galuska, Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Will Guidara, Matty Matheson, and Courtney Storer
Cast:
- Jeremy Allen White (Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto)
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Richard “Richie” Jerimovich)
- Ayo Edebiri (Sydney Adamu)
- Lionel Boyce (Marcus Brooks)
- Liza Colón-Zayas (Tina Marrero)
- Abby Elliott (Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto)
- Edwin Lee Gibson (Ebraheim)
- Matty Matheson (Neil Fak)
Running time: 20-66 minutes
Episodes: 8
Authentically depicts how a small business works
The Bear‘s central premise is that a new business owner takes over a small business (in the show, that’s The Original Beef of Chicagoland)… that has been chaotically run with atrocious administrative records. Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) is frequently seen poring over indecipherable records, trying to figure out what the previous owner (his recently deceased older brother) had been up to. Admin is a pain for all small businesses, and Carmy is right to focus on this. And since they’re a small business, every little hiccup is a disaster that threatens to end the restaurant’s run. I can already see all the business owners out there nodding their heads. Most of episodes revolve around plots to keep the business afloat, making Carmy’s struggles relatable to small business owners everywhere.
But the most important aspect of a small business isn’t the admin. It’s the people (actually, this rings true for all businesses). The show underscores the importance of every single employee in a small business. That’s a lesson that Carmy has to learn over the season, and that’s an issue that eventually leads to the season’s central conflict. It’s the people who matter in a small business. It’s the people who matter the most. And when Carmy finally learns this, finally gets this key aspect of the business – that’s when the restaurant finally emerges from the cocoon, and starts becoming what it was always meant to be. I loved how beautifully this theme was depicted and how it eventually came full circle, and it was the product of excellent writing.
Explores different storytelling techniques
The Bear isn’t experimental or indie – it’s a pretty regular show, with a good budget, cast, and writers. Understandably, given that it’s budget looks to be fairly comfortable, The Bear delivers what you’d expect from a drama (or as it is described, a comedy-drama). Yet it’s daring enough to experiment with different storytelling styles – like an episode that is shot as a single take, an episode that takes place at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, and so on. It’s this courage to try different styles, yet still manage to hew close to a regular show that meets expectations, that makes The Bear such a treat to watch.
Well-woven mysteries
While the overarching plot of the show is to keep the restaurant from going under, there are so many mysteries overt and subtle that flow through the storylines. The biggest mystery is why Carmy’s elder brother passed away – something that’s hinted, but never fully explained. What’s even more subtle is that it seems like Carmy’s elder brother was involved in something suspicious, which is paid off incredibly in the season finale. I liked how the show played each mystery against each other, such that we never saw the ending coming. Good storytelling is about keeping the audience hooked, and this is one of reasons why I kept coming back to The Bear (even though I couldn’t remember the show’s title).
The culinary world, explored and exposed
The Bear is one of those shows that assumes it has a smart audience (it does, I’m watching it). So it frequently inserts culinary jargon – just enough so that you can catch it, but not so much that the whole show becomes inaccessible. It makes audiences look up these culinary terms, and find out more about food and cooking. For me, it was both exposure and an exploration into this area, and I don’t think I would have ever had my eyes opened like that if I hadn’t watched The Bear.
Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) and Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) are intriguing characters
Besides lead character Carmy, two characters that I kept returning for were Sydney and Tina. Sydney, because she was the new kid on the block (like Carmy) who was clearly more knowledgeable, but less experienced in the ways of the restaurant world than the rest of the restaurant staff. Her evolution into becoming a trusted, competent member of the team became something that I wholeheartedly rooted for towards the end of the season. The other character, Tina, comes across as prickly (especially to newcomer Sydney), but she has so much love in her that you can’t help but empathise with Tina’s fear and concerns. They were well-written characters that rounded out the show, giving it so much depth and flavour – much like the dishes that they featured.
Should you watch it?
The Bear is a mandatory masterclass for anyone who runs a small business. Yes, it’s a fictional business and hence the consequences are fictional. But it also holds some very valuable lessons when it comes to being a small business owner, and accurately depicts the key elements for success. Beyond that, The Bear is just good storytelling with strong, compelling characters. If you’re not a small business owner, it’s solid entertainment that will keep you hooked to the season’s end (and then some).
Score: 8.1/10
The Bear is available on Disney+.
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