The Bear review is here and we couldn’t be more excited! That’s because The Bear is a show that not only keeps you glued to the screen—it has you reaching for pots and pans halfway through the episode. Ever go grocery shopping hungry? Sure, you start with a plan. But, before you know it you’ve got five kinds of cheese, artisanal olives, and no idea how to turn that into a dinner.

Well, I had a plan to rewatch the pilot and review it before lunch. Instead, I made it fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes before I was in my kitchen yelling “behind” and “corner” at my dogs and experimenting with pasta. (Side note: I’m also now working on teaching my dogs “corner” and “behind”).

But The Bear does more than inspire culinary creativity. It’s a masterclass in balancing comedy and drama. It’s about more than a failing restaurant; it’s about people who are trying to hold their lives together—through food, friendship, and their demons. The Bear is part love letter to the art of cooking, part behind-the-scenes chaos of fine dining, and part exploration of mental health and substance abuse.

The Overview. “Behind!”

The Bear follows Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), a world-renowned chef who inherits his brother Michael’s sandwich shop after Michael’s tragic suicide. Carmy, described by Sydney in the pilot as “the most excellent CDC in the most excellent restaurant in the United States,” walked away from fine dining to save his brother’s floundering establishment.

The show picks up two weeks into Carmy’s takeover, and things are… messy, to say the least. As Carmy tries to bring order and elevate the restaurant, the existing staff at The Original Beef isn’t exactly rolling out the welcome mat for change.

Tina, for instance, calls Carmy “Jeff” instead of “Chef,” which at first seems like a language barrier. But when Sydney speaks to her in Spanish, Tina’s unfiltered response proves she’s just fine with English—she’s just not fine with Carmy.

Ebraheim, the sandwich maker, is another holdout, resisting Carmy’s changes to the kitchen’s workflow. He’s used to a system, and like many of the staff, he’s not eager to see it change.

Marcus, the pastry chef with a quiet passion for dough, is hand-making bread because the mixer’s been broken since the day Carmy arrived—a fact he’s repeatedly (and politely) reminded Carmy about. Despite the challenges, you can sense Marcus’s yearning for more, and his storyline is one of the show’s most heartwarming arcs.

Then there’s Richie. Michael’s best friend and practically family, Richie fights every change Carmy tries to make. He’s loud, brash, and stuck in the past—projecting his fear of change onto the rest of the staff. But Carmy’s got no time for Richie’s stubbornness; he’s here to save The Beef, no matter what.

That’s where most of the drama comes from.

Real Comedy with Real Laughs. “Corner!”

The drama drives the plot and keeps you guessing what will happen next. However, the Bear’s comedy is what gives it its staying power. Some may argue the show is more of a drama than comedy but that’s because the comedy isn’t your typical one-liner laugh track accompanied humour. 

Sometimes in the show, you feel downright bad for laughing. And that’s ok. The Bear’s comedy is anything but subtle, it’s not right up front and everywhere, it’s just grounded in reality. 

In one memorable episode, Carmy is locked in the walk-in cooler for an entire shift. Inside, he spirals into a full-blown panic attack, consumed by his need for control, while the rest of the kitchen carries on business as usual. Neil tries to fix the door handle, but Carmy has no choice but to ride it out. The staff offers their support through the door, but Carmy’s unraveling too fast to hear it.

Why is this funny? First off if you’ve ever worked in a kitchen, I shouldn’t need to explain. It’s painful watching Carmy have a panic attack and spiral, but it’s funny watching everyone else. 

What we are experiencing as comedy are the moments we typically laugh about after the fact. Getting stuck in a walk-in freezer is not funny in the moment, it’s scary, stressful, and honestly yeah I’d be right there with Carmy freaking out.

But afterward, when I get home, I know we’ll laugh about this. Because it’s ridiculous. It’s so absurd this would happen you almost have to laugh otherwise it’s too much to handle.

Taking a look at another scene that is dramatic in the moment and funny later is Richie and the knife incident. Mid rant at Carmy about Carmy making changes Richie fails to hear Syd say behind and backs into her while she’s holding a knife.

And yup, he takes the pointy end right to the behind. I bet you’re already chuckling. You should. His entire demeanor changed in a second. He went from absolutely irate to realizing that some of Carmy’s changes are for a reason. Like yelling behind and corner. 

Richie is in pain, he needs medical attention, it’s not life-threatening, and it’s definitely the type of thing you go home and laugh about with your family and friends.

The humor is darker and more real, we feel ashamed at times in the moment with the characters for laughing. But it’s ok because the comedy doesn’t make fun of them, it makes fun of how insane life can be no matter what we have going on internally in our personal lives.

Why We’re Loving The Bear! “Yo Family’s Up!”

If you’re looking for something to watch, laugh, and cry with, and experience some deep personal journeys through trauma, substance abuse, mental health disorders, and running a restaurant then pull up a chair and join us.

The Bear is more than good TV, it’s more than great TV, it’s important TV. Their struggles are our struggles, their pain is our pain, and their triumphs and joys are ours as well. 

The Bear isn’t about the staff of the restaurant, the Bear is about us, for us, and made by us. We’ve all got a story, we’ve all got trauma and struggles, and it’s refreshing to sit down with good food, and good people and experience these things together. 

The Bear does a great job of reminding us that life can be both tragic and funny and that we are not alone in this world. We all have each other for better or worse and that’s the way it should be.

Alright cousin, welcome to your new home for all things the Bear, grab a plate. Family’s up and I’ll start. I’m grateful for all y’all. Now let’s make some magic!