This article contains major spoilers for Season 2 finale of The Bear.
Silence is a rare occurrence on the hit dramedy series The Bear. The show, set in a Chicago Italian-beef-sandwich restaurant, captivates its audience with its fast-paced, overlapping dialogue that immerses viewers into the chaotic reality of working in a kitchen. In this high-intensity environment, mistakes are made, egos clash, and bodies collide. There’s a constant need to put out fires, both literally and figuratively.
In a scene from the second episode of Season 2, which is now available for streaming on Hulu, the talented chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (played by Jeremy Allen White) teaches his sous chef, Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), a gesture to cope with the chaos. After overreacting to a failed dish they were trying to perfect, Carmy forms a fist with his right hand and draws circles over his heart. In sign language, this motion means “I’m sorry,” but in the kitchen, Carmy uses it to convey a promise to listen and do better. He explains, “Two of my old chefs used to do it. If they were angry or fighting on the line, it helped. It was their way of saying ‘Let’s talk about this later.’ It didn’t matter if they tore each other apart. It always got them through service.”
This signal reappears throughout the season as Carmy and Sydney work together to transform the Original Beef of Chicagoland into a fine-dining establishment called The Bear. This renovation leads to a drastically changed show, with a more ambitious scope. In Season 2, the ensemble cast of the FX series is divided into their own subplots. Some episodes take place in Europe or at an Alinea-like restaurant. Carmy starts dating his high-school crush, Claire (Molly Gordon), and the show features a plethora of guest stars, including Oscar winners, top comedians, and local culinary celebrities.
Moving The Bear, a critically acclaimed show that depicts life in a kitchen, beyond the confines of the restaurant is risky. However, it results in a profound reminder that a workplace is not a home and a job is not one’s entire identity. In its first season, The Bear explored the clash between tradition and modernity, as Carmy introduced a strict “brigade” system to the Beef, much to the veterans’ dismay. In Season 2, the shared goals of the staff allow the show to delve more deeply into their inner lives and raise introspective questions. Why do they continue in a job that brings them more despair than joy? What do they believe about their work and themselves? Unlike other prestige projects, The Bear goes beyond depicting bleak and toxic power struggles within a hierarchical industry. Instead, it displays empathy towards its characters and examines how they adapt, communicate, and rely on one another to create something entirely new.
For most of the team, this means stepping out of their comfort zones. Line cooks Tina and Ebraheim attend culinary school, while pastry chef Marcus shadows a former colleague of Carmy’s in Copenhagen. Richie, the crew’s “enfant terrible,” works a stage at a fancy restaurant for a week. Sydney goes on a tasting tour through Chicago to reset her palate. These scenes are filled with optimism, but The Bear also highlights the disorienting nature of the learning process. Ebraheim, for example, experiences a moment of defeat when he compares himself to his younger classmates and feels inadequate. The show suggests that the thrill of discovery doesn’t last as long as the overwhelming feeling of failure.
Doubt plagues Carmy more than any other character, and The Bear takes a major risk in season two with a flashback episode about his family. Titled “Fishes,” this hour-long installment portrays the Berzatto family gathering during Christmastime, with Carmy’s mother, Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis), running a chaotic kitchen. Despite featuring a large ensemble cast, the episode never feels excessive or indulgent. It effectively captures Donna’s fear of not being a good parent and her misguided belief that no one cares for her. “Fishes” plays a vital role in understanding Carmy’s self-destructive tendencies. He grew up in a household where love was expressed through food, and his mother’s affection often veered towards cruelty and disaster.
It’s no wonder that Carmy doubts the potential success of his relationship with Claire. Despite its idyllic appearance, with their sweet reconnection in Season 2, Carmy struggles to balance his dedication to the restaurant and his love life. By the season finale, his anxiety leads him to believe that any failure, whether personal or professional, is his own fault. Despite motivating the staff to launch The Bear, he lacks faith in himself.
Yet, the pleasure of watching The Bear lies in its refusal to excuse Carmy’s behavior. The show portrays his convictions as narrow-minded but deeply human, surrounded by characters who are on their own journeys to overcome their preconceived notions of themselves. Some characters, like Richie, evolve, while others, like Carmy’s sister Natalie, hesitate to take the next step. However, they all rely on each other for guidance, a truth that Carmy seems to understand subconsciously. During a panic attack, his mind cycles through images of Claire, his family, and Sydney arriving at the Beef in the first season, seeking to learn from him. Their refreshingly platonic relationship serves as both a source of tension and revelation, grounding the show and preventing it from becoming overly cliché or sentimental. Instead, The Bear remains a confident exploration of personal growth, treating its characters with gentle care as they mature. It’s like a fist held tightly over a heart, drawing a circle, reminding viewers that amidst chaos, clarity can ultimately be found.
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