Watch The Bear

The Bear is a comedy-drama television series that premiered on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom in 2022. The show follows Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto, a young chef who returns home to Chicago to run his family's Italian beef sandwich shop after the suicide of his brother. Despite having worked at some of the best restaurants in the world, Carmy struggles to reform the failing family business and deal with his strained relationships and grief over his brother's death.

Carmy must contend with the old-school ways of the sandwich shop's staff, including his cousin and sous chef Richie who questions Carmy's new methods. Tensions frequently run high in the small kitchen as Carmy tries to turn around the unprofitable business by instituting a fine dining ethos, much to the chagrin of Richie and the other cooks like Tina and Sydney. The crew is resistant to change, set in their ways, and frustrated by Carmy's perfectionism as he attempts to revamp the simple menu using high-quality ingredients.

Outside of work, Carmy tries to look after his niece Tina who works at the shop, keep his sister Sugar away from the business, and avoid the influence of his calculating uncle Jimmy who owns the building. Carmy is haunted by memories of his brother's suicide and struggles with outbursts of anger as well as the pressures of saving the family establishment.

The show is fast-paced with a documentary feel, capturing the constant chaos and tension of a small restaurant kitchen. Intense scenes of the staff preparing food are juxtaposed by tender moments outside the shop as Carmy reconnects with family. With its mix of comedy derived from the goings-on in the kitchen and tragedy stemming from Carmy's backstory, The Bear explores themes of grief, family dysfunction, and the challenges of balancing tradition with necessary change.