The Bear Season Two: Every Second Counts
During the opening scenes of the sophomore season of The Bear, the ever-volatile Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) stops head chef Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) in his tracks with one, oddly reflective question; “Yo, you ever think about purpose?” “I love you, but I do not have time for this,” is his response, shortly before admitting (or fibbing) that he does in fact have time and settling into a discussion about the changes they’re all facing and Richie’s place in those plans. Picking up exactly where season one left off, we find the team behind The Original Beef of Chicagoland preparing for their new venture, The Bear - a high end restaurant with its sights set on a Michelin star - funded by the cash loan previously concealed in cans of pulped tomatoes from their walk-in.
This conversation succinctly introduces the two fundamental themes of this season; purpose and time. Where the tomato cans once made their mark, hiding in plain sight throughout the show’s first run, clocks now permeate the visuals, acting as an ever-present reminder of looming deadlines and the balancing act of life’s many commitments. The neat trick this season plays is how it expands the canvas on everyone, allowing us an insight into each character’s individual struggles with that ticking clock. Marcus (Lionel Boyce) chooses to prioritise perfecting his craft over sitting by his mother’s hospital bed; Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) and Ebra (Edwin Lee Gibson) are sent off to culinary school, with Tina electing to go full speed ahead at her new pursuit while Ebra draws out his days in protest; Natalie’s (Abby Elliot) pregnancy places a time bomb on her life while she grapples with the relationship she has with her own mother (a scene-stealing Jamie Lee-Curtis); the failures of Sydney’s (Ayo Edebiri) past haunt her as she chases
a future dream.
For Carmy, these themes manifest themselves the most when he reconnects with an old friend, Claire (Molly Gordon), a bright-eyed medical student who sees him for more than just his successes but also threatens the very fabric of what has made him great. Pair that with a flashback episode based around a Berzatto family Christmas, that twins in tone with the stand-out, one-take seventh episode of season one, it’s clear to see that Carmy has a lot on his plate to manage; to give his time to.
All these trials and tribulations, however, make way for excellent performances all round. The show is peppered with sharp yet subtle acting, as well as authentic moments that can only be conjured by a cast who are as much of a family off-screen as they are on. Matty Matheson, professional chef turned actor, effortlessly helps to keep the tone light, while Ebon Moss-Bachrach fully commits to a character arc that steals the show and leaves you itching to scream Taylor Swift's Love Story at the top of your lungs as you drive home from work.
Despite its short run-time, the show itself is generous with its minutes. Small delectable moments between two characters are savoured and montages of Chicago city life are as prominent as ever, taking the screen time needed to firmly re-establish the show in its gritty, midwestern setting. It has all the chaos and charm of season one while asking some very pertinent questions about work, relationships, generational trauma and finding your place in the world. For the music fans, the soundtrack is as electric as ever, featuring old favourites Wilco, Counting Crows, Bruce Hornsby and R.E.M, as well as finally giving us the explosive drop of Refused’s New Noise after starving us of its impact for the past year.
Given more time, I could go on and on about the intricacies of what makes this show great. Following up on season one was always going to be a hard task but Christopher Storer delivers an outstanding second course to what we hope will be a slow, indulgent feast that makes every second count. Bring on season three.
