There are those series where it immediately starts crackling when you watch them. There is an electricity in the air that whispers: something special is happening here. It’s noticeable. It’s physical. Some felt it in “The Sopranos”, others in “The Wire”, “Breaking Bad” or “Succession”. Excellence has an aura.
But never before has it degenerated into such tension as with «The Bear». On and in front of the screen. After the first episode, my brain felt like it had been put through a meat grinder, vacuumed, and then baked. It was so hectic. Cut quickly. Spoken even faster. In the blazing-fast barking staccato of kitchen communication.
Because that’s where “De Beer” plays: by the stove. In a not so small kitchen in a Chicago sandwich shop. The neighborhood isn’t particularly cosy, and in the kitchen itself there’s a double clash of cultures: the workforce is made up of Italians and African Americans on the one hand, and chefs with experience in Michelin-starred gastronomy on the other, and others who know nothing but the sandwich -Know store.
The boss is called Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), took over the shop from his late brother and hails from the clinically perfect world of super gastronomy, where the bosses are even more evil than anywhere else. By his side is young new sous-chef Sidney (Ayo Edebiri), who has to work off debt because she previously chose to be self-employed and failed.
You’re up against the old kitchen team that works by their own rules of chaos, so now it’s time to set up a new, better system to save the restaurant. There’s only one way to take victory and gain respect on this battlefield: through damn good food. Then suddenly the master confectioner wakes up in the wallflower.
The biggest punishment is taking care of the buffet at a children’s birthday party, no professional can tolerate so much banality. The biggest problems to be solved are overly enthusiastic gastronomic criticism and – see and learn from this for the coming winter! – a power failure.
Anyone who knows professional chefs, is a chef himself or has ever worked in a restaurant kitchen knows that it couldn’t be more difficult. The pressure: ultra. The pace: crazy. The air: bad. The tone: military. The risk of injury: high. Substance use: the largest of all occupational groups. Romance: below zero. Plus a lot of sexist and racist jokes.
You don’t have to have any illusions about that. “The Bear” certainly doesn’t make us. And the professional community from America to Australia is excited. Finally, she feels taken seriously and portrayed realistically. Nothing there with smart young women decorating cupcakes or young men truffles a plate of pasta to applaud. “The Bear,” it is said, is blissful in Anthony Bourdain’s mind, so dirty, so honest, so exhausting. And yet so, so, so good.
Of course, showrunner Christopher Storer made sure everything was technically correct. His sister Courtney is a professional chef and has taken the “culinary advice”, she is supported by the chef and actor Matty Matheson, and White and Edebiri had to go to the star kitchen boot camp for several weeks. It was worth it.
We sit there and are mesmerized at how much drama, sweat and tension goes into the food and the conditions of its preparation. In this act, so important to all of us, probably the most important right after birth, that’s what makes our compassion so intense.
“The Bear” is a huge drama in a small space. And is played so intensely that we think we can taste the sauces, the succulent beef filling, the buttercream in the chocolate cake, that we root for the experiments, successes and mishaps, and in episode seven, when a scene in a single, uncut, For 17 minutes, just hold your breath for 17 minutes.
Incidentally, 31-year-old White’s parents once moved to conquer Hollywood with their acting skills. They got nowhere. Her son danced ballet as a child and teen (which can be seen in Carmy’s agility), then went on to become an actor and was so bad at first that he was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award in 2014 with “Room 42”. But he did what Carmy and his crew do episode after episode, he made success by failing.
Too much success. “The Bear” should easily win the Best (Funny) Series trophy at the upcoming Golden Globes and Emmys. No, not “would”, “will”. Excellence just has that certain aura.
The Bear is now available on Disney+. Eight episodes of 20 to 47 minutes each.
Source: Blick
I am an experienced professional with a passion for writing and the news. I have been working in the news industry for several years, specializing in fashion-related content. As an author at 24 Instant News, I strive to cover stories that are both compelling and informative. My goal is to keep readers informed while also providing interesting content they can engage with.
