Entertainment

What you need to know about FX’s new drama ‘The Bear’

Michael Starr

“The Bear” offers an intriguing, character-driven look at the inner workings of a restaurant kitchen through the prism of clashing egos, and a dysfunctional family work unit that somehow brings it all together when the heat turns on. Its on.

It’s a world that feels very authentic, and there’s a good reason for that: the eight-episode FX series, streaming exclusively on Hulu. was created by Christopher Storer (“Ramy”) and renowned account Cook Matty Matheson as a co-producer (also has a small role); Storer’s sister, Courtney Storer, is a chef and serves as a culinary producer. The strong choral cast, led by jeremy allen white (Phillip “Lip” Gallagher of “Shameless”) as the temperamental lead Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, creates an ego-deflating/inflating atmosphere filled with tension, euphoria, black comedy, casual pettiness and togetherness.

Our story begins when Carmen, an award-winning, tattooed, acclaimed chef, quits her high-pressure job and toxic boss at a world-renowned, sterile New York City restaurant and returns to Chicago to take over the chaotic sandwich shop in New York City. the family after the suicide of his brother, Michael, who ran the place with his best friend, Richie Jerimovich (Ebony Moss-Bachrach).

Ebon Moss-Bacharach as Richie.  He's wearing a T-shirt that says The Original Beef of Chicagoland and yells at Carmy, who leans over and washes up something.  Richie is pointing at something off camera.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richie Jerimovich, the best friend of Carmy’s late brother Michael.
Matt Dinerstein/FX

The Original Beef of Chicagoland is a dirty, shabby, grease-stained shop, part of a local neighborhood with a steady and loyal clientele (thanks in part to its ’80s-era video games). But it is this close to financial ruin and gets by with a wing and a prayer. As the series begins, Carmen has only been there a short time and is trying, and mostly failing, to establish a semblance of order for her recalcitrant, veteran kitchen staff, which doesn’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for this conceit. would-be interloper on her island world. They remain loyal to Michael, and it doesn’t help when Carmen hires Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri)a driven young sous chef who immediately clashes with her unstable colleagues.

Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Admu  She is holding a clipboard and a pen and looking off camera.  She wears a blue apron.
Ayo Edebiri plays Sydney Admu, a no-nonsense sous chef who is hired by Carmy to run the kitchen.
Matt Dinerstein/FX

But there is more than meets the eye; Carmen’s family and friends, especially the loud, argumentative and direct Richie, resent the way she “left” the family to pursue her high-end chef ambitions; her sister, Natalia (abby eliott) — nicknamed “Sugar” — is sympathetic, but Carmen didn’t show up for Michael’s funeral and hasn’t seen her mom since he got back, so that’s it. “I’m going to fix this place up,” she tells Sugar about the sandwich shop. “No one is asking you too,” she replies. Meanwhile, he’s reaching a breaking point trying to make sense of Michael’s chaotic bookkeeping while micromanaging the staff, avoiding an offer to buy the place from his uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt), to whom Michael owes mountains of cash. , getting used to their new surroundings. and keep his eager bear at bay (and not have much luck in any of those scenarios).

The supporting cast features restaurant staff Marcus (leonel boyce), the resident baker with a talent for cake design and an eagerness to learn; Tub (Liza Colon-Zayas), who is very distrustful of Carmen and Sydney and is not ashamed to hide his disdain; and Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson), who doesn’t say much, but when he does, he makes himself understood. Matheson plays Neil Fak, the good-natured fix-it who considers himself part of the shop family. They’re the glue that keeps “The Bear” firing on all cylinders through a steady course of drama, dark comedy, deception, and redemption, and it’s a solid recipe for an enjoyable series with White, Edebiri, and Moss-Bachrach at the helm. head.

‘ celebrity.land ‘



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