In The Bear season 2, Carmy and the chefs face several obstacles while trying to open their restaurant called The Bear. The second season is now streaming on Hulu.
Story
Carmy and his colleagues are now looking forward to completely revamping The Beef and turning it into The Bear. However, the money they discovered in the tomato cans is not enough, and they can’t work on The Bear until their debts for The Beef are cleared.
To solve this problem, Carmy seeks more money and an investor. He approaches none other than Uncle Jimmy himself. They already have Uncle Jimmy’s money from tomato cans, and now they want an additional $500,000 from him.
Carmy puts forth a bold proposal to convince Uncle Jimmy. If they fail to return his money by the end of the next 18 months, Uncle Jimmy can have the lot where the restaurant is.
Time is running out. Carmy and the chefs at The Bear not only have to open a restaurant but also make it successful within a few months. Keeping that in mind, each and every member of the team will have to upgrade their skills and contribute to The Bear at a time when most restaurants are shutting down.
Performances
Jeremy Allen White, as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, for the most part of the second season stands out as a responsible leader, along with Abby Elliott, who plays Sugar, and Ayo Edebiri, who plays Sydney.
Carmy faces his demons close to the finale, and it’s only then that White shows the conflicting feelings of Carmy to the best of his abilities.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richie shows the most character development in the second season. There is a striking difference between the Richie viewers will see at the start of the second season and at the end.
Moss-Bachrach goes from showing a lost Richie, who is looking for a purpose, to someone who is using his talents to the best. Molly Gordon as Claire is a charming addition to the second season. With her, the viewers see White portraying a different side of Carmy.
The second season also comes packed with several big stars making guest appearances and leaving a mark on the show.
Positives
The Bear season 2 is still grounded in reality, and it hardly feels like a comedy-drama. No unnecessary drama or twists are entertained in the show. The way events unfold, it almost feels like a dive into a day at a restaurant or into the life of a person.
The show pushes this thought further by giving episodes dedicated to different characters. The chaos is highly missed. However, a viewer gets to know characters like Marcus, Sydney, and Richie better this way and learns how they develop themselves closely.
The Bear season 2 also continues to reflect on how difficult and intricate the hospitality industry can be. The show takes its time with that, and the second season slowly details what it takes to build a successful restaurant business.
To show a certain kind of care towards their customers, Carmy is willing to push his chefs to learn something new, no matter how talented they are.
Negatives
The Bear season 2’s chaotic situations are packed with tons of arguments and yelling. At times, they are engrossing, but sometimes they become overwhelming to get through.
Verdict
The Bear season 2 proves that the show is willing to expand its world and horizons while keeping its heart in place. It covers the story of the ensemble cast, but it does come back to the heart of Carmy in the end. Most importantly, the show continues to be funny, dramatic, and downright emotional.