A day in a collapsing kitchen. So goes the The Bear‘s pilot episode, which pulled us into Carmy’s (Jeremy Allen White) world of chaos personified, where no words were ever spoken but instead yelled, where silence was always cut short with the sounds of pots and pans crashing, where a kitchen felt like a neverending panic attack. Then comes Season 2 of The Bear, opening with complete, uninterrupted silence. It’s so unfamiliar, you’ll find yourself waiting for something to go wrong — but it never happens.
The new season of FX’s hit series kicks things off right where we left it. Season 1 wrapped with Carmy and Co. stumbling upon insane amounts of cash stashed away in tomato sauce cans by Carmy’s late brother, Michael (Jon Bernthal), and deciding to revamp The Original Beef of Chicagoland into The Bear. Season 2 opens with the gang planning their budgets for the new restaurant and strategizing everything they have to do before its opening. The catch? Everyone’s actually calm and excited for what’s to come.
Through its relaxed opening, augmented by mellow music and serene, almost dream-like shots of Chicago, Season 2 of The Bear makes sure to affirm that things are going to be different this time around. Long gone are the days of scrambling to prep before The Beef opens. Long gone are the days of everyone yelling “corner” while carrying hot pans. Instead, The Bear makes the daring decision to leave the kitchen, focusing on its characters trying to better themselves rather than the restaurant itself — and it saves the show.
Credit: Chuck Hodes / FX
While The Bear‘s initial appeal for many was that very high-stakes kitchen environment, the show is aware that longevity is built on characters. Seasons upon seasons of everyone yelling at each other in the kitchen wouldn’t have worked. Season 2 is more concerned with fleshing out the characters we’ve marginally come to know in Season 1, and giving us a reason to be invested in their lives as people rather than just chefs. In fact, we’re barely watching anyone cook this season (at least not in the first four episodes made available to critics), but we are watching them talk about their families and struggles, and even falling in love.
Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), who in Season 1 was mainly painted as an enthusiastic self-starter working at The Beef because it was her dad’s favorite restaurant, gets refreshing character development. We get acquainted with her relationship with her dad, her mom, and the grief she’s been feeling but hadn’t shared to anyone. Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who was unapologetically loud-mouthed last season, now actually counts to 10 when angry to avoid saying things he might not mean. He’s on a quest to find his own sense of purpose, and is learning how to welcome change rather than reject it.
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There’s also Marcus (Lionel Boyce), our passionate pastry chef, who in Season 2 is dealing with his mother’s terminal illness. Marcus’ character arc is by far one of the most interesting of the season, with a full episode dedicated to him as he grapples with trying to live his life despite knowing that loss is imminent and that his mourning’s already begun. Finally, there’s Carmy, our hero who’s healing. We get to witness a new side of Carmy, one that’s practicing active listening, engaging in honest conversations with his team, and finally being openly vocal about what’s feeling. Carmy’s also learning that he’s worthy of love this time around, and yes, he has a crush on someone! It’s an absolute delight to watch.
Credit: Chuck Hodes / FX
In Season 2 of The Bear, the restaurant’s kitchen is under construction, and so are its chefs. As the walls of The Beef break down to make way for something new, so are the emotional walls of our characters, who feel more like a family than ever before. Everyone’s growing up. Everyone’s trying to become a better version of themselves, whether it’s Carmy letting himself fall in love with someone or Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) going to culinary school.
This new season is a breath of fresh air. While Season 1 often trapped us in the claustrophobic walls of The Beef’s kitchen, priding itself in one-take shots of days gone horribly wrong, Season 2 relishes in conversations at home and everyone just trying to do the best they can. It’s a transformational phase, and the real joy of this season is watching everyone grow. Plus, there’s more focus on the joy of eating (rather than cooking), with mouth-watering food montages that’ll have you craving anything from pastries to noodles.
Fret not, Season 2 of The Bear does maintain some of the show’s famed anxiety-inducing quality, with title cards reminding us how many weeks away the gang are from opening the restaurant. Although the clock is ticking, the question isn’t whether they’ll be able to open the restaurant, but whether it’s worth it. After all, we’re getting to know the abundant lives they lead outside the kitchen, so why come back to it?
How to watch: Season 2 of The Bear is now streaming on Hulu.
