#REVIEW: “THE BEAR” SEASON TWO

By Mr. Will Wong

We’re unsure how it’s possible, but the second season of THE BEAR manages to outshine its previous season. We pick-up here with the closure of Carmy’s (Jeremy Allen White) family eatery THE BEEF, closing a chapter in his life, moving-on to open a new restaraunt a little closer to his Michelin-star past, THE BEAR. Relying on a skeptical Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) for a loan, Carmy and Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) promise an incredibly-ambitious turnaround time to get this restaurant off the ground. A lot is at stake and this is all or nothing.

While we were just getting to know many of the Series’ central characters in its first season, this follow-up gives us a chance to really get to know them as their storylines are given the room to grow, and along their journeys, we meet several interesting new characters.

Carmy reunites with and old friend Claire (Molly Gordon) and their chemistry is off the charts without saying much at all. Much of the focus of their conversation is the subtext beneath their playful banter. We meet Carmy and sister Natalie‘s (Abby Elliott) mom, played by the incomparable Jamie Lee Curtis in a scene-stealing performance as the erratic Donna. Just wait till you see that Christmas episode. Adding further to the Series’ starpower is Bob Odenkirk as Uncle Lee, appearing in a flashback. Sydney is on a mission with Carmy to help perfect this new restaurant’s menu, driven for it to be a success and to prove herself. And one of the biggest surprises of all is celebrity chef Matty Matheson as Neil, hired to help construct this new restaurant, proving he is a man of many talents. Marcus (Lionel Boyce) also heads off to Copenhagen, working with his mentor, a pasty chef named Luca (Will Poulter). And this experience will prove to be an important part of this new restaurant’s story as we end the season with its launch.

Though THE BEAR is set in the world of food, at its very core is the aftermath of grief and the unspoken. We are drawn to this world and its characters who thrive off the rush and anxiety of making it happen, and we are addicted to that thrill. That and some sublime work once again by White, who has cemented his place among the very top of his generation of Actors.

All ten episodes of THE BEAR Season Two are available on Disney+ Canada.