The landscape of television seems bleak at the moment.
Prestige shows are ending at a rapid rate; HBO’s ”Succession” and “Barry,” Hulu’s “Handmaid's Tale” and Netflix’s “The Crown” all end this year. There seems to be little left for television at the moment.
The ongoing writers strike by the Writers Guild of America seems to not spell well for the future either. Contant cancellations by Netflix and Warner Brothers does not support the audience’s fatality.
What's left for TV? Are we standing in the cemetery of the once great age of TV?
FX’s “The Bear” is here to disprove that. “The Bear” is electric, addictive TV that seems to disprove any fears about the end of peak TV.
The second season follows Jeremy Allen White as Chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto and Ayo Edebiri as Chef Sydney Adamu as they renovate a hole-in-the-wall family restaurant into a Michelin star contender.
Picking up where season one left off, characters are allowed to grow in unexpected but fitting ways all while maintaining the frantic energy the show has become known for. Where the first season focused mainly on Carmy, this season has wisely expanded to developing the other members of the staff’s storylines.
“The Bear” takes its time developing characters like a recipe. Some episodes devote an entire storyline to secondary cast members and their personal growth, creating a show that relies on the entire cast instead of just a lead.
Although some aspects of the plot drag more than others, like Carmy’s girlfriend – Molly Gordon as Claire, who speaks in grating cliches – her character served to move Carmy’s character arc which represented his past and made him evaluate what he wanted. It is a shame that Claire was not treated with the same care as other secondary characters.
“The Bear” succeeds because it respects its characters and audience. The writers understand the need for growth. They force the characters to keep developing and learning, and are willing to punish them if they don’t. The writers intelligently cater to audiences who crave mature stories that focus on adult characters.
The filmmaking, from the deliberate soundtrack to the cinematography, would make many creators envious. “The Bear’s” commitment to quality throughout all aspects of the show’s creation demonstrates that the creators know what works.
Writing is on pause and the show has not been renewed for a third season due to the writers strike by WGA, which has just entered its second month with little signs of ending, according to Deadline.
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Despite this, “The Bear” scored FX its most watched premiere on Hulu and 70% increase in hours streamed compared to the first season. If studios can resolve the writers strike, a renewal of the show is likely.
“The Bear’s” success is not a surprise as they keep the show fresh and innovative in every episode – never staying still for too long. It stands out against the landscape of TV as something different. “The Bear” is compelling due to its inventiveness and endearing characters, which many shows lack.
With an extraordinary second season, the next one promises to replicate that magic and drive the characters to new places.
Danielle Knox is a freelance reporter with the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at culture@dailylobo.com.
Danielle Knox is a freelance reporter at the Daily Lobo.
