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The Bear (TV series)

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The Bear
Company typeTelevision series
IndustryEntertainment
FoundedJune 23, 2022; 4 years ago (2022-06-23)
FounderChristopher Storer
Headquarters
Chicago
,
United States
ProductsComedy-drama television series
Websitewww.fxnetworks.com/shows/the-bear/

The Bear is a United States-based comedy-drama television series developed by Christopher Storer for FX on Hulu. The show stars Jeremy Allen White as Carmy Berzatto, an acclaimed chef who comes back to his native Chicago to oversee the disorderly kitchen of his late brother's Italian beef sandwich establishment. The main ensemble also features Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas, Abby Elliott, Matty Matheson, and Edwin Lee Gibson.

The entire collection of episodes for the first season premiered on FX on Hulu on June 23, 2022, followed by the second season launch on June 22, 2023. The show was renewed in November 2023 for a third season, which debuted on June 26, 2024. Prior to this, the series had already been extended for a fourth season, released on June 25, 2025. A fifth season renewal was confirmed in July 2025.

Critics have widely praised the series for its script, direction, acting, production quality, and technical execution. While labeled as a comedy-drama, it progressively focuses more on psychological drama by realistically depicting dysfunctional personal dynamics and workplace conflicts, exploring subjects like trauma and suicide.

The Bear has garnered numerous honors, including twenty-one Primetime Emmy Awards (among them Outstanding Comedy Series) and five Golden Globe Awards (including Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy). Its ongoing categorization as a comedy in some award contexts, particularly in later seasons, has generated debate.

Premise

Carmen "Carmy" Anthony Berzatto, a gifted chef trained in haute cuisine, inherits his family’s Italian beef sandwich shop following the suicide of his older brother Michael. Abandoning his career at prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants, he returns to Chicago to revive the struggling business. Carmy must contend with outstanding debts left by Michael, a deteriorated kitchen environment, an unruly team, and family issues while striving to reinvent the restaurant.

Main

Recurring

  • Jon Bernthal portrays Michael "Mikey" Berzatto, the late brother of Carmy and Natalie who battled addiction prior to his suicide.
  • Corey Hendrix appears as Gary "Sweeps" Woods, a former professional baseball player who transitions into a runner and eventually becomes a sommelier at the restaurant.
  • Oliver Platt plays Jimmy "Cicero" Kalinowski, a principal investor and former close associate of the Berzatto siblings' father.
  • Carmen Christopher takes on the role of Chester, Marcus's roommate and frequent guest.
  • José Cervantes features as Angel, working as a dishwasher at The Beef.
  • Richard Esteras acts as Manny, another dishwasher employed at The Beef.
  • Chris Witaske is cast as Pete Katinsky, Natalie's husband and legal counsel.
  • Joel McHale appears as David Fields (seasons 1–3), Carmy's harsh executive chef during his time in New York City.
  • Molly Gordon plays Claire Dunlap (season 2–present), a medical resident and childhood companion of the Berzatto family.
  • Robert Townsend portrays Emmanuel Adamu (season 2–present), Sydney’s supportive father who harbors doubts about her culinary ambitions.
  • Will Poulter is featured as Luca (season 2–present), a British chef and Carmy’s former colleague and rival who mentors Marcus during his time in Copenhagen.
  • Ricky Staffieri appears as Theodore "Teddy" Fak (season 2–present), Neil’s brother.
  • Jamie Lee Curtis embodies Donna Berzatto (season 2–present), the troubled mother of the Berzatto siblings.
  • Gillian Jacobs plays Tiffany "Tiff" Jerimovich (season 2–present), Richie’s ex-wife and mother to their daughter Eva.
  • Sarah Ramos acts as Jessica (season 2–present), trained at Ever, serving as the kitchen-service expediter at The Bear.
  • Andrew Lopez portrays Garrett (season 2–present), who oversees Richie’s stage at Ever with a strict management style.
  • Rene Gube fills the role of Rene (season 2–present), general manager at Ever.
  • Mitra Jouhari is Kelly (season 2–present), Claire’s friend and roommate.
  • Alex Moffat appears as Josh (season 2), a line cook recruited by The Bear.
  • Adam Shapiro plays Adam Shapiro (recurring season 3–present), serving as chef de cuisine at Ever.
  • Annabelle Toomey portrays Eva Jerimovich, Richie’s daughter.
  • Christopher Zucchero takes on Christopher "Chi-Chi" Zucchero (recurring season 3–present), a former employee rehired to manage The Bear's sandwich window; he is also the real-life owner of Mr. Beef.
  • Paulie James acts as Chuckie (season 3–present), another former employee brought back for the sandwich window operation.
  • John Mulaney features as Stevie (season 2–present), Michelle’s husband and cousin to Carmy and Natalie.
  • Brian Koppelman plays Nicholas "The Computer" Marshall (season 3–present), a family acquaintance enlisted to assist with reducing restaurant expenses.
  • David Zayas appears as David (season 3–present), Tina’s husband.
  • Olivia Colman portrays Chef Andrea Terry (seasons 2–3), British executive chef at Ever where Richie completed his stage.
  • Rob Reiner acts as Albert Schnur (season 4), a business advisor and mentor to Ebraheim.


Guest

  • Amy Morton plays Nancy Chore (season 1), a stringent health inspector.
  • Molly Ringwald appears as the Al-Anon meeting facilitator attended by Carmy (season 1).
  • James Swanberg portrays Kyle (seasons 2, 4), a local known for stealing cellphones and enjoying caipirinha cocktails.
  • Maura Kidwell is cast as Carol (season 2), Cicero’s partner.
  • Bob Odenkirk features as "Uncle" Lee Lane (seasons 2, 4), Donna’s manipulative boyfriend and Cicero’s business associate.
  • Sarah Paulson plays Michelle Berzatto (seasons 2, 4), cousin to Michael, Carmy, and Natalie.
  • Josh Hartnett appears as Frank (season 3–present), Tiff’s wealthy and charming fiancé.
  • John Cena is Sammy Fak (season 3), brother to Neil and Teddy.
  • Danielle Deadwyler portrays Chantel (season 4), Sydney’s cousin.
  • Arion King acts as T.J. (season 4), Chantel’s daughter.
  • Kate Berlant plays Georgie (season 4), an attendee at Carmy’s Al-Anon meeting.
  • Brie Larson features as Francie Fak (season 4), sister of the Fak family engaged in a longstanding conflict with Natalie.
  • Gary Janetti appears as Mr. Clark (season 4), an intriguing guest at The Bear.

Prominent chefs and restaurateurs such as Daniel Boulud, René Redzepi, Thomas Keller, Grant Achatz, and Christina Tosi, among others, make appearances portraying themselves in season 3.

Production

Episode lengths generally hover around thirty minutes, varying from the 20-minute "Review" in the inaugural season to the extended 70-minute "Bears" episode in the fourth season.

Development

In March 2021, FX commissioned a pilot for The Bear, both written and directed by series creator Christopher Storer. The show received official approval in October 2021, setting its premiere for 2022. The sandwich shop set is modeled after Chicago’s Mr. Beef on Orleans Street, owned by Christopher Zucchero, a personal acquaintance of Storer.

A renewal for a ten-episode second season was announced in July 2022, followed by renewals for seasons three and four in November 2023 and March 2024 respectively. Portions of the fourth season were filmed concurrently with the third, with principal production scheduled to resume in 2025. FX further extended the series with a fifth season renewal in July 2025.

Key production personnel

Courtney Wheeler serves as the costume designer for The Bear. The culinary producer overseeing the show's food is Courtney Storer, sister to creator Chris Storer. Laura Roeper, a Chicago-based prop master and sibling of film critic Richard Roeper from the Chicago Sun-Times, manages props. Merje Veski leads as production designer with Lisa Korpan as art director, while Eric Frankel heads set decoration.

Primary cinematographer Andrew Wehde works alongside A-camera operator Gary Malouf and B-camera operator Chris Dame, all long-time collaborators with Storer and Wehde. Since the pilot, Scott D. Smith has led the Emmy-winning sound mixing team, with Steve "Major" Giammaria supervising sound editing and Evan Benjamin handling dialogue editing. Episode editing responsibilities fall to Joanna Naugle and Adam Epstein.

Music

The soundtrack of The Bear features alternative and mainstream rock hits from the 1980s through the 2000s, selected by Storer and executive producer Josh Senior. Noteworthy artists include Chicago’s own Wilco with songs like "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" and "Impossible Germany"; Radiohead’s "Let Down"; Pearl Jam’s "Animal" and "Come Back"; Sufjan Stevens’ "Chicago"; John Mayer’s "Last Train Home"; The Replacements’ "Bastards of Young"; Genesis’ "In Too Deep"; Nine Inch Nails’ "The Day the World Went Away"; R.E.M.’s "Oh My Heart" and "Strange Currencies"; Weezer’s "The Christmas Song"; The Smashing Pumpkins’ "Disarm"; Led Zeppelin’s "That's the Way"; Oasis’ "Stay Young"; along with multiple tracks from Taylor Swift, including "Love Story (Taylor's Version)", "Long Live (Taylor's Version)", and "Style (Taylor's Version)". The series' main composers are Chicago natives Jeffrey "JQ" Qaiyum and Johnny Iguana, whose instrumental pieces enhance key scenes set in the kitchen.

Release

The Bear debuted on FX on Hulu within the United States on June 23, 2022, and was made available internationally through the Star section on Disney+. The ten-episode second season launched on June 22, 2023. In addition to other Hulu content, The Bear became accessible via Disney+ in the U.S. through the Hulu hub starting December 6, 2023. The third season premiered on June 26, 2024, followed by season four on June 25, 2025.

Critical response

The Bear has garnered significant critical praise. Its overall series rating stands at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, while it holds an aggregate score of 83 out of 100 on Metacritic.

Season 1

For its debut season, Rotten Tomatoes recorded a flawless 100% approval rating based on 82 critic reviews, highlighting how The Bear skillfully blends various elements to achieve high viewer satisfaction. Metacritic assigned it a weighted average score of 88 out of 100 from 24 critics.

The American Film Institute recognized it among the top ten television programs of that year. The Guardian ranked it as the best TV show in 2022, describing it as "the finest workplace drama since Mad Men." Additionally, it appeared within numerous "Best of 2022" lists, securing first place in rankings by The A.V. Club, BBC, People, and TVLine.

Season 2

Season two received a near-perfect approval rate of 99% from 113 critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The consensus noted that this season smartly places its beloved characters into fresh challenges, delivering another highly satisfying experience. Metacritic awarded it a weighted average score of 92 out of 100 based on reviews from 43 critics.

For a second consecutive year, the American Film Institute included The Bear among its top ten television programs. It also featured prominently on numerous best-of-2023 TV show lists compiled by outlets such as Rolling Stone, The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, and People.

Season 3

Rotten Tomatoes shows an approval rating of 89% from a total of 104 critic reviews for season three. The site’s critical consensus states that having established an exceptionally high standard previously, The Bear spends this season simmering with intensity and delivering compelling drama that continues to captivate audiences through outstanding performances. Metacritic assigned a weighted average score of 80 out of 100 based on evaluations from 45 critics.

Season 4

For its fourth season, Rotten Tomatoes reports an approval rating of 85% from among 84 critics. The consensus observes that after a prolonged simmering period, this season reignites momentum with renewed urgency and provides a rich narrative despite some pacing concerns between episodes. Metacritic gave it a weighted average score of 72 out of 100 based on feedback from forty reviewers.

Accolades

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Reference
2022 American Film Institute Awards Top Ten Programs of the Year The Bear Template:Won [1]
Gotham Awards Outstanding Performance in a New Series Ayo Edebiri Template:Nom Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
People's Choice Awards Favorite Bingeworthy Show of the Year The Bear Template:Nom [2]
2023 AACTA International Awards Best Drama Series The Bear Template:Nom Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Best Actor in a Series Jeremy Allen White Template:Nom Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
American Film Institute Awards Top Ten Television Programs The Bear Template:Won Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Astra TV Awards Best Streaming Series – Comedy The Bear Template:Nom Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Best Actor in a Streaming Comedy Series Jeremy Allen White Template:Won Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Comedy Series Ebon Moss-Bachrach Template:Nom Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Comedy Series Ayo Edebiri Template:Won Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Best Directing in a Streaming Comedy Series Christopher Storer (for "Review") Template:Nom Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Best Writing in a Streaming Comedy Series Christopher Storer (for "System") Template:Won Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
  • Additional honors include multiple victories at prominent award events such as the Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Critics' Choice Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Writers Guild of America Awards. Key wins highlight outstanding comedy series achievements along with individual acting accolades for Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. The series has also been recognized for excellence in directing, writing, casting, sound editing, and production design across various esteemed industry ceremonies.
  • Significant accomplishments encompass:
    • Outstanding Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmy Awards (2023)
    • Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy (2024)
    • Multiple acting awards for Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri at major ceremonies between 2023 and 2025.
    • Consistent recognition for technical categories including sound mixing and editing from Cinema Audio Society and Golden Reel Awards.
    • Repeated nominations and wins at Astra TV Awards and Critics' Choice Television Awards through late-2024 into mid-2025.

This broad spectrum of accolades reflects The Bear's substantial influence within both critical circles and industry markets.

Genre classification

Labeling The Bear as a comedy at award shows such as the Primetime Emmys has sparked debate due to its dramatic tone and weighty subject matter. Advocates defend its classification as dark comedy characterized by absurd situations, precise comedic timing, chaotic humor styles, and sharp dialogue filled with wit or sarcasm.

In 2024, the show set an Emmy record by earning twenty-three nominations within comedy categories—surpassing 30 Rock’s previous record of twenty-two nominations set in 2009. Despite this achievement, it lost Outstanding Comedy Series to Hacks, with some industry insiders suggesting that controversy over its comedic designation influenced voting outcomes. In June 2025, an article by Vulture highlighted an underlying industry resistance toward accepting its comedic nature as contributing factors to this loss.

Viewership

Season 1

Reelgood—a streaming analytics platform tracking real-time data from five million U.S.-based users across SVOD and AVOD services—ranked The Bear as the second most-streamed program during the week beginning July 13. It subsequently rose to become number one for the week starting July 22 before slipping to seventh place during the week beginning July 27. According to JustWatch data compiled from over twenty million global users, it was estimated as the second most-streamed series in the U.S. for weeks ending July 3 and July17. FX confirmed that season one became their highest-viewed comedy series ever.

Season 2

FX reported that season two’s premiere attracted record viewership numbers for any debut within their network history. Reelgood ranked it second most-streamed program nationwide during June22’s week before ascending to first place during June29’s week. JustWatch also identified it as number one most-streamed series in the U.S. during the week ending June25. Whip Media—using data from over twenty-five million users via its TV Time app—placed The Bear among the top ten most-watched original streaming series for all of2013 at eighth position.

Season 3

Within four days following its premiere, season three amassed approximately5.4 million views—the strongest debut performance ever recorded by FX on Hulu—and marked it as Hulu’s highest-viewed scripted season premiere across all platforms including Hulu itself plus Hulu via Disney+ domestically and Disney+ internationally. This represented a24% increase compared to season two’s opening figures across these platforms combined since March2024 bundle launch. Nielsen Media Research reported1.233 billion minutes viewed between June24–30—surpassing prior peak viewing minutes recorded after season two’s premiere which stood at1.01 billion minutes.JustWatch ranked it third most-streamed show overall in U.S.for2024 so far,and second most-streamed series within Canada during same period.

External links

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named AFI2022
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named People'sChoiceAwards2022
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