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Why The Bear is So Intense.
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Another thing I really found myself appreciating about the show by the end was its platonic nature. The show really isn't involved with romantic relationship drama in any way and is instead focused on developing friendships, love, and respect between its characters in a realistic way.
I thought there was quiet intimacy and respect between Carmi and Sidney
Different from the restaurant I worked in, where I heard that one guy had sex on the line before O_o
1000% that was something I didn't know I needed.
@@swans184 what, by himself?
@@huv123 it's called mentorship ffs...
this was the most stressful but most heartwarming show i’ve seen this year
Amen
Truth! The kitchen is the most stressful place outside of war lol
I have never been more stressed out in my life than watching episode 7. My heart was racing, my anxiety was sky high, and j was just so sucked in. Its such a good show. Definitely the best new show
Try working in the industry
@@DocMortsnarg this show is stressful cause it reminds people of their jobs and life lol The boys doesn’t really relate to reality so it’s not really stressful. We don’t have to worry about mutants killing us everyday but we do have to worry about living long miserable lives
What impressed me about the bear was the accuracy. The bin labeling, the tape cutting, the dull house knives, the constant busy work, prep lists, the muscle memory, the no time for mistakes, the pressure, the talking. The little things. The work is constant. Had a boss that always wanted to make spaghetti because it was cheap and easy for him to understand. Make the sauce and dump on noodles per order and send everyone home so we can get the labor under 12%. Every time I watch a clip from this show I get right back into flow.
I actually read a review that stated that this show didn’t show enough grit to working in the kitchen, and I could practically feel my nose bleed from the stupidity.
I'm a line cook and everything about The Bear is incredibly real, which is one of the things I think makes it so great. The attention to detail and knowledge of things only people who work in kitchens would know (like how there's never been a functioning floor mixer in the history of food) proves that this is a show made from passion for cooking in an industry where we are underpaid, overworked, and so stressed we have astronomical rates of substance abuse, mental health struggles, and short life spans compared to white collar work. The show is honest, it doesn't use kitchen life as a prop
For real, preach. One of the things I love is that it has respect for people to be able to learn and understand the life without talking down to them as well. It works well to help build character to have people from multiple levels of understanding of the terminology and the kitchen world. It's a show for people of that world and it's equally a great vehicle for conveying kitchen life to the leyman.
@@vincentbatten4686 Yeah, characters are so much more believable if they don't stand there and explain the difference between a six pan and a cambro for the audience
We had a Hobart floor mixer made in the 30s that always worked, so I always had to make 2 sheets of biscuits, every morning at 5:30
@@VerticalMulchOfAMan My last job had three Hobarts, one that was completely nonfunctional and two that would break every couple of months. My current job had a Hobart that was mostly okay til it died, and we got a floor mixer of a different brand. She's still going, but she's also new so who knows when she'll quit on us 🤣
The only issue I have about the accuracy is the knife handling since he was supposed to come from a prestigious kitchen. He claimed the knives were dull and yet he used the handle to cut the celery. If the knives were dull enough to complain, he would've held the knife by the spine for better coordination. This is coming from somebody who's done the Bocuse d'Or
The final episode is just such a profound display of loss and grief, and what a final shot
fr, I had to reply it back a couple times. Man what a feeling it almost gave me chills.
That final shot of his brother smiling back at him….. yeah I lost it 🥹😭
masterpiece let down
Spoiler alert for those who are reading but have not watched the final ep... don't read my question below!! I'm trying to figure out how Mike got money packs in sealed cans? Was it done by dealers that had access to a canary? Anyone?
@@dcool2u2 he did take 300-000 as a loan , but why wld he stack that cash , i guess well be introduced to mob soon , remember the guy Nico , may just becaome pivatol
As someone who has cooked in Chicago for 20 years this show hit like a sack of bricks. It captures the energy in a way I didn't think tv could do.
The way they drink water out of quart delis while smoking cigs in the alley after family
Whenever i get food in Chicago i always take for granted the hard work and chaos that go into what I eat lol i would never survive working in a chicago kitchen lol
If your jobs were *anywhere near* the stress in the series, you deserve more money and therapy. Even watching some scenes was not healthy levels of stress for me. 😂
@@jakeellerbrake756 whooooooo, so perfect
@@pantherpopel551 Trust me big ticket days were hell on earth bro, I didn’t work in Chicago but kitchen hells Kitchen hell, makes you crave a burning cig before jumping back into the pool, god forbid you drag your feet in the kitchen tho or else your ass is on blast
Episode 7 was off the charts. I mean I absolutely loved every minute of this show but Episode 7, starting off with that demo of "Chicago" by Sufjan Stevens and culminating in that 17 minute long take was just insane. What a show.
It was so perfectly done I had to turn it off. PTSD flashbacks. I felt exactly like I was back on the line, in the weeds in 100 degree heat on Mother’s Day while chef, who didn’t have the good sense to tell management to slow down tickets when the kitchen was too slammed to fulfill them, made everything worse by losing his temper and taking it out on us. They did an amazing job showing Carmie perpetuating the cycle of abuse, but I’ll be goddamned if I’m gonna relive it.
no epsiode every made me feel so tensed. best episode 💯
@@siddhantbhosale5909 yeah! uit was amazing!
I didnt even realize it was a one take until the end of the episode because it was so intense. Some oners drag on so you notice its a oner but this is so masterfully intense and deliberate that you dont notice immediately
As someone from Chicago, they really lean into it. I remember listening to the radio with my Dad in the car and hearing Sufjan Stevens on XRT, all of it feels very nostalgic.
Watching your vid made me realize how in the first episodes, the color editing showed the kitchen as a dark and grimy place. By the final episode, it's a place of light and airiness. I love how it subtly shows the changes the restaurant, the kitchen and most importantly, the people have gone through.
Good point
Wow you're so right about the brightness!
Another thing that's really really cool about the first cooking scene of episode 1 is that it's an homage to a film called Take Out. Made for $3000 by Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou. The crazy chaotic camera and sickly green color grading is paying homage to an important entry in film history. This show is made by truly dedicated filmmakers.
As a chef who did something similar, this is exactly what it's like to go from working in a world-class kitchen to a dive. It's hot, it's stressful, you scream, you yell, and you love every second of it.
So much down time though. Running kitchens I've never had time to sit down for a meal lol. And the two people who killed my service and walked out would never be allowed back to work.
@@feircy Even if the reason was, that you treated them absolutely horribly?
@@pantherpopel551 there different levels there. In the show they both deserved to be reprimanded. The dessert guy didn't do his job and now they have no cake for their flood of orders, and the sous launched the online ordering half finished and then walked out of the mess she made. Yeah smashing his donut was a little mean but as an owner/operator the amount of stress he had in the moment your lucky he didn't hit someone
@@feircy Carmy was too full of himself to realize his team wasn't capable of what he was throwing at them and he needed to just cancel the online orders-- they just opened, getting your order canceled at 10AM right when a place opens isn't a huge deal. Instead he tried to take on an impossible challenge that they weren't ready for and shit crashed and burned. As a character and as a boss he needed that moment to humble him. I know a lot of bosses in the service industry who never had a moment like that to humble them and really deserved one.
@@Fantasticanations in some instances in the show 100% (like the brigade setup). but in that scene the pastry chef not doing his job has nothing to do with carmy being full of himself. And iirc he asks the soux several times if the system is ready. Should they have canceled the orders, yes. Should they have walked out on a problem they helped create absolutely not. Carmy may have yelled at them out of stress but I think it was pretty clear that he cared about them and would have worked through it with them. His behavior was pretty damn tame from what I've seen over the years lol
If they made spaghetti in episode 1, it would have taken away an incredible season. What a beast of a show!
I thought the same thing !!!! He denied spaghetti from the start!!
@@cmooreHD always trusty the spaghetti
@@pravkdey Agreed!!
Yeah and then we didn't have such engaging show 😀😀...
You mean what a bear of a show ???? I'll see myself out
I didn't expect that a random ass FX Hulu show that I'd never heard of until like a month ago to be easily the best thing I've watched since 2019's "The Lighthouse". God damn. This show is so layered and smart and well crafted. It's fantastic. God tier shit, can't wait for Season 2.
Give Atlanta a try
That’s a bit much ma boy
Yer fond of me lobster aint' ye? I seen it - yer fond of me lobster! Say it!
You've missed a lot of film and television then. But it is a fantastic show nonetheless.
Did you liked so much The Lighthouse that you locked yourself in an actual lighthouse for two years?
As a drug addict in recovery I appreciate the way addiction and its impact on the family unit is performed and written perfectly
The most anxious part of the scene to me is that the extreme close-ups on his fingers and the knife kept me anticipating him cutting himself
Yes! Especially since you know the knife is dull, a dull knife is dangerous!
Its actually revealed later on in the episode that he did cut himself because of the dull knives
This show was incredibly stressful to watch, but I couldn't stop watching. Burned through the whole thing in two days and I can't wait for season two.
ME TOO
That is exactly what it’s like to work in the kitchen. It is stressful and intense. But my God when the food comes out and you’re eating, it just makes everything worth it.
Just finished it and it’s the first tv show to make me tear up since breaking bad mannn it’s so good
Season 2 - ‘FORKS’: You’re welcome! 🙏🏽💔🙏🏻
This show did what Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential did for cooks back in the early 2000's. It was just a raw memoir of the adventures of a cook that was meant to appeal TO cooks, and it took off. This show is relatable not just to BoH staff but to the average blue collar worker
‘What I know about Meat’ - I start to cry even thinking about that chapter: could have been written by Michael? Glad that you mention Bourdain: his soul runs through this marvel (like a Saline Ribbon? 😊) 🙏🏽💔🙏🏻
I've watched this show 4 times already and have been obsessing ever since. These characters felt like real people, like my people lol! Also I love Sydney's character, I've never seen a young black woman portrayed like this on television, she's not some caricature or Hollywood version of what people think black women are like. I relate to her on so many levels. I love this show!
In this world of women wearing a bunch of makeup and looking like completely different people, I found her very refreshing, looking through a male gaze. Oversexed, oversurgeried black women are getting tiring as a black male.
yes, jeff
i work with a couple young women of colour and they are talented, beautiful, and respectful. they all remind me of syd
@@siddhantbhosale5909 you're not my jeff
It’s just amazing
I’ve never truly related to a Black girl character in media until Sydney. She was so refreshing. She feels like a real person and not a token caricature of what a white writer thinks Black women are, for once.
While I agree B writers tend to also write B women stereotypically too
Im not black but you perfectly articulated why i love Sydney so much. She felt so real!
have you watched a lot of black media?
ever watched insecure? atlanta? moonlight? those shows have some great black female characters.
It's great and it's because she's written as an archetype in the restaurant world, written pretty well/accurately, that just happens to also be a black woman. You know, like a person. She's the green Culinary Institute of America grad coming into a sous position with the practical skills of cooking and textbook knowledge of the business side, but not enough experience yet to think clearly in the chaos or managing people, and still has some stupid rookie mistakes to make and learn from. There are tons of Sydneys out there, and most people in the industry know at least one.
I find it hits so hard because it is what 90% of people in the industry experience, movies like Chef, Boiling Point and Burnt are all good, but they portray life in fancy/upscale restaurants, whereas The Bear is about a restaurant that will never win awards, get Michelin stars or have articles written about it, aka what most people in the service industry actually experience on a day-to-day basis.
after working in the industry for years, this show finally represents what it's like. down to the littlest mannerisms of people.
I've worked in kitchens and this show was triggering because it was so real. The sheer emotion is authentic. Everything was authentic, I thought. The people, how they snap on each other, how we're abused and basically a part of the world nobody seems to care about until their food isn't perfect. There were times I had to turn this off because I was getting too upset.
Right there with you, I worked in food for the first decade of my working life, just started my first year out of it And I had to start pacing around my room it was so stressful omg My poor lil expo heart hurt for syd when he yelled her out of the window 😭
The Bear is quite possibly the best original show to hit streaming since 2020 and what a truly poignant season finale! Can't wait to spend more time with these characters next season and see what new challenges arise in the restaurant.
2020?
This show wrecked me and I think I also fell in love. The Episode 7 one shot might be my favourite one shot, maybe of all time. I couldn't believe it, the same thing happened to me too. Over half the episode went by before I realized there were no cuts, blew my mind.
That final shot, reverse shot of episode 8 was fantastic. So many emotions encapsulated in such a small time. What a show.
I literally realized it was one shot the second the screen went black. The grip it had on me the whole 17 minutes was so intense it had to end for me to realize what was going on
The episode ended, and I was surprised but entirely satisfied with the story I had been fed in that episode. It didn’t feel like an entire episode, but at the same time did feel that way. I didn’t even realize there was a 17-minute take. Everything flowed so seamlessly. Bravo to this show. Pure master class work.
The anxiety level of this show reminded me of the A24 film Uncut Gems. Both stories pacing and editing are extremely intense which I enjoy when watching.
Exactly my same thoughts, the stress and anxiety feels so authentic
As someone who has been in the industry for about 5 years, that episode (the one shot episode 7) made me feel like I needed to step outside to smoke and take my anxiety meds. That was the moment I REALLY recognized how good the show was. I already thought it was fantastic, but holy hell, it hits is about as close as anything else I've ever seen
The stress of this show was cathartic, as a former cook, person with mental health issues, and a son of a parent with mental health issues. This show was human and philosophical in a balming and resolving way for my soul.
Same. Except I've never been a cook but I've been in some f-ed up intense work situations that I have legit PTSD from. This show definitely struck me in a way almost no show does (last one to do it was season 1 of true Detective..... man, I LOVE that show/season but it makes me so sad it's hard to rewatch)
The day this came out I watched three episodes in a row, fell asleep, and had horrible stress nightmares. When I mentioned my nightmares to my roommate he blamed it on my penchant for watching horror and I realized that The Bear was the source of my stress. At the end of the day The Bear is as realistic as it is amazing. love you matty
The thing that hit me the most on this show was the kitchen as a physical space and how it was used to show all the conflicts between the characters. In the beginning everything is so crammed, dark and crowded. But at some point it becomes clean and spacious. Not because they cleaned it(it's not the direct result of an specific scene), but it feels like they actually spaced out the equipments and the set. I know it's about lenses and lighting, but it really relieves the tension we have at the beginning and shows evolution of the team as a whole. I could go on, but my english is not that good and this is already too long. Great video! Thanks!
🙏🏻💔🙏🏽
i think that every line cook should watch this show. this show made me want to be a better chef. i started calling my cooks "chef" and theyve been saying it back to me. its hard to explain but watching line cooks preform and flourish and improve is a beautiful thing.
I’ve watched your essays for a few years and love your discussions. Because of that, it is a really REALLY odd feeling when something I had a small part in making ends up getting this much praise from people and it’s own video from you. Keep up the good work! Fun BTS fact, The sheer amount of veggie-chopping B-roll for the pilot was insane.
Elaborate Nick! What did you do on the show bud
@@sleepyheadbeats4352 Dailies Technician managing its data and syncing its dailies for editors of the pilot. My co-worker did the rest of the show.
@@nicksifuentes1509 you were part and one of the people responsible for an INCREDIBLE piece of art. That last shot of his brother smiling gets me choked up every time.
Amazing! Your work didnt go to waste tho it was amazing
So happy you are focusing on this little gem of a show!
The “Family Dinner” scene really sent me back to my time working the line, it made me wonder how my former coworkers are doing now and made me lowkey miss it
I was blown away by this show, probably because i watched it without reading any reviews or watching trailers/clips. These feel like real people, i met some of these people, the story telling is marvelous and it never gets preachy or boring, it is perfectly balanced.Restaurant felt like one of the characters. Radiohead song in the last episode made me sob like a little helpless baby and it was perfectly placed in the best show i have seen this year.
This show was pure brilliance. I can't wait for a second season. It felt like a theater show to me. Truly groundbreaking stuff.
Unbelievable.
man i felt every actor's emotions in this. First time in a while that i felt i belonged in the world of what i'm watching. Truly captivating and let's you in on the characters' experiences. I dunno but i shed a tear or two each time a character accepts Carmy's methods. Also, I feel so much for Marcus. I hope the guy grows into a better baker. I can not wait for the next season.
Matty Matheson has come a long way, so cool to see him in this wonderful show!
Matty rules, I'd love to see him do more acting here and there
He was also their technical advisor along with his sister!
@@031Productions I didn't know that as 100% fact but I was pretty sure that was the case, since he was around and has knowledge of what kind of stuff goes into a kitchen and how people talk/do stuff in them. Really cool to have my suspicions confirmed.
I loved that the joke the entire show was nobody believed matty's character would be a good cook lol. Although being a good cook and being a good line cook are different things.
@@feircy If I had never witnessed Matty cooking I'd also doubt he could. His goblin energy is over the top
This is absolutely one of the best shows I've ever seen.
Absolutely
I feel like the long take Carmy does at the end is amazing. It made me solidify the actors ability. I never knew Jeremy before but I do ow.
This show is a masterclass in cinematography, character writing, narrative structure, sound design, acting... it excels in every field. Fucking amazing show. It's not leaving my mind.
it’s interesting bc sydney can “see” and sympathize for richie in a way richie probably never will for her, which was shown repeatedly throughout the show. it’s a very realistic experience. and yet again, richie is a foil for carm bc carm instantly regrets “not seeing” marcus and shutting down his passion. and even apologizes to sydney for not seeing her pov.
It's been weeks since watching the last episode and I'm still thinking about the show and its characters. Undoubtably one of the best premiered shows this year.
favorite detail about this show is the use of those 12oz deli containers to drink water from during service. respect.
This show made me feel more anxiety and stress than any horror movie ever has. Incredible writing and acting!
It’s so good. I worked as a barista and this gave me memories of when we had a rush. Getting slammed is the worst feeling in the world.
I just binged the whole show. I had never heard of it until Disney+ recommended it to me. Genuinely such a breath of fresh air. Very intense air. Can't believe it hasn't got more notice, it's amazing
you can really appreciate this show more when you’ve had experience working in a fast paced kitchen. the show is accurate in its portrayal of the industry from the pot washers complaining about labels being left on kitchenware and dumped into the sink for them to deal with to the whole meltdown where people threaten to stab each other with the kitchen knives, these are legit all things i’ve seen from working various fast food and restaurant jobs lol
I just finished this show recently and goddammit, there is so much they can do with this show. It's fantastic and I am glad that it got renewed for a Season 2. Definitely one of the best surprises this year from a random FX Hulu show.
Love this and the show! Weirdly, it kind of reminds me of Succession somehow?? There’s the dark comedy, the writing that feels improvised yet sharp and precise, the chaos and constant bickering between characters, and the camera work with long takes and quick cuts. Also there’s something about the character of Carmen that reminds me of Kendall in some way.
This show was so visceral, funny and heartwarming. Beautifully shot, engaging..I’m gonna watch it again with my wife.
Show is amazing the fact that they can turn 30 mins of chaos and make it feel like 5 mins was insane I never I was bored and was drawn in the entire time
The juxtaposition of the long quiet takes with the frenetic ones or the scenes (like that 55-second one) where the cinematography and edition creates the intensity, is simply brilliant.
One of the most emotionally hard hitting and brilliantly written TV shows I’ve ever watched. Made even more memorable by the exceptional individual performances that burn these characters into your memory. It’s a raw, beautifully filmed series that could work as a stage play. Visceral, immersive and powerfully real it borders on being uncomfortable whilst holding your attention despite your growing anxiety. But the payoffs are so artfully executed and the resolution for the characters so poignant and fitting that it only adds to the enjoyment of the experience. If you liked this I would highly recommend Wayne, which is well made but offers more comic relief.
I am truly amazed by how hyperrealistic Sydney's character is. It's probably the first time I see an actor using his facial expressions in such an beautiful way; it felt so strange to me because it felt so real, as with the other actors but Sydney even more. The directing gives the character space to show his emotions not only through words. This show is so relatable probably because we live in the characters timespace and we are able to see every little detail that we would notice if we were part of that world.
Was seeing a lot of ads for the show before it aired and the fact that Jeremy Allen White was in it had my attention (I know him mainly from Shameless) but I will say I was a little hesitant with this show but shit after the first two episodes it had me sucked in already since it had the same personal and familial vibe that got me into Shameless. Also the fact that they got so much BOH details and culture correct is dope and the Latin woman (forget her name) actually sounded natural when she spoke Spanish, her accent wasn’t a heavy caricature and it seems like they let her speak her natural Spanish rather than the “professional” one most Hollywood productions use (Spain Spanish vs Latin America Spanish)
Watching this show, you realize that Shameless was really ahead of its time. While not exactly the same, it has some of the same elements that made Shameless a great show that is sadly underrated.
Most definitely Safdie bros inspired. Uncut Gems specifically.
this show was so stressful. loud. heartfelt, genuine, show i seen in a while its so good
This show so perfectly captured the environment of a restaurant, and anyone who's worked in one can attest to that. I suspect Matty Matheson played a huge role behind the scenes in setting that vibe, having been a professional in a kitchen for most of his life. Wonderful show.
The display of tenderness and raw emotion in this show is beautiful. Only 8 episodes but they managed to use every second to further the plot and the character growth, like you mentioned. Everyone and the restaurant feel alive and flawed. Everything from the visuals, to the music, to the characters in this show it all has texture you can feel and relate to. The visuals alone elicit an emotional response from me because I feel connected to what's happening in that kitchen, to everything going on in the restaurant like I'm there sweating in that heat along with the characters. Glad there's videos like this giving the show a platform and the credit it deserves! Can't wait for season 2 in 2023.. too long to wait!
The opening sequence of the pilot is genius -- it sets the location (both Chicago and the diner itself) gives us authenticity, mystery, backstory (family photos intercut with the kitchen scenes and his race across town), tone, style etc. It's an editorial masterpiece. The challenge of every pilot is EXPOSITION -- THE BEAR deals with this through drama and character. The conflict is expressed through the VALUES of the characters which naturally expresses the required exposition. The most critical line in the pilot is when Carmy is confronted by his estranged sister about selling the restaurant or not. When he says he 'wants to save it' -- she says, "Nobody asked you to." This is the core of the show - Carmy needs to ask himself WHY he is really here - that's what the entire season is about.
Very rarely in a show or book do I take the advice of my middle/high school teachers and stop to reflect. Haha But, after Ep. 7 I stopped my binge watching and thought about what went down and how I wouldve reacted. My actions alone showed me I had been immersed in a realistic environment, one that was meaningful to me and held some value in my mind. I've been in the industry over a decade, at a multitude of levels, and I'm now the executive chef of one of the highest rated restaurants in my region. I'm very proud of my position and how we operate today. I started from the bottom and went thru numerous chefs, staff changes, and even entire staff walk outs. This show does an excellent job of showing the difference between being busy, in the weeds, and absolutely screwed. Unlike other service industry dramas, this one holds the realism down to a point. It doesnt go out of it's way to hype the drama or anxiety. Its comfortable operating in the dirty realm of a busy kitchen. It truly feels like the BOH wrote the script, casted, directed, and edited the show. I deeply sympathize with Carmy, having been under egotistical tyrants and now trying to build a team up with workers who have skills, but are skeptical of new techniques and organizational patterns. Yet, trying to prove to himself that theres a way to do this without operating in a toxic manner. You want to say to them, "you have no freaking clue how good I am, nor how bad I could be." But you know wholeheartedly that was a terrible person to work for, and not who you are. I love this show so much. I'm bias because it's my field, but it does such an amazing job of combining the drama you want from cinema with reality, and the grittiness of a kitchen. Additionally, from my professional POV. The scene where Tina burns the cream for the mash, one of my favorite scenes. I like to think that Sidney was low key watching her the whole time. Similar to where the camera angle was.... She predicted that Tina was gonna mess up and had her cream and bouquet garni ready to go. In my experience, theres no way she did that on the fly in the time Tina walked the pan to dish. She did this to show Tina she had the skills to be a leader, likely some ego involved, but more importantly it showed she was there to help and help the team succeed. She also didnt brag about it or even bring it up, showing she was just being down for Tina and the restaurant. This is a very common in a well functioning kitchen. Theres always some ego involved, but it's for the betterment of the squad. Just my 2 cents. Thanks for the time you spent on the video, hope you get something to think about out of my comment. Chef E
I watched the whole season in one sitting and loved it. At the beginning there were some characters I didn’t like but by the end I loved everybody and I want them all to succeed. There was a lot of character development. Can’t wait for season 2!
I can’t thank you enough for putting me this show. I love everything about it and ever since I started watching your channel I’ve been paying a lot more attention to the camera work in everything I watch.
Randomly saw this show on disney+ on my day off (I'm a line chef) and binge watched it. This felt so real and relatable, they really capture the feel and the social dynamics within a kitchen.
The first episode got me hooked so fast. The editing, cinematography, and characters were so captivating in their super fast environment. I couldn’t look away.
THIS SERIES WAS EXCELLENT!!! The TENSION! The actors! Even looking at the food! Excellent!
I thought what you said about _well-placed_ long takes in The Bear was spot on. Too many times a film or a show will have a really cool long take, but it'll feel so contrived and un-earned that you can immediately see the filmmakers switching up their entire visual language just to accommodate it. Meanwhile in Episode 7 of The Bear, it took me like 3 minutes to even realize the camera hadn't cut since the start.
I don't think I've ever watched something and had it become an instant Comfort Show. I've been rewatching The Bear and listening to Renaissance for weeks now and my ADHD is absolutely singing! Also,the show SO good that it feels like one of those shows that "no one appreciated until it was gone" but it actually got picked up for another season 😂
This show literally had me thinking about it all week. Episode 7 really had me stressed and anxious like I was working there too. Really hit me with how disassociated Carmen is throughout the show and how it affects him. Honestly my favorite show of the year.
I watched this on Nebula the other day and immediately binged the series. I've no connection to commercial kitchens in the slightest, but still one of the more compelling pieces of media in recent memory.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a show like this before and I absolutely love it
My partner and I are both restaurant veterans, shes a teacher now but I'm still a bartender. We've always been FOH but always have been the FOH that BOH likes. This show gave us way more respect then we already had, it's a masterpiece
Amazing breakdown, this makes me have a much more profound understanding of what makes great filmmaking great. The things that I take away from this is 1. How complex it is to create a scene that has so much depth and it’s only actually 55 seconds, and 2. What it takes to make a truly exceptional TV show is so many moving parts are brought together
Anyone that’s curious, this is the most accurate representation of a professional kitchen I’ve ever seen. From the banter to the swearing to that flashback with the egomaniac chef, it’s all real. If you can’t take the heat, get out of my kitchen.
Yooo this show really hit home for me. As someone who has been in the cooking business for years this show really emphasis on what it's like working an a kitchen environment. I been very fortunate to work in high level kitchens and also been really involved and devoted to a restaurant just like these characters. Sometimes too devoted everything from the drama to the friendship too the falling apart of the restaurant. I can remember a week where we had a major gas leak behind the fryer and luckily I caught it on time and evacuated the place. Then going on a week layoff to get it fixed and inspected. And on our first day back a giant grease ball fires out the back of the grill and lights the whole back of the grill on fire just like this show!!! I can't tell you how real and authentic these characters are and how legit this story is. The Bear has a 100% approval for me.
Yooo
The fact the spaghetti was such a hidden red herring is why I loved the writing in this show!
I like how as the kitchen gets more professionel the lighting gets brighter
Episode 7 was actually one of the hardest watches of any show for me, not because it was bad in any way, the opposite actually, the tension in the episode made it so I could barely breathe, no other media has ever done that for me, this show is legendary
It’s wonderful you did a video on this show! It’s very enjoyable and hopefully season 2 gets even better.
The Bear is one of my favorite shows of the past few years. The early episodes are almost hard to watch because the characters are so stressed out, but everything comes together so beautifully by the end of the season. I think this is a show that just about anyone could enjoy.
I haven't binged watched a show in years, this is such a unique, wonderfully made piece of art... really loved how it progressed from the very first episode to the last... I can't wait for S2 because there are still so many things to unpack!
Beautiful synopsis! Service industry is dear to me and I cried so much. The raw intensity of it all, the love and the frustration. So much fundamental learning and has truly shaped the person I am today!
Just binged 18 episodes and been watching a fair amount of interviews and breakdowns just to stay in this world. The more reflecting on it the more I hoped Anthony Bourdain would have loved this show
Totally agree - Anthony Bourdain, blessed be! 🙏🏽💔🙏🏻
Thomas, I'm saying these from my heart as a cinema addict; this review is good as the show himself. We really need a people like you, I hope you a very best day.🙌
Literally binged this whole show yesterday, such a gift from the universe that you upload this today!
Little touches like the Hobart mixer are just amazing
"the decision not to cut". Well made distinction.
I can't wait to watch this. Reminds me a lot of Boiling Point. Really amazing one-shot film with Stephen Graham about the kitchen and hospitality staff trying to get through one particularly tough night in a high end restaurant. Highly recommend.
I've been waiting for a video essay on this show and it being you is what I could have only dreamt of, I love your content man its so good.
I absolutely love the thoughtfulness and editing of this video.
I think everyone who has worked or does work in food service feels validated by this show. ❤
I'm so glad to see your take on the show. I watched it last weekend and no one I know has seen it. I work in a restaurant, although not as hectic, and I feel this show it my soul. I can't wait for season 2. Also I love FX variable episode time, it let's a story be a long or short as it takes to tell a story which I first noticed with Atlanta.
Thank you @Thomas Flight. It’s been several weeks, but wanted to come back and say watching your essay inspired me to watch The Bear. I binged it in one night. Loved it. ❤
I like how the cinemqtography becomes more and more cleaner throughout the season, showing Carmy's housekeeping method in the kitchen is working.
The character writing is just too good in this show too. Tina’s and richies arc are beautiful and I love to see how these characters grow. First show in a long time that I’ve felt like these are actual people I know.
Fantastic acting throughout the entire season 👏🏼
This show brought back some of my kitchen ptsd lol but, it also reminded why i loved cooking in a kitchen. You form a strong bond with the other cooks. And as much as you raise hell at one another on shift, you still have love after, when everyone is sharing that earned shift drink lol
i never rewatch shows, but your analysis greatly captured why it was so easy for me to rewatch this whole season front to back almost 3 times within a single week. the first point about how they weave chaos into the writing was especially great to hear someone else explain, because i could feel it and didn't quite know the words to describe those feelings. thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Incredible breakdown! 👏👏👏 Makes me want to watch “The Bear” again which had me sobbing for 5 minutes after the last episode ended. Maybe it was all that proper intensity coming to a head or the fact that same thing happened to my own brother. I cannot wait for season 2. Thank you for this! 😄👏👏 I’m excited to watch more of your videos. 😁👍👍
I worked in kitchens for almost 3 years when i was younger. Somehow i ended up the assistant to the sous chef of a very big place. One thing i can say with 100% certainty is that its a rough job. Ive never felt so mentally pressed and physically tired in my life. We were feeding anywhere from 500 to 1000 people a day. You just never stopped moving, carrying, cutting, boiling, cleaning (so much cleaning) on the loop, all the time. Entering room sized fridges nonstop and switching to working above boiling hot sprinkling pans and pots. Your body goes through so much physical exertion its crazy. TV makes professional cooking look like a chill job where the restaurant kitchen is just a bigger version of your home but with a similar pace and mentality. Thats not true at all. Theres a mountain of manual labor involved and as far as manners go this show is still taking it easy.
4:20 I would say that the second problem is a lack of respect. Richie dissrespects Carmen and Tina laughs, showing that she agree's with him. (I just brought up Tina, because her whole character arc was about respect and moving forward)
fantastic video essay. really respect the effort you put into this video to show the effort that was put into the show. it does a great job explaining the feelings we had while watching the show