Although food shows are ubiquitous across all channels, those of the fictional variety are few and far between.
Filling that gap comes The Bear, which isn’t just one of the best dramas about food on television, it’s one of the best dramas on television, full stop.
In what feels like a star-making role, Jeremy Allen White plays Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto, a burned-out chef who has worked in the best Michelin-starred restaurants in the world but has returned to his home town of Chicago following the suicide of his brother.
As part of his brother’s will, Carmy has been left a rough and ready sandwich shop with a kitchen crew to match.
Brilliant 90s soundtrack
Over eight half-hour episodes – now all available on Disney+ – Carmy attempts to transform the business’ fortunes and win over the trust and loyalty of his kitchen crew.
It’s rare to see a new TV show arrive on our screens so fully formed and confident.
The supporting cast, including Eben Moss-Bachrach as Carmy’s non-cousin “cousin” Richie, ambitious new hire Sydney (Ayo Edibiri) and experimental pastry chef Marcus (Lionel Boyce), are brilliant across the board and the adrenaline-fuelled kitchen scenes play out like action scenes.
Episode seven is a stand-out and might be the best episode of television you’ll see all year, when many of the tensions that have been simmering since the start of the series reach boiling point. Stressful is not the word…
Special mention should also go to the soundtrack, which is a 90s jukebox of classics from the likes of Radiohead, Pearl Jam, REM and Wilco. If you’re a fan of that era, some of the needledrops will make your heart soar.
Over the course of eight episodes, The Bear never puts a foot wrong – and it’s particularly heartening when the most exciting, pulse-pounding show on TV isn’t involving crime, superheroes or dragons.
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