I browsed through Netflix, Disney Plus, and Youtube; heck, I even browsed through Amazon Prime Video’s egregiously low selection. My taste for cinema and cringe-worthy videos had been completely exhausted and I found myself almost…lethargic. As if an instance of magic, my friend texted me as I was about to shut my computer and told me (very emphatically, I might add) to watch The Bear. Seeing as how I had already watched all three Star Wars trilogies (twice), I decided I could give it a shot. 

     And boy, it shot right back.

     I clicked play on the first episode and was introduced to Jeremy Allen White’s character, Carmen Berzatto (Carmy for short) faced with a caged bear. I was puzzled, to say the least; I didn’t quite expect a cooking drama to introduce the show with anything like this. However, it immediately panned to Carmy jerking awake to a hectic kitchen. From there, I was taken to a rollercoaster of introductions at an alarming rate of all the characters and the positions of each. The show follows Carmy, one of the best chefs to exist, who takes over his deceased brother’s diner and tries to manage the dumpster fire that is the staff. From a constantly pissed-off grandma to a rowdy and disgruntled cousin, Carmy has to tackle the team’s issues on top of the failing business itself. So far, the story is nothing super different.

     So why did I, as well as many other viewers I’m sure, never stop except to use the bathroom? Through a combination of hectic storytelling, portrayal of a workplace, and unlikeable, captivating characters, The Bear does many things exceptionally well. Especially in storytelling, the show managed to take many unusual routes to craft a story that is very unlike what I believe are common plotlines. Introduce factors such as family trauma and what seems like unchecked PTSD and you have something that deviates from the norm. Now, it’s not a cooking drama but suddenly a hero’s story: how will Carmy keep the restaurant afloat while barely managing to hold on to his sanity? Needless to say, I was compelled to find out, and never was I disappointed.

     I think what was especially riveting was how accurately the show portrayed a workplace, especially one as unrestrained as a kitchen. From various shouts of “Corner!” and “Yes, Chef!” to mysterious stains on the walls, the viewer can almost experience cooking beef-au-jus with the workers themselves. What I especially appreciated was the clothing worn by the characters. Never mind the fact that it’s a great depiction of actual chef wear, all the clothing worn is rooted in heritage. Whether it be the infamous hundred-dollar t-shirts and Levi 501 Big-E jeans (valued at possibly $2,000) on Carmy to a Thom Browne chef jacket upon the back of sous chef Sydney, fashion heads such as myself could absorb all the beauty that the costume designers could throw at us. The symbolic value that each item presented to the characters also was a little nugget of joy for me. For example, Carmy wears an NN.07 wool jacket; it’s decorated with colorful squares in an almost inharmonious form. This disarray represented much of what Carmy’s personality was like multiple shades and completely unorganized. So whether it be workplace enthusiasts, actual chefs, or fashion-thirsty individuals, The Bear has something to serve everyone in that regard.

     What made the show for me were the characters though. I didn’t know it was possible to get into the psychology of people suffering from various sorts of things, especially to the degree that this show does, but my god, they do it so well. From showcasing Carmy’s trauma and unhealthy coping methods to Sydney’s struggles with her career and father, everyone is someone. I can’t even list down every character that has a full-on protagonist-esque feel because all of them have so much depth that, even if they’re horrible people, you can’t help but understand. But to see the show tie it all together within the kitchen shows bonding and a new family created.

     I find it embarrassing that I managed to finish the show within a week but I also think that says something about the series itself. So get to your TV, make sure children don’t hear the constant swearing from Carmy, and click play on the first episode of The Bear.