The Bear
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The Bear
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Bear is an edgy dramatic comedy series intended for older viewers. Themes center around suicide, family relationships, and grieving the loss of a former life. There's also lots of cursing and cigarette smoking. People are sometimes shown drinking, too. Occasionally Coca-Cola and other food brands are partially visible; the Apple logo is prominently shown.
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What's the Story?
THE BEAR is a dramatic series about a brilliant young chef who comes home to run his family's sandwich shop. Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) is a talented, up-and-coming chef who was making a name for himself in the world of fine dining. But when his brother dies by suicide, Carmy returns to Chicago to take over his cash-strapped local eatery. It isn't easy, especially when his cousin Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and the rest of the ragtag staff, including Marcus (Lionel Boyce), Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas), and Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson), resist his attempts to elevate the kitchen to a standard that he's more accustomed to with the help of new sous chef Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri). Meanwhile, Carmy is trying to negotiate his strained relationship with his family, including his sister Natalie, aka "Sugar" (Abby Elliott), while grieving the loss of his career and struggling with the guilt he feels about his brother's tragic death. Soon Carmy realizes that he also has a lot to learn, but he still isn't sure that his new life has a lot to offer.
Is It Any Good?
The well-written, well-performed series offers an honest and edgy portrayal of a young man coping with difficult personal circumstances while trying to turn around a struggling family eatery. Despite some humorous moments, it takes an unapologetically hard look at the challenges that come with building and maintaining a small restaurant, regardless of how popular it is or how talented the owners are. But within this chaos, The Bear offers a bittersweet narrative about family, and how, despite ongoing differences, they always manage to be there for each other. Overall, it's a TV show that serves up a good story that is worth investing in.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how much work goes into running a small restaurant. Did you know that one out of three restaurants fails in their first year? Why?
Why is the series called The Bear? How is this represented in each episode?
TV Details
- Premiere date: June 23, 2022
- Cast: Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri
- Network: FX
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Cooking and Baking
- Character Strengths: Perseverance, Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: August 4, 2022
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