Following the stress-inducing release of The Bear season 3, here are the six best episodes of the Hulu drama so far.
Hulu's hit series The Bear has garnered a lot even before the release of season 3: numerous award nominations and wins, critical acclaim, a flawless cast, and binge-watching popularity. One of the most unsettling series, it depicts the culinary world in a simple way while offering stories of trauma, family, grief, and the lasting impact of the hospitality industry.
The show, which recently aired its third season, centers on Carmen, a young chef played by Jeremy Allen White, who returns to Chicago after the sudden death of her brother and takes over her family's sandwich shop, which she later transforms into a fine dining restaurant. In addition to White, the cast also includes Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richie, Ayo Edebiri as Sydney, Abbie Elliott as Natalie, and Lionel Boyce as Marcus.
Though this drama-comedy has fewer than 30 episodes, it has earned a class of its own as it is deemed worthy of a top 10 list. The show gained popularity immediately after its 2022 debut and recently had another season released, so here are the top 6 episodes that represent the best capture of The Bear, according to IMDb.
6. The Bear Season 2 Episode 7 “Forks” (IMDb 9.7/10)
The episode focuses on Richie, played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who undergoes a major change as he struggles with how to adapt to his role as a father and life at The Bear. Initially the most disliked character on the show, he is challenged in the episode “Forks”, which changes his understanding of Carmen's vision of transforming The Beef into The Bear. The title reflects Richie's initial reluctance to take on a mundane job washing forks, but ultimately learns the value of attention to detail in running a fine restaurant. The episode marks a turning point for Richie, and his storyline is perhaps the best in the entire show, considering he spent the beginning of the season aimless.
5. The Bear Season 2 Episode 6 “Fish” (IMDb 9.6/10)
The episode focuses on a traumatic Christmas dinner five years prior to the show's beginning. Fish featured big name stars such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Bob O'Dekirk, John Mulaney, and Gillian Jacobs, and was the only episode to showcase the era in which Mike was alive. It connected many of the dots from previous episodes, including the identity of Richie's ex-lover, Mike, Carmen, and Natalie's relationship with her mother Donna, and Carmie's insecurity due to her toxic home life. The episode focused on Donna's harmful behavior towards her family and how it deeply affected them, especially Carmie.
4. The Bear Season 1 Episode 7 Review (IMDb 9.5/10)
The Bear offers a comprehensive portrayal of a high-pressure work environment and how each character deals with it. Carmy's handling of stressful situations is put to the ultimate test in this episode. When Sydney accidentally misoperates the new takeout system, Carmy struggles to get orders out on time while managing an increasingly confused staff. The result is a grueling, tense 18-minute scene filmed in one continuous take that captures the frenetic energy of the kitchen. In review, each character is pushed to their breaking point. Thanks to this episode, The Bear shines in its depiction of the high-pressure environment of a restaurant kitchen.
3. The Bear Season 2 Episode 10, The Bear (IMDb 9.4 /10)
One of the best endings ever, The Bear season 2 finale depicts opening night with The Bear and Carmy locked in the walk-in refrigerator. With everyone focused on getting the orders done as quickly as possible, Carmy flies into a rage of frustration and accidentally confesses to having second thoughts about Claire hearing everything on the other side. Meanwhile, Natalie invites her mother over but runs out of forks. Sydney and Marcus get into an argument, but everything is a blast except for Carmy, who is the worst of the entire season.
2. The Bear Season 1 Episode 8 “Bracciole” (IMDb 9.2/10)
The first season finale of The Bear saw Carmy in a dire mental state, having had three mental breakdowns. The episode featured Carmy opening up about his relationship with his brother at an Al-Anon meeting, lasting seven minutes. The key event in the entire episode was Richie giving Carmy a letter from Mike, with a recipe for spaghetti and a short message. As Carmy was preparing the sauce, he found a bag of money in a can of tomato sauce, causing everyone to stop what they were doing and open all the cans to look for more money. This unexpected turn of events ends with Carmy putting up a sign on the door of the shop that reads “The Bear is Coming”. Meanwhile, Carmy apologizes to Marcus and Sydney for his terrible behavior, and the season ends with the theme of the show.
1. The Bear Season 2 Episode 4 “Honeydew” (IMDb 8.8/10)
Marcus is one of the most entertaining characters on the show, getting the attention he needs to shine in the show. In the episode “Honeydew,” Marcus is tasked with making three unique desserts, for which he travels to Copenhagen to train under Chef Luca. Chef Luca is a patient teacher who helps Marcus with the finer details of pastry making. Marcus enjoys the experience while working with a talented chef, but also develops a crush on Sydney. However, the most interesting scene in the entire episode is when Marcus hears someone screaming for help. A local biker who is stuck under a fallen fence calls out to Marcus for help, but is unable to communicate verbally since the stranger is Danish. As Marcus helps him, the local man hugs him, beginning to show that Marcus was just in the right place at the right time.
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