The Bear is still a beast that cannot be stopped. Coming off its multiple wins at the 80th annual Golden Globes, the cast and the creators of The Bear came to the Television Critics Association’s 2023 winter tour to talk about its runaway success as well as plans for Season 2. It was also announced that The Bear Season 2 will premiere in early summer of this year. Instead of last year’s eight episodes, Season 2 will be composed of 10 episodes.
“I think in terms of tone and heading into Season 2, we were really lucky in that we had a solid map of what was going to happen in Season 2 even before we were done shooting Season 1,” co-showrunner and executive producer Christopher Storer said. “It was nice to not have to react to anything we’ve heard about the show or read about the show.”
“I also think that going into Season 2 we found ourselves leaning into the lighter side, in terms of a writing perspective,” co-showrunner and executive producer Joanna Calo added.
Season 2 will pick up after the events of Season 1 with the team trying to start a new restaurant. This new installment will be conscious of the gentrification of the River North area of Chicago as they attempt to open the new eatery, The Bear. Despite the mass amount of praise and attention the series has garnered, the cast and creators are confident that they will be able to return to the “bubble” in which they made the first season. Season 2’s scripts have been written, but filming has yet to start.
Shortly after its premiere on Hulu, the FX comedy emerged as one of the most critically-lauded shows of 2022. The series currently has a jaw-dropping 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes based on 74 reviews. And earlier this week, the Globes proved that high praise translated to the awards scene. The Bear was nominated for Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy, which it lost to Abbott Elementary. But its star, Jeremy Allen White, won for Best Actor in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy.
As excellent as The Bear is, it also stands as one of the most stressful series ever brought to television. Half drama, half comedy, the series follows young chef Carmy (White), who comes from the world of fine dining and has to return to Chicago following his brother’s death. Now burdened with a failing restaurant, Carmy has to balance his passion, grief, frustration, perfectionism, and the PTSD he still has from his old world with the pressures of figuring out how to manage a restaurant on the brink of financial ruin and manage an unruly staff. The comedy also stars Ayo Edebiri as the highly talented and driven Sydney in her breakout role and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the smart-mouthed Richie. The Bear was created by Christopher Storer and has been renewed for a second season.