The Importance of Secondary Characters in The Bear

FX’s The Bear centers around a well-loved, albeit run-down sandwich shop in Chicago called The Beef. The shop fell into the hands of its current owner, Mikey’s younger brother, following Mikey’s untimely death. Mikey's broth, Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, portrayed by Jeremy Allen White, leaves the world of fine dining and Michelin stars and enters the grimy and disorganized Beef. Throughout the first season, Carmy works to earn the respect of his coworkers, who are largely unimpressed by his status as a Michelin-retaining chef, with the exception of Sydney Adamu, played by Ayo Edebiri, the restaurant’s chef-de-cuisine and certified fan of Carmy–that is before she meets “food and wine’s best new chef” in real life. Nevertheless, while coping with the trauma of his brother’s death and the abuse he endured as a chef at high-end restaurants, Carmy makes progress in managing The Beef. 

The first season ends with the entire cast of characters sitting around a makeshift dining table, enjoying the classic Berzatto family spaghetti. After eight episodes of The Beef's belligerent, militant workings, the camaraderie of the last “family” meal is a breath of fresh air.

This Last Supper seems a precedent to the show’s outstanding second season, which earned a stunning 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Released in June 2023, The Bear’s sophomore season sees the restaurant undergo a significant change, changing its style altogether. The Beef’s rebrand isn’t the only risk the show takes. In Season 2, The Bear zeroes in on its cast of secondary characters–a risk that has paid off immensely. The Bear’s showrunners demolish the notion that a show’s protagonist, in this case, Carmy, should have the most fleshed-out storyline that trumps the rest of the characters. 

In The Bear Season 2, each character and their story is treated with the utmost care, with most characters getting an entire episode dedicated almost entirely to them. For example, The Beef’s baker, Marcus Brooks, played by Lionel Boyce, travels to Copenhagen to learn from skilled pastry chefs and create three new desserts for the restaurant. 

Against beautiful shots of Chicago and its various restaurants, viewers see Sydney Adamu sample food to gain inspiration for The Beef’s new menu. The objectionable Richie, played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Carmy’s unofficial cousin and a chef at The Beef stages—where a chef spends time in a different kitchen to learn new techniques at a higher-end restaurant—and develops a passion for serving people. Ebra, played by Edwin Lee Gibson, and Tina, played byLiza Colòn-Zayas, the restaurant’s respective cook and sous-chef, attend culinary school and, surrounded by younger students, see a new angle of their jobs after years. 

“Fishes,” the show’s longest episode at a whopping 66 minutes, dives into the dynamics of the extended Berzatto family, including its unofficial member Richie. While Season 2 hosts a number of celebrity cameos, from John Mulaney to Olivia Colman, Jamie Lee Curtis proves herself a star in “Fishes” and again in the show’s finale. Curtis plays Donna, the mother of the Berzatto siblings, acting out her heartbreaking relationship with her son Carmy and daughter Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto, played by Abby Elliott. Natalie also emerges as a standout character, becoming the new project manager of The Beef. 

While Carmy remains the show’s main character, the increased focus on the secondary cast rounds out the show, and its success proves what you can get from taking a risk. With stunning cinematography, a perfectly crafted soundtrack, and a star-studded cast, The Bear Season 2 is the best and most daring TV release yet of 2023.