Jeremy Allen White, who won hearts as Lip Gallagher in Shameless, graces The Bear as Carmy, a young chef who returns to Chicago to run his family’s sandwich shop. Carmy received culinary training in fine dining but now contends with a greasy-spoon restaurant manned by a team of rough cooks, the woes of running a small business, and his brother’s death. The Bear is a slick and darkly humorous take on a coming-of-age series. The cast manages to capture charming infuriation in a way that leaves you hungry for more. Watch out for appearances by Joel McHale (Community), chef and internet personality Matty Matheson, and ribs at culinary heavyweights like Noma and the James Beard Foundation. Season 2 is underway. (eight approximately 30-min. episodes)
—Bulbul Rajagopal
This article appears in Jul 14-21, 2022.