The Bear Season 2 - Everything You Need To Know

The hottest and most exciting series of 2022, "The Bear" on FX, was an immediate hit with both critics and audiences. The intense restaurant dramedy series stars "Shameless" alum Jeremy Allen White in another foul-mouthed Chicago setting. After his brother's tragic death, the high strung but brilliant chef Carmy (White) inherits his family's beef sandwich shop in the heart of the Second City. But there's a tragic history that led both Carmy and his family to this moment, and that's just the beginning.

"The Bear" is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a perfect 100% critical score and a comparable audience score of 91%. The anxiety-inducing series accurately portrays the stresses of working in blazing hot and crammed kitchens where the entire crew is constantly moving a-mile-a-minute. On top of that, "The Bear" is a gripping family drama capping off Season 1 with a jaw-dropping and life-changing finale. 

The series incorporates interesting elements that starkly contrast the grimy sandwich shop "The Beef," such as Carmy's pristine chef training, Sydney's (Ayo Edebiri) progressive innovations, and Marcus' (Lionel Boyce) decadent donuts. These details set "The Bear" apart from other kitchen nightmares and they elevate the program to a prestige level. With such unique qualities, it's no surprise that it was quickly renewed for Season 2 (via The Hollywood Reporter).

An exact release date is heretofore unconfirmed by anyone involved with the production of "The Bear" Season 2, or at the FX network. When the show earned its renewal in July 2022 (before Season 1 had even finished airing), series creator Christopher Storer and co-showrunner Joanna Calo said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter) that, "We can't wait to bring you all back to 'The Bear' in 2023."

It would appear as if "The Bear" Season 2 adhered to a similar production scheduled as Season 1. As the first set of installments hit the airwaves in June 2022, the second visit to the seedy underbelly of Chicago restaurants will commence sometime in June 2023, according to a teaser that aired during the Academy Awards the previous March (via Variety). And while Season 1 consisted of eight episodes, Season 2 will serve as a relative feast, with a promised 10 installments. Expect things to get heated in the kitchen on June 22, 2023.

The Season 1 finale of "The Bear" raised more questions than it answered in a shocking turn of events. After painfully struggling to provide financially for his family's restaurant, Carmy found wads of cash plastic wrapped and sealed within several cans of tomato sauce, left behind by his late brother who previously ran the restaurant. The rapid change in fortune prompted the shutting down of the original establishment to promise "The Bear" would be "coming soon" in a new restaurant. 

The overarching theme of "The Bear" repeatedly returned to the irreplaceable value of family, which we can expect to continue in Season 2. Hopefully Carmy's family will be further explored, including his sister Natalie (aka Sugar, played by Abby Elliott) and deceased brother Mikey (played by special guest star Jon Bernthal). As Carmy properly realizes his family's dream of running a restaurant, he'll have his work cut out for him, with getting a space ready, developing an inventive singular menu, and finding a decent crew and enough money to keep the whole enterprise afloat.

Season 2 will likely feature many returning faces, especially series star Jeremy Allen White as Carmy and Ayo Edebiri as Sydney, who recently returned after quitting "The Beef" following Carmy's explosive outburst. We'll also probably see more of Lionel Boyce as Marcus and his mouth-watering donuts when "The Bear" opens in 2023. And, we can expect several other familiar characters like Carmy's cousin Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), formidable and lovable chef Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas), and goofball repairman Neil (Matty Matheson).

Season 1 also treated viewers to a surprising guest spot from Jon Bernthal as Carmy's deceased brother Mikey, who tragically committed suicide. As Carmy realizes their shared dream of opening a successful family restaurant in Season 2, it's entirely possible this will bring on more flashback sequences featuring Bernthal. Critics and audiences agree the beloved actor's performance was nuanced, touching, and authentic, which left them hungry for even more of him in the role. 

We also know that Bob Odenkirk of "Better Call Saul" fame will be showing up in a guest role. However, we're not sure who Odenirk is playing. It could be anyone from an angry chef to a local patron, but whatever the part, we're looking forward to what the always amazing Odenkirk brings to the table. It's also been reported that he'll be joined by Molly Gordon of "Animal Kingdom."

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"The Bear" Season 1 was helmed by series creator Christopher Storer, who meticulously directed each dish and episode with exquisite precision. With Esquire, he dives into his real life experiences that inspired the "The Bear," giving the series its singular flare." Anyone who's ever worked the line during a brunch service knows that it's just hell on Earth. But it also shows Carmy's struggle and where his mindset is. As he noted, "When I lost my friend, I just buried my head in work."

Storer also teased what's to come in Season 2, now that things are finally looking up for "The Beef." The creator said, "We're going to deal with this in season two. It's more like: How can we do this and maybe make some money? And maybe make it easier?" The unexpected cash flow will certainly impact the new season while further developing the multifaceted characters of "The Bear." Season 2 may feature Storer's unified vision again, however, it's possible he may collaborate with other directors this time too. This would give them a turn to cook in his kitchen while respectfully referring to others as "Chef."

On May 15, 2023, FX released the first official trailer for the highly anticipated Season 2 of "The Bear." It's set to R.E.M.'s "Strange Currencies," a song about second chances and looking into unsure futures, indicating the mood and plot of the show's new slate of episodes. Season 2 looks to be as intense, immediate, and fast-paced as Season 1, with the trailer beginning with quick shots of Carmy, Sydney, and Sugar excitedly discussing their ambitious plans for their new restaurant, hitting up Uncle Jimmy for more money in the midst of construction noise. They're looking to move beyond Italian beef sandwiches to build from scratch a new eatery in six months with a new menu, which Carmy and Sydney struggle to get right. 

Doing all this, as characters variously note, is "crazy," "cocky," or "confident," but Carmy remarks that he just wants to do something born out of positivity. That might be even more difficult than he thinks, what with his crew members clashing over every little detail, difficulty in finding decent new staffers, and many cohorts cracking under the pressure. The only distraction for Carmy, it would seem, is an old and supportive flame who shows up out of the blue, as played by new cast member Molly Gordon.

One compelling aspect of "The Bear" is the high intensity, short episodes that run just over 20 minutes. This not only creates a breezy watch for a dramatic series, but it also conveys the fast and fierce atmosphere typically observed in these fiery and fast moving kitchens. "The Bear" showrunner Joanna Calo reflected on this aspect with The Hollywood Reporter, "It's like, would you really want to be in that kitchen for more than half an hour at a time? I think you need a little credit break to get you through."

This tone will continue in Season 2 and could even be heightened as the crew opens the new restaurant. While a blank slate can be refreshing, starting over can also be extremely stressful which may lead to even more volatile moments in Season 2. Carmy's drive towards perfection coupled with his sentimental interest in the "The Bear" will definitely lead to more expletive language being hurled about in Season 2. These will assuredly grant the next installment a TV-MA rating to authentically portray this sandwich-slinging world. 

"The Bear" joins an impressive collection of several acclaimed FX on Hulu series including the nightmare-inducing episodic anthology "American Horror Stories," gripping serial killer drama "The Patient" starring Steve Carell, and the critical hit comedy "Reservation Dogs" with a 99% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. These standout programs showcase the dazzling collaboration between the streamer and network with riveting episodes unavailable anywhere else.