More musings on things from my diaries
The Bear
Television Programme
Diaries: 18th October 2022, 26th July 2023, 27th July 2023, 25th June 2024, 8th July 2024
I’m writing this listening to Together by the Nine Inch Nails, a song I’ve been playing repeatedly over the past week. It has no lyrics, and I can write without being distracted. The repetition is mesmerising. It soothes me. There is a familiarity that means that after a few listens my brain knows what to expect. A gentle but pulsating rhythm rolls over and over, helping me work through the task at hand. The music fades into the background yet fills my studio with a calming air making it easier to work. It’s like the first wash of colour on a sheet of watercolour paper when the blank page turns into something less intimidating. I know that rather like the work of Philip Glass, Together, will become a staple in my concentration-music repertoire.
I discovered this track when watching the opening episode of season three of The Bear (a TV series that I would far from describe as gentle or calming). Rationing myself to one episode per evening, I use it as a reward after a day of work. I use the word ‘reward’ tentatively. For an episode of The Bear does not provide the delicious taste of a piece of chocolate at the end of a meal. Rather it’s an awakening of the senses, a punch to the gut that one might associate with the wasabi that accompanies a piece of delicate sushi. It’s near the top of my most stressful to watch TV list. Equal to watching the England men’s football team in any penalty shootout (but especially against Switzerland last Saturday night in the Euro 2024 quarter final).
“THE BEAR” – S2
(l-r) Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, Lionel Boyce as Marcus and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richard “Richie” Jerimovich
Image Courtesy of Disney+
It baffles me how The Bear is classified as a comedy. There is passion, determination, stubbornness, anger, rage, fear, upset, hurt, heartache, yet very little, if any, joy and pleasure. We see tension in the kitchen, how fraught each service is, but never the excitement of getting the plating of a particular dish right or the enjoyment of people eating the food. The central character, Carmen, or Carmy to some, doesn’t smile through the entire third series, and I can’t recall ever being close to chuckling. Certain scenes made me genuinely frustrated and upset. It may well be that The Fak brothers, Neil and Ted, are meant to be the source of the show’s humour but they get on my nerves with their childish teasing. I don’t appreciate the yelling and the swearing between Carmy and Richie. Swearing loses its impact when it’s used in every sentence. It is hard to watch. So, what is it that keeps me watching?
“THE BEAR” — “Napkins” — S3, E6
Liza Colón-Zayas as Tina.
Image courtesy of Disney+
I’m fascinated by the flawed characters. Over the course of three series we are given insights into and possible reasons for the tensions between the members of this dysfunctional family. Fishes, (episode 6/series 2) was particularly illuminating, and relatable in more ways than one. Christmas and Thanksgiving can be disaster for many a family. I found that as I became more aware of the complexities of each character, I became more attached to them. I want them to succeed. I am invested in them. I urge Marcus to master the art of making the perfect donut. I feel proud of Ritchie as his attitude shifts following his training at Ever, “the greatest restaurant in the world”. I feel for Tina as she is rejected from yet another job interview. I appreciate Sydney’s stubbornness when Marcus offers to help her take something off a shelf. I know what it feels like when Natalie is faced with a medical emergency and has to call someone on the bottom of her list of contacts. This understanding of the characters is not served up on a plate as an appetiser. We are left to simmer, and stew with the characters. For me, this means that when the writers do drop pivotal explanations into an episode, my relationship with the character deepens. It is this craftmanship and attention to detail that keeps me invested, regardless of how challenging I have found it to watch.
“THE BEAR” — “Apologies” — S3,E9
Lionel Boyce as Marcus
Image Courtesy of Disney+
It makes me think of the way a song is constructed or a painting composed. The are periods of low intensity that contrast with the main chorus. For instance, episode 1/series 3 is for the most part wordless – with Together being the soundtrack for the majority of the 37-minute episode. The cinematography is delightful. We are taken back in time with shots of Carmel during his chef training, methodically labelling ingredients, carefully podding peas and meticulously using tweezers to put the finishing touches to a dish. The visuals please my OCD eye.
“THE BEAR” — “Legacy” — S3, E7
Pictured- (l-r) Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu, Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto.
Image Courtesy of Disney+
Similarly, the incredibly controlled order and service system used at Ever satisfies my neurodiverse mind. Then we are catapulted into the madness of service. It’s demanding. We hop from past to present. Focus in on one character for an episode and then zoom out to see the bigger picture of where they fit into the family, the team. I finished series 3 feeling unsatisfied, hungry for more, and although the series ends with a funeral of sorts, thankfully, the to be continued message assures me there will be more to come.