Kitchen Confidential
A kitchen show before The Bear made “yes, chef” a colloquial phrase, the short-lived FOX series based on Anthony Bourdain’s memoir starred Bradley Cooper as a chef with substance abuse issues who is given a comeback opportunity at an upscale NYC restaurant. He leans on colleagues from previous jobs, played by actors like John Cho and Nicholas Brendon, to put together a competent staff with only 48 hours until opening. The show is much more playful in tone than The Bear (think network comedy) but there are obvious thematic and story-level similarities here, and a game for anything and jovial Cooper made the show a cult hit—even if FOX canceled it after just four episodes.
Sweetbitter
If you wanted a whole series about Carmy’s experience at an established high-end NYC restaurant, look no further than the Starz series Sweetbitter, which was based on Stephanie Danler’s book of the same name. Unlike Carmy, main character Tess (Ella Purnell) arrives in the restaurant world somewhat accidentally, but her experience in the high pressure environment and in forging a dysfunctional family at work would be right at home on The Bear.
Shameless
Part of The Bear’s charm is its dedication to Chicago—the second episode of season 3 featured a rare title sequence that doubled as an ode to the Midwestern city’s culinary scene. There have been many other shows about the Windy City but if you’re looking for more heart and more Jeremy Allen White, Shameless might be the perfect next show for you. Set on the city’s South Side, the Showtime series follows the drug-addled patriarch of the working class Gallagher family who is constantly in search of his next fix, forcing his kin to fend for themselves. As with The Bear, Chicago is inextricable with Shameless, especially as it features a lower income neighborhood.
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Barry
Another 30-minute dramedy, HBO’s Barry centers on a former hitman who tries to leave his violent past behind by following a new passion: acting. Though the later seasons become progressively darker and less funny, early seasons of Barry are darkly humorous while still also touching on similar topics to The Bear, like mental health and relationships. If sharp dialogue and a rumination on actions and consequences are interesting to you, Barry should be your next watch.
BEEF
A meditation on anger, Netflix’s BEEF may be one of the closest cousins (Cousin!) to The Bear. The main characters of both shows struggle with their pursuit of professional fulfillment and the series follows the way their personal relationships are altered by it, though they’re both at different steps along that journey. BEEF is another 30-minute series that seriously blurs the line between genres and goes deeper on universal issues that tend to make people feel alienated in society.
Atlanta
Donald Glover’s Atlanta was known for its experimentation with form, whether it was introducing standalone episodes with one-off characters or satirizing cultural moments within the world of the show. The Bear is much less experimental, but show creator Christopher Storer seems interested in shaking up the filmmaking of the series; the season 3 opener is a melodic journey through Carmy’s memories and gives us more background on the influential figures that shaped who he is today via wordless, repetitive snippets. It’s also worth noting that Atlanta EP and director Hiro Murai also executive produces The Bear. Beyond that, there are thematic parallels as Carmy and Earn both return home after a promising education and careers in big cities, and are forced to reinvent themselves amid tenuous circumstances.
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Julia
Max’s Julia is probably the least like The Bear when it comes to tone—it’s a much lighter, heartwarming look at the culinary world—but it’s not without its own commentary about the industry. Following Julia Child’s life as she creates the first televised cooking show, the series depicts her fight to be taken seriously and touches on her ascent to celebrity chef status.
Boiling Point
A UK miniseries created as a coda to the eponymous film, Boiling Point is a four-episode meditation on the pressures of opening a fine dining restaurant. Just like The Bear, Boiling Point’s plot is spurred by a health-related scare as a sous-chef Carly takes over her boss Andy’s restaurant while he recovers from a heart attack, and it highlights the all-encompassing work of being a chef. Characters in both shows struggle with alcoholism and professional disappointment, but can’t shake the thrill of being in a kitchen.
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