Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Yes, chef! There are more shows that dish up the same fast-paced, high-intensity, dramedy style as FX’s The Bear.
The Bear premiered its second season on June 22, 2023 and was met with high appraisal from critics and viewers alike (including a spot on Decider’s Best TV of 2023 So Far). From “The Original Beef” to “The Bear,” watching Carmy, Sydney, Richie, and the rest of the foodie gang come together in a time of loss for the past two seasons, and miraculously transform a grimy sandwich shop into a gourmet restaurant was nothing short of perfection. With crazy cameos and heightened pressure inside and outside the kitchen, “every second” of Season 2 left us wanting more.
If you, too, are aching for more Bear-like dramedy, we’ve got you covered. From the chaotic family drama in Succession, to the intense work environment in This Is Going to Hurt, here are seven shows to let rip as we wait for news on the possibility of a Season 3.
‘Industry’
Similar to The Bear, HBO’s Industry follows up-and-coming professionals trying to make it in a cutthroat business world. The drama hones in on a group of young graduates working to solidify their roles at a distinguished London investment bank, Pierpoint & Co. The high-intensity workplace, pressure to succeed, and mix of personal and professional brings the same energy we know and love from The Bear.
‘Shameless’
Can’t get enough of watching Carmy? Try watching Lip! Showtime’s Shameless provided Jeremy Allen White with his breakout role as Lip Gallagher, the eldest son of a struggling family from the South Side of Chicago just trying to avoid becoming like their alcoholic, absent father. Other than their love for the Windy City, Carmy and Lip share an undying love for their families, explosive tempers, and intense intelligence. The long-running and heart-wrenching series is sure to become your new obsession.
‘This Is Going to Hurt’
The only environment more fast-paced, intense, and stressful than restaurants are hospitals. Based on Adam Kay’s memoir, This Is Going to Hurt is set in the OB-GYN ward at an underfunded British hospital, starring a fictional version of Kay who’s consumed by his work and can’t help but bring it home with him. Like The Bear, the dramedy operates at a breakneck pace and quickly jumps between comedic and dramatic sequences.
‘Succession’
From co-workers to family and family to co-workers, both The Bear and Succession reveal how family and family-like relationships can impact a business. The HBO drama follows a family of billionaires vying for their father’s approval and control over his media empire. The Roy and Berzatto siblings similarly portray what happens when familial expectations clash with an intense desire for success. Succession’s anxiety-inducing abilities and intense family drama are sure to please The Bear fans.
‘Ramy’
Before The Bear, director Christopher Storer worked on Ramy, comedian Ramy Youssef’s semi-autobiographical dramedy. Youssef stars as Ramy Hassan, a first-generation Egyptian American living with his family in New Jersey and struggling with his identity as a “good Muslim” and an American 20-something-year-old. Ramy may not reach the height of intensity we see in The Bear, but it presents a heartfelt look into faith, family, and morals.
‘BEEF’
Not to be confused with the Chicago sandwich shop “The Original Beef,” Netflix’s BEEF has the intensity necessary to compare it to The Bear. The dramedy follows two strangers who go from a small road rage incident to a crazy revenge war. Witnessing the length at which Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) and Amy Lau (Ali Wong) will go to provide each other with bad karma is exhilarating, but it only creates more consequences for all involved.
‘Sweetbitter’
Sweetbitter follows a young waitress named Tess who’s working at an extremely high-end restaurant in New York City. We can imagine Tess’s life in this Starz drama series is similar to what Carmy experienced in his days at Noma. The similarities between these shows take place in restaurant settings, chaotic kitchens, and how the characters develop close relationships with their co-workers.
