The Bear season 2 has been officially renewed by FX and Hulu. The hot new series premiered its full eight-episode first season on June 23 and has become a veritable word-of-mouth hit in the weeks since then. The show was created by Christopher Storer and features a cast that includes Shameless star Jeremy Allen White in the lead opposite The Punisher's Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Big Mouth's Ayo Edebiri, Odd Future musician Lionel Boyce, The Purge: Election Year's Liza Colón-Zayas, and SNL's Abby Elliott. The roster of guest stars also includes heavy hitters like Community's Joel McHale, Moss-Bachrach's Punisher co-star Jon Bernthal, and '80s teen icon Molly Ringwald.
The storyline of The Bear is a relatively simple one: Professional chef Carmy Berzatto (Allen White) is forced to return to his hometown of Chicago and run his family's Italian sandwich shop after his brother dies by suicide. The conflict between high and low dining, as well as family drama and interpersonal friction between the chef and the staff of the restaurant, provides fuel for a season that has gripped audiences effortlessly. The show has been well received by critics as well, earning a whopping 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 86 on Metacritic, which they categorize as "universal acclaim." Although the Emmy nominations for 2022 were just announced, so there will be quite a while to wait, The Bear is likely to be a shoo-in for next year as it missed the deadline for this year's ceremony.
Now, FX and Hulu have listened to the show's rabid fans. Exactly three weeks after the show's premiere, they have already renewed The Bear season 2. There is no word on what cast members or crew will be returning at this time, nor is there word on how many episodes have been ordered, though it is likely to continue to be a miniseries length.
Three weeks is an extremely short window for a show's renewal, which reflects just how popular the show has gotten in such a short time. However, for hit streaming shows that drop entire seasons at once, it's not unusual for them to get renewed by the end of the week once producers see the opening streaming numbers. Thus, it can be extrapolated that The Bear was something of a sleeper hit, taking a bit of time to ignite that raging fire within its audience, though on the grander scale it was still almost no time at all.
While season 2's plot details haven't been divulged at this point, it will likely continue the story exactly where The Bear season 1 left off. Carmy's issues with the sandwich shop are far from over and are certain to provide seasons of entertainment for several years to come. It will also likely explore his past relationship with his brother and how that continues to affect him as he runs the restaurant. If the show can overcome the Ted Lasso curse and deliver a second season that gets fans just as hyped, it is certain to stay on the air for quite some time.
Source: FX