Ok, so you’ve already powered through all the episodes in the new series of The Bear and now have no idea what to watch now? Here are a few shows that share some similarities with The Bear that you may be into!
Whether you’re looking for a new TV recommendation, what to read next, or what to line-up next in your podcast queue, we’ve got you covered, with our new entertainment series, ‘So You’re a Fan Of’. We’ll be working our way through new or popular TV shows, movies, books/authors and podcasts and will then match-make you with other suggestions for you to try!
If you need any reminding (or convincing) just how popular The Bear is, you need only look at the names of the guest stars who the second and third season have attracted. Everyone from Olivia Colman to Jamie Lee Curtis to Sarah Paulson to John Cena are such big fans of the show, they’ve managed to get cameos written in, to appear on it.
If you’re yet to check it out The Bear is a drama/comedy (read: an extremely stressful show, that’s often quite dark, but also has the occasional bit of humour in it so that you don’t feel so anxious that you never watch another episode) that follows Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) who is an award-winning chef of a Michelin starred restaurant who returns to his hometown in Chicago after his brother dies, to run his olf chaotic sandwich shop. It has one incredible core cast, a hell of a plot, and somehow, season 2 is even better than the first and season 3 is giving it a run for its money.
If you’ve already ploughed through it and are looking for what to watch next, here are five shows we think you’ll like:
The Sopranos
Okay, this has to be first on the list, because it is the original (dysfunctional) family drama to explore Italian/American culture and the love language of food. If you’ve somehow never watched the series (look, I only started watching a couple of years ago, so there’s no shame!), now is your time – or, a fab time for a rewatch.
The show follows the Soprano family – primarily the father, Tony (James Gandolfini) who is apparently a waste management consultant living with his wife, daughter and son in the New Jersey suburbs. In actual fact Tony is a high-ranking Mafia member and the incredible series follows his double life, the wild dealings of the Mafia, his complex relationship with his wife and kids – and, we get to tag along for his insightful trips to a therapist in secret.
Watch it now on: Neon
Beef
Before I had watched either of The Bear or Beef I got these two shows confused all the time whenever Capsule’s Emma, or my husband would talk about them. Strange, because they’re two very different shows… with a few big similarities.
I’ve heard Beef described as a meditation on anger – which, sometimes feels like it could be an apt description of The Bear? Beef is a black comedy that follows two strangers (a man and a woman) who become forever entwined after a road rage incident brings chaos into their lives. Why are these two people so angry? The series explores the pursuit of fulfillment – professional and personal (and how entwined they can be) – some themes that are definitely familiar in The Bear.
It’s quite unlike anything I’ve watched before, but definitely a good next watch after The Bear.
Watch it on: Netflix
Succession
Did someone say family drama? There’s no better place to be a fly on the wall for more insane family drama than Succession. Unlike The Bear, most of this show takes place in the boardroom, focusing on the insanely wealthy Roy’s. The family’s patriarch, Logan Roy, is at the helm of family-owned media and entertainment conglomerate, Waystar RoyCo. But, with Logan’s health in question, his four children begin fighting for control of the company.
It is an insanely good watch, with one heck of a cast, including Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook and Brian Cox. But it’s honestly worth watching just for the characters Tom Wambsgans (the son-in-law of Logan) and Greg Hirsch (Logan’s nephew).
Watch it on: Neon
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
Anthony Bourdain was not only well-known for his talents in the kitchen, but for his constant exploration of different cultures, countries, people and ways of life.
It was based on these great loves that he made several TV shows, but this one is arguably the very best. CNN’s Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown saw him travel to different cities across the world, looking for their signature cuisines as he intertwined his own cultural journey. It won 12 Emmys and is just sublime.
In one ep, Anthony travels to Chicago (and has a meal with local Barack Obama). It makes sense that he would be one of Carmy’s idols and inspirations (there’s a pic of him on the wall in The Bear).
Watch it on: DocPlay
The Chef Show
Okay, so now you’ve watched The Bear and picked up a thing or two to take into the kitchen (anyone else whisking their eggs through a sieve now before making an omelette, thanks to watching Carmy make one? Oh, and adding crushed potato chips as a garnish!?) and maybe now you’re ready to really through yourself into a cooking show?
If so, The Chef Show is a great place to start. Writer/director and food enthusiast Jon Favreau teams up with chef Roy Choi to explore food in and out of the kitchen. And, like The Bear, it’s full of celebrity cameos, with accomplished chefs (like Dave Chang) and Hollywood stars (like Gwyneth Paltrow) joining the duo each week.
Watch it on: Netflix
