BTN News: In recent years, few television series have sparked as much debate and critical acclaim as The Bear. Jeremy Allen White, known for his portrayal of Carmy, a renowned chef, brings to life a character who returns to his hometown of Chicago to take over his family’s restaurant after the tragic suicide of his brother. The restaurant, much like Carmy’s life, is in complete disarray, and the chef finds himself battling anxiety and depression in an environment that mirrors his internal turmoil. As the show progresses, viewers witness Carmy’s decision to tear everything down and start anew, embarking on the challenging journey of transforming the restaurant. The second season dives deep into the pre-opening process of the new venture, while the third, which premiered on Disney+ recently, explores the tumultuous early months of the restaurant’s operation and Carmy’s relentless pursuit of excellence.
Shot with an abundance of close-ups, rapid dialogue exchanges, and an atmosphere thick with tension, The Bear offers a raw depiction of the high-stress world of professional kitchens. The intense, pressure-cooker environment depicted in the series resonates with themes of grief, mental health, and the complexities of family dynamics, particularly parental roles. Despite the heavy subject matter and the palpable tension that makes it difficult to endure for more than 30 minutes at a time, the series has surprisingly been categorized as a comedy, even making history as one of the most lauded comedies in Emmy history.
Indeed, The Bear has shattered records, becoming the most decorated comedy in Emmy history with its first season. It also broke new ground in July by earning the most nominations ever for a comedy in a single season—23 nods for its second installment, surpassing the previous record held by 30 Rock in 2009. Yet, the classification of The Bear as a comedy has fueled an ongoing debate about what truly constitutes a comedy in today’s television landscape.
Some critics, like Stuart Heritage of The Guardian, argue that The Bear should not be considered a comedy at all, suggesting that it undermines the essence of comedy as a genre. Heritage contends that awarding Jeremy Allen White for his role as a comedic lead detracts from performers in more traditionally comedic roles, such as Jason Segel, Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis, and Martin Short, all of whom have also blurred the lines between comedy and drama in their performances.
Conversely, others defend the comedic elements of The Bear. Sarah John of The Daily Beast asserts that the series, with its sharp, often satirical take on the restaurant industry and familial struggles, does indeed qualify as a comedy. She emphasizes that humor is essential in navigating the chaos of life, and The Bear encapsulates this brilliantly, often finding dark humor in the midst of turmoil.
Critics like Kathryn VanArendonk of Vulture find themselves in a middle ground, acknowledging the fluidity of genre definitions in modern television. She points out that the Emmy categories of drama and comedy have evolved, and The Bear fits into a more hybridized concept of comedy that has gained traction with the rise of streaming platforms. VanArendonk even describes the first season as a traditional sitcom in some respects, portraying a dysfunctional family (the restaurant staff) striving to make things work. The second season follows this theme, albeit with a heavier focus on the challenges they face, while the third season delves deeper into drama as the comedic relief becomes scarcer.
The confusion over The Bear‘s classification highlights a broader issue within the industry: the blurred lines between comedy and drama. The Emmy rules, as set by the Television Academy, state that comedies are defined by episodes that are primarily comedic, while dramas are primarily dramatic. This distinction, however, has always been somewhat flexible and has evolved over time. Prior to 2021, the length of an episode was often the deciding factor—half-hour shows were deemed comedies, and hour-long episodes were categorized as dramas. This rule caused confusion, such as when Orange Is the New Black, a show with a mix of drama and comedy, switched from the comedy to the drama category after its first season, despite its initial classification.
The debate surrounding The Bear is not just about one show; it reflects a broader shift in how television genres are perceived and categorized. Traditionally, drama has been seen as more prestigious and artistically significant than comedy. This perception may explain why so many shows that incorporate both elements lean more heavily towards the dramatic side in their pursuit of critical acclaim. Yet, as The Bear illustrates, the lines are increasingly blurred, with many modern series blending comedy and drama in ways that defy traditional genre boundaries.
In the eyes of those behind The Bear, the show’s classification as a comedy is fitting. Executive producer Josh Senior emphasized that the goal was to tell a real, authentic story, while actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who plays Richie, argues that the chaos of the human experience is inherently funny, even when it’s painful. However, not everyone in the industry agrees. Comedian Niles Abston, for instance, criticized the Emmy nominations, suggesting that The Bear is being mislabeled as a comedy when it clearly leans more toward drama.
Ultimately, the conversation about The Bear and its place within the comedy-drama spectrum points to a larger cultural shift in how we consume and interpret television. As genres continue to evolve and overlap, perhaps the need to rigidly classify a show as either comedy or drama will become a thing of the past, allowing stories to be appreciated for their complexity and depth, regardless of their label.
