Start fresh and clean: that’s the game plan for Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) heading into the second season of The Bear. The first season of the FX dramedy delighted in seeing characters come up against impossible kitchen deadlines, which is something Carmy and company want to change. As the season two trailer shows, however, that’s not going to be easy.
The trio we’ve gotten to know and love; comprised of Carmy, his sister Natalie (Abby Elliott), and head chef Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri), plan to open a new restaurant in six months time despite not having a staff or a building that’s up to code. It’s a self-imposed mission they approach with gusto, but the further we get into the trailer, the more we come to realize that they are in over their head.
The trailer also showcases the outlandish, in-your-face confrontation that made the first season such an unexpected success. Carmy’s cousin Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is angry as ever as he tries to intimidate a contractor into keeping quiet about the restaurant’s mold problem.
We also get to see Carmy attending a therapy group, and taking legitimate strides to improve his personal as well as his professional life. This progress was hinted at in the season one finale, so it’s nice to see showrunner Joanna Calo following through with this arc. Whether it leads to salvation or another emotional dead-end for the character remains to be seen, but either way it’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun to watch.
Calo told Variety that the new season will attempt the dual task of honing in on established characters as well as expanding the world of The Bear. “[It] will hone in on hospitality, taking care of others and making the cast’s lives a bit bigger,” she revealed. “At the center, Carmy will still be reeling from his brother’s death and his own demons in the sophomore season, too.”
Little has been revealed about the show’s new characters, though some of them are glimpsed in the trailer. Oliver Platt is the man being pitched to in the opening scene, suggesting he may be an investor or a local bigwig who could help get the restaurant back on its feet.
Then there’s Molly Gordon, who was previously announced as part of the season two cast and who delivers one of the most weighty lines in the entire trailer: “How has your life been, Berzatto?” Again, details are scarce, but there seems to be an implied familiarity between her character and Carmy’s that suggests a shared past. It’ll be interesting to see how pieces of Carmy’s past play into his aforementioned attempt at a “fresh start.” We imagine, for the sake of entertainment, it will cause some major complications.
Gordon’s character also gets to shine in the last scene of the trailer, which is a hilarious bit involving the name of the restaurant (aka the name of the show). She insists she remembers the name, Carmy insists he never told it to anyone: “How could you remember the name?” To be fair, it is memorable.
10 episodes of The Bear season 2 will be streaming on Hulu starting June 22.