Photo: FX In the first episode of The Bear, the young and ambitious Sydney Adamu walks into an old-school Chicago sandwich joint, applies for a job, and immediately gets thrown into the fray of a bustling kitchen. Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto , who recently inherited the Original Beef of Chicagoland from his late brother, Michael, has work for her to do.
“All things go, all things go,” warbles Sufjan Stevens in “Chicago,” one of many choice needle drops in The Bear and also its operating principle. This show is all forward momentum and kinetic energy: subways in motion, gas burners lighting, shouting and noise and rushing, forever rushing to the next thing that has to get done.
Carmy, once a high-end chef at the French Laundry and Noma who’s now overseeing the slapping of grilled onions, peppers, and braised meat onto homemade rolls, writes the phrase “sense of urgency” on a piece of tape and sticks it to one of the countertops. It’s what he asks for from his staff as he implements the brigade system for maximum efficiency and urges them to communicate more clearly — “Thank you, chef” becomes the catchphrase of the kitchen.
Sydney, who has a spine as strong as her many ideas for improving the restaurant, is incredibly skilled and impatient for those skills to be rewarded. Edebiri, the comedian and voice of Missy on Big Mouth, plays her with welcome confidence instead of the insecurity that often becomes the defining quality in mentee-type characters.
chaneyj Really enjoyed this overall!