The Bear‘s success at the recently concluded 76th Emmy Awards has set off another round of the recurring online discourse about the show being a drama or a comedy, with fans presenting arguments for each side.
The debate and the show’s performance at the awards have also piqued the interest of those who have yet to watch the show, who now might be likely to finally check it out. Interested viewers will find Christopher Storer’s drama-comedy (or is it a comedy-drama?) on Hulu and not popular streaming websites like Prime Video or Netflix. All FX-produced shows are exclusively released only on Hulu.
FX’s original programming and Hulu’s association began in 2020, with shows like Devs and Mrs. America. It expanded to The Bear and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia being made available on the platform, both of which are considered the network’s most successful titles. Considering Hulu is owned by Disney, fans can rest assured about The Bear‘s availability, as it is likely to remain on the same streamer for a considerable time. Disney is extremely protective of its catalog and IPs, and with a popular show like The Bear, the media company will not be taking any chances.
Having released three seasons in three years (2022, 2023, 2024), the show remains a case study in quick turnarounds. While ensuring the three seasons come out in successive years, the creators have ensured that there is no drop in the quality of writing, which has only improved as the show has progressed.
The Bear has won 21 Emmys so far, which includes a win for the show in the Outstanding Comedy Series category, two acting wins each for Jeremy Allen White and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and single acting wins for Ayo Edebiri and Liza Colón-Zayas. It has also done well at the Golden Globes, winning four awards, which include acting wins for White and Edebiri and Best Television Series—Musical or Comedy—in 2024. The show has helped Edebiri and Allen White land critical film roles, catapulting them to major success.
Over its three seasons, the show has built a significant fanbase, establishing itself as one of the marquee TV series of its era. Almost all of its episodes are intense from a psychological and physical perspective, which includes long-drawn arguments and shouting matches. The Bear‘s crests and troughs involve melancholia and rib-tickling moments in equal measure, with themes including dysfunctional family relationships, workplace harassment, suicide, and addiction.
The cast has played a key role in the show’s meteoric rise, with the ensemble of Allen White, Edebiri, Moss-Bachrach, Colón-Zayas, Lionel Boyce, Abby Elliot, and Matty Matheson turning in incredible performances episodes in, episode out. Recurring actors like Jon Bernthal, Joel McHale, Oliver Platt, and Molly Gordon have also been praised for their appearances, and in addition to that, The Bear has featured guest actors like Gillian Jacobs, Will Poulter, Jamie Lee-Curtis, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, and Josh Hartnett.
The Bear was renewed for a fourth season following record-breaking viewership numbers for season 3, and it is expected to be released sometime in 2026. Some of it has already been filmed in 2024, with production set to resume in 2025.
Published: Sep 17, 2024 04:00 pm