Some TV shows spend seasons developing conflict and enough character arcs for you to care a little too much. You drastically become tense about the outcome of the show as a result.
In its first season, The Bear manages to do both in eight episodes. Because of its amazing story, editing, and performances, I often found myself stressed, hyper, and animated while watching.
The FX series premiered in late June of 2022 and revolves around Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto who has recently acquired a sandwich shop located in the Windy City following his brother’s death. While the show is marketed through its comedic moments, it also has heavier, more emotional scenes.
But as I watched, I found that the stress and anxiety came from the way scenes were edited. The cross-cutting between chefs aggressively cooking and shots of characters running around the kitchen allow no breathing room. Along with the lack of wide shots, this technique allows us to feel as though we are in the enclosed kitchen with the characters.
The show is also stressful because every character is always yelling at one another. Even if the characters aren’t fighting in a scene, the sense of urgency is heightened and emphasized through their intonation. The actors’ veins pop out of their necks; they get red all over, and I wonder to myself, how can they carry on with this performance? How can I carry on watching?
I began this series while sick at home. It was entertaining at the time, but once I got back to regular life and a regular routine it felt wrong to finish the series despite my attempts. With my own hectic schedule and stress, I couldn’t bear anyone else’s, let alone a kitchen full of shouting chefs. So I waited.
I waited until a much-needed fall break, wherein I completed the rest of the show in one sitting and completely fell in love with it all over again — this time properly. Without my own troubles to worry me, I dove back in. I slipped into a fictional world that was undoubtedly stressful, but the show’s purpose is to be stressful. It creates that reality that so many chefs face in restaurants. It eventually provided an escape for me and it is a fictional hectic reality I have thought about ever since.
