Parents' Guide to

The Bear

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Edgy, bittersweet series has cursing, smoking, and heart.

TV FX Drama 2022
The Bear TV show: poster.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Nicole M.
Nicole M. Parent of 16-year-old
July 9, 2023
age 16+

Def not for kids , very mature teens maybe

This is an amazing show, very relatable when you have been raised in the family restaurant business. Is not for kids though, content is way too intense and there are a lot of heavy themes. Some clips that are degrading to women, for the most part it’s the violence , cursing and drug use that is concerning. The theme of suicide is very real and is the main point of this, it does show how people deal with it and how they try to move on and turn that grief into something productive. Very informative regarding business , depression, grief and relationships.
jladams2000
jladams2000 Parent of 14-year-old
July 4, 2023
age 14+

Great characters, mature themes

The show is really well-written, has great character development, and amazing cooking scenes. There is a LOT of cursing and mature themes (suicide, drug and alcohol addiction, verbal abuse, anxiety, depression, and family dysfunction.) However, I think it’s a good show to watch with your mature teens. Some of the scenes and episodes are very emotionally charged and could be upsetting to sensitive viewers. I would recommend watching the episodes in advance to ensure you’re ready to discuss the topics with your teen. It is a good show to discuss grief, addiction, verbal abuse, and working in a diverse fast faced industry.
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

THE BEAR is a dramatic series about a brilliant young chef who comes home to run his family's sandwich shop. Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) is a talented, up-and-coming chef who was making a name for himself in the world of fine dining. But when his brother dies by suicide, Carmy returns to Chicago to take over his cash-strapped local eatery. It isn't easy, especially when his cousin Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and the rest of the ragtag staff, including Marcus (Lionel Boyce), Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas), and Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson), resist his attempts to elevate the kitchen to a standard that he's more accustomed to with the help of new sous chef Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri). Meanwhile, Carmy is trying to negotiate his strained relationship with his family, including his sister Natalie, aka "Sugar" (Abby Elliott), while grieving the loss of his career and struggling with the guilt he feels about his brother's tragic death. Soon Carmy realizes that he also has a lot to learn, but he still isn't sure that his new life has a lot to offer.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (2 ):

The well-written, well-performed series offers an honest and edgy portrayal of a young man coping with difficult personal circumstances while trying to turn around a struggling family eatery. Despite some humorous moments, The Bear takes an unapologetically hard look at the challenges that come with building and maintaining a small restaurant, regardless of how popular it is or how talented the owners are. But within this chaos, the series offers a bittersweet narrative about family, and how, despite ongoing differences, they always manage to be there for each other. Overall, it's a TV show that serves up a good story that is worth investing in.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how much work goes into running a small restaurant. Did you know that one out of three restaurants fails in their first year? Why?

  • Why is the series called The Bear? How is this represented in each episode?

TV Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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