Hands

Well, I see the naysayers have already given up on this after two episodes. Folks, you need some background. We need to know how the brother died. We need to see why the restaurant is in trouble. The food inspector was just there to jack things up and put pressure on. The guy showing up, ready to buy the restaurant obviously has ulterior motives. Richie is a loose cannon and so broken. He is divorced and has a little girl and has no control over his life. He can't recognize his weaknesses but will not reach out for help. I believe that this show is set up now for a huge success because we have everything on our plate (bad pun, yes).

Right, Ep 2 is done and I'm starting to understand what all the chatter's been about. "Hands" doesn't just continue where the pilot left off - it properly ramps up the tension until you're practically holding your breath.

The brilliance here is how they've made every single problem feel urgent and interconnected.

Carmen's trying to sort the books whilst dealing with a broken freezer, dodgy suppliers, and staff who seem determined to wind him up. It's like watching someone juggle flaming torches whilst riding a unicycle on a tightrope.

What's clever is how the show doesn't give you a moment to breathe. Just when you think Carmen might catch a break, something else goes wrong.

The pacing is relentless but never feels manufactured - it's the genuine chaos of a failing business where everything's held together with gaffer tape and stubbornness.

Jeremy Allen White continues to be magnetic. His Carmen is wound so tight you worry he might snap, but there's something deeply human about his determination to make this work. The supporting cast is growing on me too - particularly Ebon Moss-Bachrach's Richie, who manages to be both infuriating and oddly loyal.

I'm definitely continuing now. This feels like something special brewing.

The hype might actually be justified.

After the frenetic pilot episode, "The Bear" creator/director Chris Storer delivers very little forward progress in his second segment, just the same problems already presented, plus a few more.

Biggest issue for me is the key co-starring role of Richie, written as a total jerk. Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays the part well, but I found it impossible to sympathize with him, planted in the show as adversary/detriment to our stalwart hero, but way too exaggerated. Of course, Sydney the sous-chef offers great promise, almost too good to be true as the spirit of youthful aspiration that should spur our hero on to greatness.

The overall emphasis on "salt of the Earth" types, while the elitism of the profession (chef) is crudely symbolized by the tyrannical NYC chef who bosses the Bear around in flashback. The whole underdog thing is wildly overblown, and even guest star Oliver Platt as Uncle Jimmy, a transparently self-serving guy pretending to be sympathetic is pure cliche.

So far, thanks to star Jeremy's obvious talent and deep understanding of his role, the show comes off as nearly a one-man effort.