Beef

Talk about an opener. This episode does not ease you in whatsoever. It brings back that chaotic and stress inducing feel almost immediately.

First episodes are usually a great way to showcase what you would be presenting for the rest of the season and this episode perfectly represents that.

Restaurant is getting a massive facelift and the crew have no time to waste as they are on a short deadline to rebuild this decaying establishment.

Now that's the plot but in terms of its story theres a lot that will be explored here. What's great is that you have a whole list of characters that actually mean a lot to this story and to know that they will be fleshed out even further all while expanding the plot from the first season is something to be praised about.

What the bloody hell was that? After Season 1's finale left me genuinely excited for what came next, Beef feels like watching a completely different show - and not in a good way.

Remember how Season 1 found its voice by the end, despite those wobbly middle episodes? Well, it seems the writers have promptly forgotten everything that worked. The episode meanders without purpose, the characters feel like hollow versions of themselves, and that authentic workplace chaos has been replaced by... well, I'm honestly not sure what.

Jeremy Allen White still commits fully, but he's working with material that gives him nothing to grab onto. The supporting cast - Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Abby Elliott, the lot - seem equally adrift. Where's the sharp dialogue? The genuine tension? The emotional truth that made the Season 1 finale so powerful?

It's early days, but this feels like a classic case of a show that peaked in its first season and has no idea how to follow it up. The Bear earned my trust over eight episodes, and now it's squandered it in one.

Desperately hoping this is just a false start.

Out of all the episodes this season, (or the series as a whole) oddly one particular moment between Richie and Carmy just stuck with me.

"Purpose, chef"

Two words, Two very powerful words that I took away from the episode and I have been repeating it to myself ever since.

Even though it's not my favourite episode of the season (That'll be episode 6) this is the most memorable thing I took from it (As someone who struggles to find their own purpose in life)

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. I'm not a chef but I just might tattoo that quote on me to help me through my mental health battles.

This episode got to the point of the season without any filler, and now has me excited for the rest of the season!

I think Sydney said it the best! This is gonna be a rough ride and I am on board! Them preparing to open their new restaurant quickly turns into a very complex proces with a crazy deadline!

The character arcs is also set up very well, with Richie being the one that really stands out here! That scene at beginning of the episode, where he talks about purpose, was surprisingly emotional! In season one he struggled to find his identity in all this, and he knows that now!

I think we have qll been like Richie! Looking at how everyone else had found their drive and what they were good at, while you yourself felt like there wasn't anything that made you special or stick out!

A good show will often cause a lot of buzz, and some even create so much buzz that it becomes tiresome to continuously hear about how good it is. That was how "The Bear" always came across to me as it was constantly praised to high heavens, and no one seemed to have anything bad to say about it. I saw the first season, and immediately understood what people had been talking about, and it made me even more excited to watch the second season. And truly, this show seems to just be going non-stop as this is a brilliant opening to a promising season.

The sign of a good premiere is when it manages to perfectly lay out the entire season. This episode literally puts up a time table with a goal in hand for these characters to reach, and it would be fair to assume that the season will focus on this storyline. And if that is what it is, then I'm all in for it. All the characters seem to be in their best places this episode, but there's still a lot of things to chew over in order for them to achieve their big plans. It won't be easy for them, but passion is able to carry people a long way, and if there's anything these guys have, it's passion. It does a great job of setting up all the other characters and providing them with a journey for the season, and one that we can feel emotionally related to. It's also fair to assume that this episode is easing us into the greater journey ahead, as it doesn't feel the need to overflow us with plotting, simply putting out an idea and the road ahead. Christopher Storer clearly has great plans for this show and it mirrors the plans of the characters, although he may have an easier time to reach his goal given his immense talent when it comes to crafting these beautiful stories. All the characters have come back with a vengeance this time around, and it'll be exciting to see what lies ahead as we're rooting for them to achieve their success.

"Beef" is a great introduction to this new season and it beautifully lays out the storyline without a lot of mystery or complex plotting involved. It's straightforward, yet it provides a canvas for all of these characters to go through an emotional journey, and the writing complements our investment by setting up some great character journeys.