The Bear: What to watch (and read!) after this show leaves you starving for more
So you've binged both seasons of The Bear. Here's what to watch next.
The Bear is a great show. Both electric and wildly stressful, once you start, you'll find yourself riveted to your seat until it's all over - but, of course, there isn't all that much show to watch. With only two seasons currently streaming, what should fans of The Bear turn to once they've finished all that's on the menu?
Here's where this guide comes in. Some of these recommendations may be obvious choices, others may seem a little out of left field, but all of these picks may be able to scratch that itch. If you're at a loss as to what to watch (or read) after The Bear, check out the five options listed below.
Good Time
If you love The Bear because of the near-painful intensity of the show, Good Time will give you that. Josh and Benny Safdie's crime thriller stars Robert Pattinson and Benny Safdie, and it is so very stressful that you'll likely need to take a break once the movie is done.
Shameless
If you want to see a very young Jeremy Allen White and a whole lot of chaos, disaster people, and lots of Chicago - the American remake of Shameless is a great show to get into after The Bear. Jeremy Allen White really shines as whipsmart Lip Gallagher, and White is able to bring a lot of charm and fun to the large and talented cast of the show.
Fleabag
If you want an emotionally intense show about a hot mess, Fleabag is definitely the watch for you. Not only is the show a brilliant story about personhood and navigating the sometimes absurd relationships and situations that thread through your life, it also features unforgettable performances from Pheobe Waller-Bridge, Sian Clifford, Andrew Scott, Bill Paterson, and Oliva Coleman, who also appeared briefly in The Bear.
Iron Wok Jan
Food is serious businss, and in the manga Iron Wok Jan, it is cooked on high heat (but without burning anything). This overlooked manga follows a cocky second-generation chef who must overcome the shadow of his grandfather, the "master of Chinese cuisine" - while also honoring him, after he killed himself as his skills faltered. Iron Wok Jan mixes the drama of cooking competition shows with the inside-baseball of it all that The Bear does so well, while doing it all through the lens of action manga.
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
Jeremy Allen White does look a little like Anthony Bourdain, though I don't know if that's reason enough to recommend you watch Parts Unknown after The Bear. No, it's Bourdain's love for food and culture that makes Parts Unknown great, and it's his attention to all the little details that go into amazing food that may make this travel/food show a great watch if The Bear has piqued your interest in the world of culinary arts.
And... our honorable mention from Popverse Marketing Coordinator Illianna Gonzalez- Soto - Anything with Gordon Ramsey yelling
I've never personally worked in a kitchen, but from what The Bear shows, I assume there's a lot of yelling. And if you want to see someone yelling about food, there's no better place to start than a Gordon Ramsey show. Hell's Kitchen is a good place to start, and if that ends up being too heavy, I've heard that Masterchef Jr. shows some of Ramsey's sweeter side.
