The Bear has to be one of the best series ever created. The FX comedy-drama series is intense, funny, tragic, and has some of the most beautiful-looking food I’ve ever seen. Created by Christopher Storer, The Bear follows the story of Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, an award-winning working in one of the best restaurants in the United States, as he moves back to Chicago to run his family-owned sandwich shop after a tragic incident. The Bear aired its third season recently, and I’m happy to say that the series is getting better with every new season. We are also happy that The Bear was renewed for a fourth season ahead of its Season 3 premiere. The Bear stars Jeremy Allen White in the lead role, with Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Abby Elliott, Matty Matheson, Jon Bernthal, Oliver Platt, L-Boy, and Edwin Lee Gibson starring in supporting. So, if you love The Bear’s intensity, comedy, and complex and tragic characters, here are some similar shows you should check out next.
This is Going to Hurt (AMC+, Acorn TV & Prime Video Add-On)
This is Going to Hurt is a British medical comedy-drama miniseries created by Adam Kay. Based on a memoir of the same name by Kay, the BBC One series is set in London in 2006, and it follows Adam Kay’s experiences working as a junior doctor in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology ward at the NHS. While in concept, The Bear and This is Going to Hurt are two completely different shows, but their intensity and complex characters give them a similar feel. This is Going to Hurt stars Ben Whishaw in the lead role, with Ambika Mod, Alex Jennings, Michele Austin, Rory Fleck Byrne, Ashley McGuire, and Kadiff Kirwan starring in supporting roles.
Ramy (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video)
Ramy is a comedy-drama series created by Ramy Youssef, Ari Katcher, and Ryan Welch. The Hulu series follows the story of Ramy, a first-generation American Muslim who goes on a spiritual journey in his extremely political New Jersey neighbourhood. Ramy is a stressful watch because we see a man caught between his culture and the daily life of a young person in America. Ramy stars Youssef in the lead role, with Mohammed Amer, Hiam Abbass, Dave Merheje, Amr Waked, May Calamawy, and Laith Nakli starring in supporting roles.
Boiling Point (Netflix)
Boiling Point is a British drama miniseries created by Philip Barantini, James Cummings, and Stephen Graham. Based on a 2021 film of the same name by Barantini and James Cummings, the BBC One series serves as a sequel to the film, and it begins six months after the events of the film, and we see Carly handling the stress and responsibilities of running the restaurant with her staff that she inherited by her former boss Andy, who had a heart attack. Boiling Point stars Vinette Robinson in the lead role, with Hannah Walters, Izuka Hoyle, Áine Rose Daly, Daniel Larkai, Hannah Traylen, and Stephen McMillan starring in supporting roles.
Succession (Max & Rent on Prime Video)
Succession is a dark comedy-drama series created by Jesse Armstrong. The HBO series follows the story of the extremely rich and dysfunctional Roy family, who control a powerful global media and entertainment empire, Waystar RoyCo. As the name suggests, the Roy siblings have their eye on the CEO chair as their father, Logan Roy, is getting older, and they are willing to backstab, lie, and pretty much do anything to get to the top, but Logan still has a lot of fight left in him. While Succession is completely different from The Bear in its story and characters, both have that tragic feeling of seeing a character self-destruct repeatedly. Succession stars Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin, Matthew Macfadyen, Sarah Snook, Nicholas Braun, Alan Ruck, J. Smith-Cameron, and Hiam Abbass.
Beef (Netflix)
Beef is a dark comedy-drama series created by Lee Sung Jin. The Netflix series follows the story of two complete strangers, Danny Cho and Amy Lau, who are involved in a road rage incident that develops into a dangerous cat-and-mouse-like feud in which both try to destroy each other’s lives. Beef and The Bear both have tragic and traumatized characters who just can’t get out of their own heads and see the destruction they have done. Beef stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong in the lead roles, with Joseph Lee, Young Mazino, David Choe, and Patti Yasutake starring in supporting roles.
Sweetbitter (Starz & Rent on Prime Video)
Sweetbitter is a drama series created by Stephanie Danler. Based on the 2016 novel by Danler, the Starz series follows the story of Tessa, a young woman, arriving in New York City and landing a job at a popular restaurant downtown. She soon finds herself working in a stressful job and an environment that brings drugs, drinking, lust, and love with it. Sweetbitter stars Ella Purnell in the lead role, with Tom Sturridge, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Evan Jonigkeit, Eden Epstein, Jasmine Matthews, Daniyar, and Paul Sparks starring in supporting roles.
Julia (Max & Prime Video Add-On)
Julia is a biographical comedy-drama series created by Daniel Goldfarb. Based on the life of Julia Child, the Max series is set in the 1960s in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it follows the titular character as she produces and stars in a cooking show, which would start a genre that we still watch to this day. Julia stars Sarah Lancashire in the lead role with Brittany Bradford, Fiona Glascott, David Hyde Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth, Fran Kranz, Judith Light, Isabella Rossellini, and Jefferson Mays starring in supporting roles.