Image via Disney+
This may be the best opening episode of any series ever made. The Bear Season 3, which launched on Disney+ June 27, does something bold, beautiful, and unbelievable in its perfectly orchestrated opener. In a series of exquisitely executed images that come together and form a peerless montage, audiences are invited to accompany Carmy (Jermey Allen White) on his culinary journey. Taking in endless amounts of food that feel curated rather than cooked, creator Christopher Storer is out to make a statement.
Image via Disney+
Image via Disney+
Sensory rather than seismic thanks to a hypnotic score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Tomorrow takes in that epic season 2 closer and its aftermath with intimate precision. Featuring crucial cameos from Will Poulter and Olivia Coleman, dialogue is minimal. Flashbacks are drawn from numerous timelines, maintaining a perfect emotional balance and never feel superfluous. These are elegantly entwined with perfect character moments that hinge on reaction shots, pinpointing internal conflict and personal turmoil. Not one moment of screen time is wasted and every second counts.
Image via Disney+
Image via Disney+
With the sound turned down Tomorrow is no less effective. As Carmy continues his journey and the events all build towards his brother’s suicide, audiences will never mis-interpret a moment. It becomes increasingly clear that culinary excellence and a creative mindset represent only half of this story. Like every artist in any field Carmy craves approval, thrives on insecurity, and battles against stasis including any form of emotional attachment. Fraught with imposter syndrome, yet capable of expressing himself more clearly through cooking than anything else, Tomorrow aggressively defies description.
Image via Disney+
Image via Disney+
This is the perfect combination of form and function, telling a story through images that any other medium might fumble. Part of that success, aside from a perfectly cast Jeremy Allen White is Storer’s ability to manifest this world so completely. No drama series has ever managed to truly capture kitchens in such an honest and visceral way. Relentlessly stressful, oddly rewarding, and populated by some of the most eccentric people ever to walk this earth, catering is very much its own animal. Not only does The Bear get it right, but Storer makes audiences care through the carnage. It comes from somewhere real, feels dramatically organic, and deals in human extremes. The only thing is this is no comedy.
The Bear is now available to stream on Disney+