The Bear is one of those rare stories that comes along once in a blue moon. It doesn't get by on flashy CG, explosions, or modded-out race cars flying down the streets.
Witty dialogue, high stress, and intense drama fuel this machine, and perhaps that's why so many big-name actors are attracted to its frenzied undercurrents.
Kudos to the creative team assembled under the banner of The Bear. They've created a fantastic ride, thrumming with intensity and entertainment without needing to spend a fortune.
They're clearly doing something right. Series creator Christopher Storer (bolstered by incredible writers like Joanna Calo) nails the pace and character beats while accomplishing a rare feat within the industry, perfecting the art of the cameo appearance.
Cameos are often tricky for several reasons. They tend to disrupt the immersive nature of the story. As a prime example, everyone is still trying to forget Ed Sheeran showing up in Game of Thrones.
Introducing a brand-new character is challenging on its own. Going with a big-name actor or actress threatens to crack the entire foundation of the story. It's usually invasive. It's a risky business, yet somehow, The Bear managed to pull it off.
Another issue with a cameo appearance is how it's handled in terms of the plot. The overall story may remain intact, but a cameo with no real rhyme or reason threatens to disrupt the plot, making the story a moot point.
This is the part that makes The Bear so remarkably successful with cameos. Not only are there an astonishing number of them, but each one becomes immediately integral to the arc of the central characters in the show. They add value without breaking the immersion of the audience.
For instance, thanks to Jamie Lee Curtis' excellent portrayal of Donna Berzatto, the family matriarch, the show seamlessly transitions from the stress and hectic pace of working in The Original Beef to one of the most awkward family get-togethers ever filmed.
Carmy's love interest, played by Molly Gordon, throws just enough emotional turmoil into Carmy's life to exacerbate his frustrations and successes at work and with her.
By now, Jon Bernthal is a household name, and his appearance in almost anything is noteworthy.
Instead, he's integrated into the story via flashbacks, as the deceased Michael Berzatto, who left the restaurant to his brother Carmy before committing suicide. Before Bernthal's appearance, there was already a degree of mystery there.
His appearance in flashback scenes feels natural, revealing just enough while keeping everything else close to the vest. Sure, it's Bernthal, and the audience's gut instinct is to conjure up images of The Punisher and Daredevil.
But it never quite works out that way. Bernthal plays Michael (Mikey) with the same barely constrained, pseudo-manic unpredictability that seems to be a Berzatto family trait.
He's desperate, angry, and depressed. In an instant, the actor behind the character is gone.
All we see is Mikey. The show did such a good job setting up this cameo appearance that it only felt right with Jon Bernthal in the driver's seat.
Many of the cameos throughout The Bear's two seasons occur within subplots. A good example is when Marus is sent to Copenhagen to sharpen his craft, where he runs into none other than Will Poulter, who is Chef Luca.
Will's character never feels out of place, even if you see the episode after watching him play Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 or the forgettable We're The Millers. As a pastry chef, he serves as a mentor and anchor for Marcus as the latter navigates new territory in and out of the kitchen.
Richie (Ebon-Moss Bachrach) walks a similar path. Sent to a bougie, high-end restaurant to learn a bit of refinement, style, and restaurant etiquette, he runs into Terry (Olivia Colman), the head chef of the establishment.
Like Marcus, Richie needs this for more reasons than just the professional ones, and Chef Terry is as natural in the part as a real-life, high-end chef and leader within the industry.
These cameos and their respective filming locations are expertly combined with real-life staff, expanding believability and story immersion while reducing a surprising appearance's impact.
Other than the kitchen drama that the diners are generally oblivious to, many restaurant scenes filmed in both seasons of The Bear feel authentic. When the cameos match that authenticity, the immersion level remains intact.
Most shows would have failed miserably, trying to throw all these different cameos in, especially to the degree it was done in Season 2. Bob Odenkirk, Robert Townsend, Gillian Jacobs, and John Mulvaney are just a handful more in an army of instantly recognizable faces.
The rapid-fire dialogue is rich and authentic and never skips a beat when a new face pierces the limelight. And when it comes to dialogue, that's where The Bear really shines. The conversations, attitudes, and reactions in a high-stress environment make the show.
So, if it's a matter of "getting back to the basics," cameo appearances are a defining aspect. They define "the basics" and play a significant role in what makes The Bear exciting to watch.
Season 1 was successful because of the exceptional writing, dialogue, and acting. Season 2 is built upon that foundation, includes a ton of cameos, and sits in the number one spot as the most-watched FX series premiere on Hulu.
If Season 3 is getting back to the basics, expect many more cameos to come.
The Bear has mastered the art of the cameo.
Of course, there is such a thing as overdoing it, which may be something the show has to deal with in the future.
But for now, nearly every aspect of the show, cameos included, is operating in a higher gear than almost everything else on TV.