The Bear season 2: Release date, cast and plot as first reviews praise show's return

FX’s critically acclaimed series The Bear will soon return for its second season, and new details have been announced about the show including when it will be released in the UK.

The kitchen drama follows world class chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) as he returns home to Chicago to try and rejuvenate his family’s rundown restaurant following the death of his older brother Mikey (Jon Bernthal).

Read more: The Bear lives up to the hype

It became a huge success for the network upon its release in June 2022, propelling its cast to superstardom and gaining recognition around the world.

Now all eyes are on the show’s second season, and here is everything that we know so far about the drama.

The Bear season 2 release date

In the US, The Bear’s second season will premiere on Hulu from Thursday, 22 June but international fans of the show will have to wait a little longer to see the new episodes.

Season 2 of the FX drama will premiere internationally on Disney+, and the company confirmed that the show will land on the platform on Wednesday, 19 July.

The good news is that all 10 episodes will be available on Disney+ when the show’s second season premieres later in the Summer.

The Bear season 2 reviews

Reviews for The Bear's new season landed ahead of the show's return to FX in the US on 22 June, and it as a whole the series received a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Variety praised the show for giving viewers a glimpse at the characters' worlds outside of the kitchen, adding that it is at its "best when it leans into its protagonists’ masochistic obsession without indulging their self-serving narratives."

The publication continued: "Sydney and Carmy’s time in the lab is a showcase for the best platonic chemistry you’ll find anywhere on screen — which only helps us feel Syd’s pain as she starts to worry Carmy may not be the most reliable or collaborative business partner."

Read more: The best TV shows of 2022 from Heartstopper to The Bear

While Rolling Stone said: "As before, every emotion the show conjures is a palpable, potent one, so that the lighter scenes create the illusion that you’re standing right next to the characters, while the heavier ones make you experience the pain right along with them."

Time praised the show for making "every character... a full person" and said, "The Bear tackles everything from menu development to renovation woes with an appealing mix of warmth, dark humor, and chaos."

The Bear season 2 plot

While the first season focused on Carmy’s return to his family’s restaurant and the chaos that ensued as he got to grips with the rundown kitchen and his brother’s debts while butting heads with the kitchen staff, season 2 will see the group more united.

The official description for the drama reveals that Carmy and fellow chefs Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) and Richard “Richie” Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) will now work towards turning the sandwich joint into a hip spot.

The group will have to contend with a number of challenges while opening their new restaurant, such as the struggle to get permits and the thought process behind the perfect menu. As well as their difficulties as a team the character will also have to contend with their past in order to be able to look towards a brighter future.

The Bear season 2 cast

White will be returning to his role as Carmy in The Bear season 2, as will his co-stars Edebiri and Moss-Bachrach, Abby Elliott, Lionel Boyce, and Liza Colón-Zayas are also set to reprise their roles as Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto, Marcus and Tina, respectively.

Matty Matheson, Edwin Lee Gibson, and Oliver Platt will also be back in their recurring roles as Neil Fak, Ebraheim, and Jimmy Cicero in season 2.

Booksmart star Molly Gordon will be joining the cast in a new recurring role for season 2, playing a mysterious woman from Carmy’s past, while Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk has landed a guest role.

The Bear season 2 trailer

The official trailer for The Bear’s second season was released by FX in May, and Disney+ shared a trailer on 19 June for those waiting to watch the show outside of the US.

The clip focuses on Carmy, Sydney and Richie as they race to open the new restaurant within six months, and also gives fans a first glimpse at Molly Gordon’s character.

The Bear season 2 will stream on Disney+ from 22 July.