The Bear Made Emmy History for Most Comedy Wins, But It’s Still the Most Stressful Hulu Show on TV
When I recommend The BearI always sell it as, “Hey, do you want to be Real stressed?” People usually look at me like, “No, are you crazy?” but eventually they give in and realize it’s one of the best Hulu shows of all time. That’s part of the charm, but I’m still curious how The Bear Season 3 won so many Emmy Awards in the Comedy category, yet it didn’t win a single one? The show even broke its own record from last year, when it won 10 awards, after winning 11 Emmys on September 16.
Hulu shows have won big at this year’s Emmy Awards, with Shogun won a total of 18 prizes and Tricks – which has been renewed for season 4 – taking home the coveted ‘Outstanding Comedy Series’ win, alongside ‘Writing for a Comedy Series’ and ‘Lead Actress In A Comedy Series’. But it was The Bear which continued to win major awards in this category, with actors such as Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Liza Colón-Zayas.
Despite being rewarded for their comedic performances, the cast was in The Bear is more known for their incredibly intense acting. Every meme that comes out of the show makes fun of that, whether it’s sarcastic jokes about yelling “hook!” when you’re heating up your microwave dinner at work, or other low-effort things, everyone focuses on the fact that it’s just stressful.
Audiences generally seem to love the food drama subgenre, but I think stressful cooking deserves its own subcategory these days, especially when we have movies like The menu – one of the best films of 2022 – and Boiling point (here are five more culinary thrillers to enjoy if you’re looking for more) that are thrilling audiences around the world.
We can’t seem to get enough of the inner workings of a kitchen, and how they can practically drive a person insane. Maybe it’s the mouthwatering cinematography, the often annoying characters, or just the pressure that gets the audience going. Whatever it is, it works wonders.
Granted, The Bear does have some funny moments that set it apart from similar shows, such as these six intense TV dramas, which it really should, considering it’s won just as many comedy performance awards. Over time, the characters begin to interact as if they were real colleagues and friends, and the natural humor that comes with that is a huge selling point for the show.
The Original Beef of Chicagoland is home to some very colorful personalities who constantly insult each other, and it’s this mismatch of people that really brings the show to life. The characters feel like people you’d meet in a restaurant: The Bear dumps you in the middle of their work day and you run after them like a headless chicken. This fly-on-the-wall approach means you see things you wouldn’t otherwise see as a customer – which can be hilarious in itself, but it’s not the usual tongue-in-cheek comedy you might be used to.
It is very likely The Bear Season 4 will continue the same path of exploring some intense themes if it gets renewed. But it does manage to balance the harsh realities of life with some moments that are so shocking and off the cuff that you can’t help but laugh. One of those is comedian John Mulaney’s iconic performance in The Bear Season 2 episode “Fishes,” Ebon Moss-Bachrach mocking Zack Snyder fans in the very first episode, and of course… the Xanax birthday party incident (if you know, you know).
Which Emmys did The Bear win in 2024?
- Best Actor in a Comedy Series:Jeremy Allen White
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Liza Colón-Zayas
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Ebon Moss-Bachrach
- Excellent direction for a comedy series: Christopher Storer for the episode ‘Fishes’