The Bear: A Comedy or Drama?

The Bear's Genre Dilemma

The Bear has already earned a great many accolades over its first two seasons, but the fact that it has won in the comedy genre has confused some. Although The Bear has been nominated in other categories, such as drama, an overwhelming number of occasions have led to the show being put forward for comedy awards. This has led to a great many people familiar with The Bear questioning the logic of the show's nomination strategy, and whether it's even allowed. While the show itself has been put forward for comedy awards, so have individual actors for their role in the production.

Carm and Claire in The Bear season 2 sitting and talking on a counter

The Bear season 1 made its debut in 2022 with an eight-episode run, and it was received well by critics and fans. The show returned in 2023, with The Bear season 2 ending after ten episodes, an increase of two additional installments when compared to its previous outing. The Bear season 3 has also been officially confirmed. Both current seasons have so far earned comedy awards for the cast of The Bear and the show as a whole. While some may question the show's unusual decision to submit the show for awards in the comedy category, there could be a clever logic behind their reasoning.

Carmy and Sugar sitting together in The Bear

The Bear is a tricky show to categorize.

Jeremy Allen White as Carmy and Aye Edebiri as Sydney looking at the front of the restaurant in The Bear

The Bear: A Drama in Disguise

One of the show's sub-genres dominates the other. Although The Bear does have moments that are included for comedic purposes, the laughs are largely in place to augment the drama. The themes in the show are much more consistent with dramatic productions rather than comedies. The Bear takes a deep dive into hard-hitting subject matters such as coping with grief, problematic family structures, financial distress, and addiction. These topics can certainly be addressed in true comedies, but The Bear uses the themes to bring about darker laughs than a classic sitcom or other formats from the comedy genre.

Carmy and Richie arguing in The Bear season 2

The balance between comedy and drama in the show is much more weighted toward the latter, with almost every scene showcasing one of The Bear's main characters attempting to overcome some form of emotional trauma. Even the vast majority of the scenes that provoke laughter tend to do so out of a sense of making the best of a bad situation. In short, Carmine 'Carmy' Berzatto and company are in a negative place in the show more often than they are in a negative one. While this doesn't necessarily exclude The Bear from the comedy genre, the show's serious approach makes it clear the laughs are there mainly for moments of comic relief.

Jeremy Allen White as Carmy wearing a clean white tee in The Bear.

The Strategic Submission of The Bear

The presence of the lighter, funnier moments in The Bear means the show isn't completely out of place among the nominations for comedy awards. The Bear is witty, clever, and full of quips. The sarcastic exchanges between Carmy and Richie, for example, are genuinely funny. However, there's still a very gritty undertone running through the show that would also be at home in a purely dramatic production. The Bear isn't the first show to make such heavy use of comedy in what's essentially a drama, but its unorthodox nomination strategy has certainly drawn more attention than most.

Carmy and Richie arguing in the freezer as Marcus peeks in in The Bear

The battle for awards can be a closely fought affair, and there are a great many dramas put up for nomination each season. As such, The Bear would be in a category with many shows that more accurately fit the description of what constitutes a drama if they took the conventional route when submitting it for consideration. Opting to focus on their secondary genre increases the chances of The Bear's success. Not only could the crowd be a little thinner in the comedy pool, but The Bear's dramatic edge gives it an even greater advantage regarding how much it stands out from its competitors.

Ayo Edebiri as Syd looking worried in The Bear