System (The Bear)
| "System" | |
|---|---|
| The Bear episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 1 |
| Directed by | Christopher Storer |
| Written by | Christopher Storer |
| Cinematography by | Adam Newport-Berra |
| Editing by | Joanna Naugle |
| Original release date | June 22, 2022 |
| Running time | 28 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"System" is the series premiere of the American television comedy-drama The Bear. The episode was written by series creator Christopher Storer. It was released on Hulu on June 22, 2023, along with the rest of the season.
The series follows Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto, an award-winning New York City chef de cuisine, who returns to his hometown of Chicago to run his late brother Michael's failing Italian beef sandwich shop. The episode introduces the characters, as well as Carmy's internal conflict in trying to keep the shop afloat.
The premiere received highly positive reviews from critics, who praised its cast and production values. It won two Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.
Plot
[edit]After having a dream where he releases a caged bear in the streets, Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto goes to his job at The Original Beef of Chicagoland sandwich shop, which belonged to his brother Michael until his recent death. Having returned to his hometown of Chicago, Carmy finds it difficult to run the place, particularly over receiving shipment and due payments.
Carmy operates the shop with Michael's best friend, manager Richard "Richie" Jerimovich; baker Marcus Brooks; cooks Tina Marrero and Ebraheim; and handyman Neil Fak. He interviews a new applicant, chef Sydney Adamu. She has experience, having trained at the Culinary Institute of America, and admires Carmy's career achievements, which includes the James Beard Foundation Award, and wants the job as The Beef is her father's favorite restaurant. Carmy hires her, although he does not disclose why he is working at the Beef.
As Carmy tries to control the environment, the stubborn staff resist Carmy's efforts to modernize the restaurant. While having lunch, Carmy goes outside to control a crowd that gathered to play for an arcade game in the shop. When the scene soon escalates, Richie goes outside and fires a gun in the air to control the crowd. After getting back to the shop, Richie reminds Carmy that he has no idea how the shop works and that he must adhere to their standards instead. As he tries to open a can of tomatoes for spaghetti, Carmy begins to feel uneasy and instead drops it in the trash.
Production
[edit]Development
[edit]In May 2022, Hulu confirmed that the first episode of the season would be titled "System", and was to be written by series creator Christopher Storer, marking his first writing and directing credit for the series.[1][2]
Music
[edit]The episode included songs, such as "Via Chicago" by Wilco, and "Animal" by Pearl Jam. Storer explained the decision to have the episode end with "Animal" during the credits, "We were making a statement that this is a loud show, and you are either in or out. I think it's very much not your thing, or it is very much your thing. I don't think there is too much of a middle ground. Ending the first episode with “Animal” added this punctuation mark."[3]
Release
[edit]The episode, along with the rest of the season, premiered on June 23, 2022.[4]
Critical reviews
[edit]"System" received highly positive reviews from critics. Marah Eakin of Vulture gave the episode a 4 star out of 5 rating and wrote, "Episode one, “System,” is really just about establishing the vibe and drama of The Bear, and it does a good job. You leave its tight 27 minutes with more questions than you entered with, and you want to stick around to find out the answers."[5]
Mia Sidoti of MovieWeb named the episode as the sixth best of the season, writing "The pilot of The Bear doesn't have time for introductions and throws you right into the chaos of it all as Carmy tries to win over his crew and also make some extra money since they're broke. You find yourself fighting to remember exactly who is who in the first 20 minutes, wrinkling your nose at how brash Richie is, and feeling bad for Sydney as she gets mixed into the mess that is The Beef."[6]
In 2024, Josh Wigler of The Hollywood Reporter named the episode as the 15th best of the series, writing "While the show improves as it goes along, all the essential ingredients for The Bear are right there from the beginning. It's incredibly satisfying to rewatch the series from the jump, knowing all the growth ahead."[7] Variety named the episode as the seventh best of the series, writing "Both The Beef and The Bear itself are, as Richie says later in the season, “a delicate fucking ecosystem,” and “System” prepares for that perfectly."[8]
Accolades
[edit]For the episode, Christopher Storer won Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards.
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Astra TV Awards | Best Writing in a Streaming Series, Comedy | Christopher Storer | Won | [9] [10] |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series | Christopher Storer | Won | [11] [12] | |
| Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour) | Sam Lisenco, Eric Dean, and Emily Carte | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Picture Editing for a Single-Camera Comedy Series | Joanna Naugle | Won |
References
[edit]- ^ "(#101-108) "Season 1"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
- ^ "The Bear - WGA Directory". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
- ^ Hyden, Steven (July 11, 2022). "Inside The Delightful Dad Rock Soundtrack Of 'The Bear'". Uproxx. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (May 13, 2022). "FX Summer Premiere Dates: 'Reservation Dogs', 'What We Do In The Shadows', New Series 'The Old Man' & 'The Bear', More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
- ^ Eakin, Marah (June 23, 2022). "The Bear Series-Premiere Recap: Ballbreaker". Vulture. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
- ^ Sidoti, Mia (June 23, 2023). "The Bear: Every Episode from Season One, Ranked". MovieWeb. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
- ^ Wigler, Josh (July 8, 2024). "Every Episode of 'The Bear,' Ranked". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
- ^ Shanfeld, Ethan; Hailu, Selome (July 2, 2024). "The Top 10 'The Bear' Episodes, Ranked". Variety. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (July 11, 2023). "'The Boys', 'Yellowjackets', 'Abbott Elementary' lead 2023 HCA TV Awards nominations". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on July 11, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ Schneider, Michael (January 8, 2024). "'The Boys,' 'Succession' Land Most Honors at Astra TV Awards (FULL WINNERS LIST)". Variety. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
- ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (January 15, 2024). "Emmy Awards: Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- ^ Tangcay, Jazz (January 7, 2024). "2023 Creative Arts Emmy Awards: 'Welcome to Wrexham' Dominates, RuPaul Makes History, Carol Burnett Gets Emotional". Variety. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
