Mark, we’re starting with a series that you’re really excited about: The Bear.
‘Yes, really a series that has been raving about in American reviews for months. And indeed, I think The Bear (comedy drama, Disney Plus, eight episodes) really one of the series of the year. The story is set in a family restaurant in Chicago. Quite a cheap lunch place that serves hot meat sandwiches, all Chicago style with a loyal clientele.
“In the first episode, we learn that the owner recently committed suicide. That’s the dark cloud hanging over the series; what happened there? He bequeathed the restaurant to his brother, Carmy, who is a top chef and cooks in all kinds of Michelin-starred restaurants. You wonder what he’s looking for in such a lunch place. But Carmy tries to make something of it anyway. In the kitchen of that disorganized tent in particular, he wants to work towards the discipline you see in a top restaurant. So that’s a battle he has to fight. Meanwhile, all kinds of issues play a role in the background, such as the unresolved grief over his brother’s suicide – but also a huge guilt that suddenly crops up.
‘After the death of his brother, from whom he had somewhat run away, Carmy tries to get closer to him through that restaurant. That makes The Bear a pretty serious family drama. But the series also gives a great insight into the kitchen of such a restaurant. The editing and the way in which the camera moves through the kitchen, in particular, are in line with the pressure under which people work. When the kitchen opens and the number of orders increases, so does the camera style. That’s really well done.
‘The Bear did it to me every now and then The Sopranos think. We see a real family and a kind of second working family, and how those two worlds intertwine. And then everything takes place in such a specific environment of such a restaurant, with Chicago in the background. Those elements come together brilliantly. I watched this series in one go. Episodes last half an hour, which helps. Bring on that second season. A really top series.’
And then: The Old Manwith Jeff Bridges in the role of a former spy.
“Right, for that very reason – Jeff Bridges in the lead role – I went to see it. Bridges is a phenomenal actor, who we mainly know from well-known film roles. Now he is making his first major series. Bridges plays former secret agent Dan Chase, who here faces John Lithgow, another great actor. From his role within the FBI, he must search for Chase, who has fled from everything and everyone because of a previous event in Afghanistan. The question is, what exactly did Chase do before he became a retiree?
‘In The Old Man (action/drama, Disney Plus, eight episodes) you will see what is called ‘slow burn’; scenes are a bit slower, but then suddenly there is a huge outburst of violence. Makers do that to mislead you. And well, this series is worth watching for Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow alone, it crackles with charisma.’