Spoilers More than any other show I've seen, The Bear resembles Orange is the New Black

[The_Greek_Hoplite]

Which as we might remember was the first major hit of the streaming era and is now for some reason become totally memory-holed.

• Fake working class drama written by rich person
• Wild tonal inconsistency
• Didactic story-telling
• heightened melodrama, incessant monologuing
• "poor people may look scary but inside they all have hearts of gold"
• Intensely Therapeutic: cynically and selectively reveals, and then narrativizes, character's Biographical Trauma as Journey of Self Healing

Both even feature a white protagonist who leads a predominately POC cast, whose stories are mangled into some generic shape made legible/inoffensive for middle class white liberal audience. As the series progresses, we see that protagonist become (at best) a tertiary character

It also resembles the monoculture media spearheaded by Disney-Marvel-Star Wars (who own FX/Hulu) in that there is No free-standing details; every line, every prop, every eccentricity is turned into "Lore" and eventually explained

 

[RazakelApollyon]

 

[GoBlue32]

every tv show is bad

 

[gameplayer1000]

I like when they yell at each other

 

[HUSBAND0]

hmm yeah

Both have even had the critic-driven debate as to whether the show is a comedy or a drama (OITNB was nominated for both categories in different years)

 

[The_Greek_Hoplite]

hmm yeah

Both have even had the critic-driven debate as to whether the show is a comedy or a drama (OITNB was nominated for both categories in different years)

yes good point

 

[the_metal_maniac]

I don’t think they’re that similar to be honest, maybe if OITNB was produced by Amblin Entertainment… but you raise some interesting points. The lore thing I always thought was to create more merchandising opportunities… sure enough…

 

[checker138]

I wouldn't know, as a rich person I don't watch shows with scary looking poor people.

 

[Beyond-Porkchop-Sandwich]

I’ll have to check the bear out then. I loved oitnb

 

[gameplayer1000]

OP how do you feel about Succession

 

[The_Greek_Hoplite]

OP how do you feel about Succession

greatest television show since mad men

 

[SublimeWithRomeOdunze]

Is Shameless a better show with the same guy? I've only watched S1 of The Bear and I thought it was alright

 

[Shiny]

Hmm my parents and their middle class white liberal friends all like it and talk about it so that checks out.