10 Must-Watch Shows After You Finish ‘The Bear’

The Bear ended on a high note with a satisfying closure. Even if there was still some uncertainty among fans about what Carmy’s (Jeremy Allen White) next steps might be, we know he’s in a better headspace, which is what matters most. The culinary-fueled tale about a fine dining chef who returns home to Chicago to run his now deceased brother’s popular but financially struggling sandwich shop, took viewers on an emotional journey through its five seasons.

With the show now over, you might be looking to fill the hole with something as deep, thought-provoking, and chaotic. Or maybe rather than the same vibe, you’re looking for another show that highlights the behind-the-scenes of a restaurant kitchen. Whatever the case, there are some great shows to consider adding to the watch list.

‘Boiling Point’ (2023)

Image via BBC One

While it was only a single four-part season, Boiling Point made an impact and it’s a perfect next watch. Created in part by Adolescence‘s Stephen Graham, who also appears in the series, the British drama serves as a continuation and sequel of the 2021 movie, one of the most intense movies ever. It begins six months after the events of the film with Carly (Vinette Robinson) now running her own restaurant with much of the same staff from her former boss Andy’s (Graham) previous spot.

Boiling Point was well received, and you’ll love the same tension and chaos from clashing personalities and pressure in the kitchen that are central to The Bear. Wonderfully acted as well with a script that does the film justice, it’s a no-brainer to watch the movie first if you haven’t seen it, then pick up where things left off with this series.

‘Kitchen Confidential’ (2005)

Image via FOX

Bradley Cooper famously starred in this short-lived sitcom based on the best-selling book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by the late Anthony Bourdain. Cooper is Jack Bourdain, an executive chef working his way through sobriety following a fall from grace caused by his alcohol and drug addiction. It’s the career comeback he’s been waiting for, and everything is riding on this.

Jack is like a mix of Carmy and his late brother Mikey (Jon Bernthal) who struggled through addiction and mental health issues as well. The character, meanwhile, is based on Bourdain himself. Plagued with delays due to the MLB playoffs and low viewership, Kitchen Confidential didn’t get the attention it deserved. With The Bear over, it’s the perfect replacement with just 13 episodes.

‘The Pitt’ (2025–Present)

Swap the kitchen for the emergency room of a training hospital, and you get the same level of frantic commotion in The Pitt. But in this case, actual lives are on the line, not the opinions of guests and food critics. The Pitt dives as heavily into the emotional weight a job carries, with far more to lose, and it’s one of the greatest HBO shows of all time.

Topics of loss, mental health, chasing dreams, and recognizing limitations cross over into this show as well. Even though you’re seeing characters in scrubs versus white aprons, the tension and emotion is just as high with The Pitt. The same signature close-ups on faces in turmoil are a part of the filming structure. The real-time nature of the show, which The Bear replicated in part with its first episodes of the final season as well as the final dinner service, keeps you glued to the screen for every literal minute.

‘Shameless’ (2011–2021)

Image via Showtime

Not only does Shameless have the same dark family dysfunction fueled by addiction theme as The Bear, it also stars White. In the show, he plays Philip “Lip” Gallagher, the second-eldest Gallagher child. He plays a parental role, helping fill the shoes of their neglectful, alcoholic, narcissistic father, Frank (William H. Macy), who fails to do so pretty much all the time.

Shameless follows the family, also based in Chicago, as the six kids try to navigate life without any solid income or parental figure. There are a lot of similarities between the shows in the tone and somber storylines with a dose of comedy, despite this comedy drama following a very different premise.

‘Girls’ (2012–2017)

Image via HBO

You might love seeing Ebon Moss-Bachrach in one of his earlier roles in Girls, where he played Desi Harperin, a recurring character in Season 3 and a main one in Seasons 4 through 6. He begins dating Marnie (Allison Williams) and the two eventually marry. But they later divorce, and he becomes addicted to prescription painkillers.

The show itself follows a group of 20-somethings trying to figure out life, in a similar way to Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) in The Bear. While Sydney knows exactly what she wants to do, however, and has the drive to do it, the ladies in Girls are struggling to figure things out. The show explores similar topics like addiction, mental health, self-reflection, and a quest for purpose and passion.

‘This Is Going to Hurt’ (2022)

Image via BBC One

One of the lesser-known medical dramas, This Is Going to Hurt is a British series based on creator and former doctor Adam Kay‘s own memoir. Junior doctors work in obstetrics and gynecology and, similarly to The Bear, the comedy-drama explores how the stress of the job impacts their personal and professional lives.

It’s different in tone and presentation with moments when characters break the fourth wall and address viewers directly. But the idea of junior doctors feeling underappreciated and not getting the support they need will remind you of the staff at The Beef, all of whom come into their own and get much deserved recognition by the end. The show is smart, funny, wonderfully acted and beautifully written, so it’s a shame it didn’t continue. Alas, it was developed as a seven-part story, so you won’t feel cheated by the end.

‘Kitchen Nightmares’ (2007–Present)

Image via FOX

The Bear showcases a kitchen that is impeccable, since Carmy’s high standards would expect nothing less. But not every restaurant is like that, and Kitchen Nightmares is a reality show that sheds light on this. The intention is for Chef Gordon Ramsay to visit a struggling restaurant to discover what’s wrong and help them reinvent themselves and get back to profitability. But what fans most love about the show is the shock value of some of the conditions and quality of food he encounters.

Watching will give you a greater appreciation for how challenging it is to not only run a restaurant, but to do so like a well-oiled machine while maintaining a high level of food quality. You’ll gain a better respect for Carmy’s methods and for the dedication and passion every member of the team in The Bear put into their jobs after seeing some of the things Ramsay encounters on his journey across the U.S. culinary scene. If you don’t have time to watch both runs of the popular show, at least check out the most memorable Kitchen Nightmares episodes.

‘Chef’s Table’ (2015–2024)

Image via Netflix

Watching Chef’s Table, you’ll be able to imagine Carmy or people like his mentor Chef Terry (Olivia Colman) being featured on it – if they were actual real-life chefs, of course. The documentary series focuses on a different renowned chef from around the world in each episode, walking you through their personal stories, what drives their passion for cooking, their restaurants, reputation, and signature dishes.

In fact, Season 3 of The Bear featured cameos from some of the same real-life chefs who were featured in episodes of Chef’s Table, like Grant Achatz and Christina Tosi. If you marveled at the dishes Carmy, Sydney, and his team created on The Bear, and the desserts Marcus (Lionel Boyce) crafted, watching Chef’s Table will blow your mind.

‘Sweetbitter’ (2018–2019)

Image via Starz

Ella Purnell stars in Sweetbitter, a drama based on the Stephanie Danler novel of the same name, which she wrote following her time working at Union Square Café in New York. The show is as chaotically driven by the culinary world as The Bear, though the slant is a bit different. Tess (Purnell) gets a job at this restaurant, but it’s more than she bargained for when drugs, drinking, sexual liaisons, and dive bars become part of the experience in this big city. But there’s also an element of education that will remind you of the staff at The Beef who learned so much from Carmy and Sydney.

Sweetbitter received mixed reviews, dubbed a cookie-cutter coming-of-age tale that failed to stand out. But if you want to immerse yourself back in the world of fictional fine dining, this one has a dose of reality since it’s loosely based on real experiences. Watch the 14 episodes over two seasons.

‘Atlanta’ (2016–2022)

Image via FX

Another FX show where every episode is a masterpiece, The story in Atlanta begins much the same way as the one in The Bear. Earnest “Earn” Marks (Donald Glover) returns to his hometown after learning that his cousin Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles (Brian Tyree Henry) has a burgeoning career as a rapper. Earn is having a rough time, and he thinks that managing Alfred can give him a sense of purpose, and a lucrative income. That is, if he can convince this somewhat estranged cousin to work with him.

Yes, Earn’s reason for going back home is different from Carmy’s. But the idea of looking to reinvent oneself or prove something in your hometown is a common theme between the two shows. There’s also the idea of redemption, something that many characters in The Bear, not just Carmy (and not just Earn in Atlanta) were looking for throughout the series.