Four years ago, the premiere of a little TV show called The Bear left a few Chicagoans upset. Show creator Christopher Storer grew up outside of Chicago, but his depiction of the city didn’t sync up with the real-life experiences of many locals. Some of the criticism from Season 1 rang true: Local restaurants didn’t get enough spotlight, and Black and brown characters needed more to do. After an interview in 2022, Carmy himself, Jeremy Allen White, even asked me how locals were responding to the show.
Chicago is easier to experience than to explain to outsiders — and that includes the natives who have departed to go elsewhere. Often, the narrative surrounding the city is described as a tale of two Chicagos, segregated by race and class and divided by North and South sides. The truth is that more than two narratives exist, and Storer’s perspective, while a bit dated, is as valid as anyone else’s, even if you don’t agree with it.