Sherri from Gary is the latest in a series of ‘The Bear’s underwritten female paramours.
Whenever The Bear introduces a new female character, I hope she doesn’t become a love interest for one of the male leads. This isn’t due to a dislike of romance, but rather because I specifically dislike the way The Bear portrays romance.
The clearest issue lies in Carmy’s relationship with Claire. A childhood friend who reenters Carmy’s life, Claire functions less as a real human character and more like a self-help book designed for Carmy. Her screen time is mostly dedicated to discussing him: recollecting memories of him, addressing his mental health issues, and exploring his family dynamics. In theory, she has an existence independent of Carmy—her character outside being his girlfriend is vaguely outlined as a “nurse”—yet this isn’t apparent while watching The Bear.
Despite usually being a strong performer, Gordon is reduced to two roles here: a luminous love interest hanging onto Carmy’s every word or a calming therapist. She’s not the only Bear character to encounter this fate. As The Bear develops Jessica into a potential match for Richie, her level-headed expertise is replaced with empty platitudes aimed to ground him. Elsewhere, Richie’s ex-wife, Tiffany, similarly acts as a support system.
Their heads constantly askew and eyes lit up in adoration, these characters morph into The Bear’s single idea of a Woman In Love. Now, The Bear’s standalone episode “Gary” offers a new addition to this collection: Sherri from Gary, Indiana.
Sherri is a woman Richie and Mikey meet at a bar while on a work trip to Gary. She quickly forms a connection with Mikey, engaging in a private game, listening to his woes, and wearing his beanie playfully. It’s a level of support we haven’t seen since Claire, and Ireland, typically a strong asset in any project, finds herself trapped in The Bear’s love interest archetype.
Though Sherri seemingly represents a bright connection in Mikey’s life, she primarily serves as an empty vessel for him to unload his trauma. Their exchanges consist of faux-deep moments that even two talented performers can’t make believable.
This faux-deepness undermines The Bear’s other romances as well. The show attempts to fabricate deep connections but forgets these relationships should be mutual. Perhaps this is why viewers are drawn to the idea of Carmy and Sydney. While the showrunners state their relationship is platonic—it’s this consistent investment in both characters that sets them apart. They have rich lives beyond each other, unlike The Bear’s other romantic pairings, and the release of “Gary” underscores that romance is something The Bear has yet to master.
“Gary” is now streaming on Hulu. The Bear Season 5 premieres this June on Hulu.