Like whether or not September is too early for Halloween decor or if it’s acceptable to carve pumpkins when it’s still 100 degrees out, one of 2024’s biggest debates is whether The Bear should be counted as a comedy or drama.
While we all knew the Hulu series would win big at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards, we might not have anticipated just how passionate people would be about this subject. But there’s another topic we should focus on: The Bear‘s Emmy dominance might actually be a problem, and it only looks to continue as the night goes on.
X user @swiftieun1corn pointed out a trend with TV’s biggest awards show: Rewarding the same TV show year after year.
Remember when Modern Family won Outstanding Comedy Series from 2010 to 2014? While the ABC sitcom has some great episodes and a talented, likable cast, did it really need to win five years in a row? Believe me when I tell you, I love The Bear and all the kind-hearted employees of The Beef (even though I’m frustrated as I am with Jeremy Allen White’s Carmy, but that’s another story). But I can admit that many other smart TV comedies deserve Emmys, from Abbot Elementary to Hacks. We all know The Bear is great, but the show doesn’t need a million more awards to prove that.
Although it was obvious which show would win this year, the other shows in the Comedy category have talented actors, clever scripts, and huge fanbases, just like The Bear. While I haven’t watched Palm Royale, I’ve heard it’s awesome. If an underrated show that needs more love can’t win at the Emmys and get the accolades it should, then where can that happen?
I’m thrilled Liza Colón-Zayas won for playing the amazing Tina and happy Ebon Moss-Bachrach took home the Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy award. Tina is so kind and Richie is the funniest The Bear character in my humble opinion. And you can’t not swoon when an actor tells Rolling Stone they are “proud of all of us” who work on their show instead of making their nomination all about them. But The Bear doesn’t need to win every single category.
And yet, this problem won’t be solved today… or next year… or the year after that. And while the same comedy series might keep winning, at least we can find some comic relief in whether The Bear is really a comedy. As Eugene Levy joked during the opening monologue in what was one of the best moments of the 2024 Emmys: “In the true spirit of The Bear, we will not be making any jokes.”
I personally find some scenes of the show hilarious (although I might be the only one who thought the Fak family’s season 3 jokes about haunting each other amusing). Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Carmy’s fighting can be humorous and Sydney’s (Ayo Edebiri) constant desire to smooth everything over and stay calm in the face of intense pressure has made me chuckle once or twice. But The Bear season 3 is more sad than funny, and if it was considered a drama, more than a few people would be vindicated. There are definitely dark comedies that toe the line between the two genres, from The Big C to Better Things and Nurse Jackie, but The Bear has more emotionally weighted moments than side-splitting ones.
Oh well. I look forward to watching the 2025 Emmys… and season 4 of The Bear. But let’s put some good vibes out into the universe and hope that some (actual) comedies can take home some trophies. And let’s remember that while the beloved Hulu show’s category may be confusing, Wednesday was also nominated for Outstanding Comedy in 2023!