The following contains spoilers for The Bear Season 1, as well as mentions of self-harm. The show is now streaming on Hulu.
In Season 1 of The Bear, Carmen went through hell as he restarted Michael's (his brother) kitchen. It wasn't easy as Carmen had trauma from his past as an elite chef in New York, as well as family trouble that ranged from Michael's suicide to unresolved issues with his mom and sister. Thankfully, Carmen worked through some of them while rallying his staff in the end to become united again. However, while Carmen got money to rebrand from The Beef to The Bear and make the business better, there were a few questions left hanging that fans are hoping get answered in Season 2.
Did Michael Kill Himself on The Bear?
Mikey shot himself on a bridge in Chicago, but Carmen uncovered dark secrets as the season progressed. Mikey allowed cousin Richie to deal drugs on the premises, not to mention he took a loan from the mob shark, Cicero. In addition, Mikey stored the $300k in tomato cans, while faking payments to KBL Electric. Mikey was also a drug addict himself, leaving fans wondering if maybe a drug or business deal gone bad resulted in someone offing Mikey, framing it as suicide.
Why Did Michael Forsake Carmen?
The brothers had been close, but for some reason Mikey pushed Carmen away as they got older. He didn't want Carmen in the kitchen, which resulted in Carmen going off to become a posh chef. Some assume it's because Mikey didn't want Carmen seeing him endorsing drugs and becoming addicted. Still, Carmen hinted there was something more to their fallout. Hopefully, Season 2 sheds light on this, and why Mikey ended up bequeathing the diner to Carmen.
Why Isn't Carmen Speaking to His Mother?
Sugar (Carmen's sister) mentioned he should have spoken to their mom upon returning home. However, he avoided it like the plague, leaving fans wondering what happened between them. It could be she took Mikey's side when he and Carmen disagreed, or maybe Carmen just couldn't see her as she'd remind him of Mikey's plight. Either way, fans would love to see them iron it out the way he and Sugar dredged through their problems.
How Will Carmen Spend the Money?
Carmen's plan is to pay his staff better and upgrade the place, but that has fans curious how Cicero will react once he sees the place leveling up. He's going to come for his money, so it remains to be seen how Carmen will pay it off, better the establishment and help Sugar pay off their IRS debts. That's a lot to juggle, which will have Carmen relying on Sydney's business mind even more.
Will Sugar Figure Out the KBL Scheme?
Sugar thinks KBL's a legit company, but no one knows if a real one exists and is ignorant of Mikey, if Mikey made it up or if he really has a deal with KBL to fake payments. This opens the door to fraud, embezzlement and money laundering, so Carmen could find himself in trouble if the IRS uncovers the truth. Given the season ended with a stray tomato can, if someone outside Carmen's circle, especially Sugar, finds it in the kitchen, Carmen's scheme could be busted. She'd flip knowing her name's on the paperwork, and that she could go to jail.
Did Richie Call the Cops?
One episode had Sydney making peace with rival gangs on the curb -- an act that ticked off Richie as he felt irrelevant. More so, he didn't get to act a tough guy, so it's implied he called the cops on them in the end. This could get dangerous if one or both parties find out, especially as it's insinuated these folks are tied to drive-by shootings and other acts of violence. Seeing as Richie's so hot-headed and trigger-happy, it may lead to a bloody confrontation in Season 2, ending the redemption he wants to show his daughter.
Is Carmen up for Therapy?
Carmen's been having fever dreams, including a bear filming him on a cooking show. Clearly, he has stress from the pressures of his old job, as well as grief he hasn't worked through with his family. He did attend a meeting to vent about Mikey, which seemed to center him a bit as he spoke of his own mental health. This left folks wondering if Carmen wanted to use therapy more to heal his depression and curb his anger for the kitchen.
Why Did Carmen Hit Pete?
Carmen had an altercation with Sugar's husband, Pete, in the past. He apparently hit Pete, which resulted in Pete being nervous around Carmen all season long. They both seem cool with each other now, but it'd be intriguing to know exactly what transpired. That's because if Pete finds out Sugar's tied to a criminal venture, he may confront Carmen and get aggressive, foreshadowing another fight.
Will Marcus Get His Donut on the Menu?
Sydney fought tooth and nail to get her risotto on the new menu, so fans are curious if Marcus has done enough to get his donut on, too. Though Carmen tossed his donut away in a meltdown, he did eat it off the ground and was impressed. Thus, seeing as Marcus is properly using methods chefs like Carmen employed in the city, and putting his own spin on these pastries, fans think he deserves to make the cut. He worked hard at it too, so this would be a sweet reward, no pun intended.
What's The Bear's Target Demo?
The Beef had teething problems in terms of crowds. The geek crowd got violent, while the private party scene ended in a brawl in the diner. Thus, Carmen has to figure the target audience out ASAP as he rebrands. That's because he's adding some higher-end dishes, per Sydney's culinary vision, so it won't just be townsfolk and the working class he's catering to. He was worried about this all season long, which is why he nixed Mikey's spaghetti, so he has to firm this up if he wants to keep his loyal clientele while attracting new faces willing to spend more coin.
Season 1 of The Bear is available on Hulu.