Summary

• Richie's journey in The Bear parallels Michael Mann's protagonists, transforming from insecure to professional.
• Chicago connections in the series lead to subtle references to Michael Mann films, enriching Richie's character arc.
• The Bear season 3 anticipation grows as fans theorize on twists, tying back to Mann-inspired character development.

The Bear has deep-rooted connections to its setting of Chicago, and uses some subtle ones to inform the arc of one of its best characters, Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). The show follows of the extended Berzatto family as they attempt to run a restaurant in the heart of Chicago. Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) is a trained chef, one of the best in the country, and he takes over the restaurant after his brother Michael (Jon Bernthal) dies and wants to transform it into a high-end eatery.

Many of the other characters initially resist changing the restaurant into The Bear, which was Carmy's dream restaurant he always wanted to open with Michael. Michael's best friend, Richie, is one of the holdover staff who go on a transformational journey through The Bear season 2, and the show's creators reflect this through multiple subtle Michael Mann references.

Michael Mann's Films Pop Up In Subtle Ways

With all the Chicago connections throughout the series, it makes sense that The Bear would pay occasional tribute to Michael Mann, one of the most celebrated filmmakers native to the city. However, what makes these ing references special is how they're used specifically to inform Richie's character arc. It begins with a joke when a security alarm is blaring during an important meeting, and Richie loudly tells the security company over the phone that the to shut it off is "'gofastboatsmojito' all one word". It's a meme referring to dialogue in Michael Mann's underrated Miami Vice film from 2006.

The other instance of a Michael Mann reference is in the Richie-focused episode "Forks". As a favor to Carmy, a Michelin Star restaurant is allowing Richie to shadow and work in a front-of-house/manager role so that he can gain the skills he needs to work a similar role at 'The Bear'. At first, Richie is stuck doing menial tasks, such as polishing dozens of forks, but then is given more serious duties, reflected by a piece of the score by Tangerine Dream for Michael Mann's debut picture Thief kicking in on the soundtrack.

The Bear is available to stream on Hulu.

How These References Inform Richie's Character Arc

What makes these more than just mere references is how The Bear's creators are using Michael Mann's movies to parallel Richie's journey

What makes these more than just mere references is how The Bear's creators are using Michael Mann's movies to parallel Richie's journey. Mann's protagonists are often serious, confident, and skilled professionals who excel at whatever line of work they find themselves in, whether it be journalism, boxing, auto-manufacturing, or crime. Richie's arc through season two sees him transform from a brash and insecure (yet lovable) oaf into that same kind of professional. Even more references can pop up in season three as Richie develops his skills even further.

In "Forks," the audience sees Richie finally find an environment in which he can thrive, and a way to sharpen his skills to finally have a clear and useful role in the restaurant business. The Thief score plays a big part in this, as it marks when this change begins to finally happen. The Bear managed to accomplish this parallel in an incredibly subtle way, one in which many fans likely didn't pick up on, and it continued to tie itself to the show's setting and the art that inspired it.