FX Series Wins Outstanding Comedy Series Plus 3 Acting Awards in Surprise Emmy Sweep
The FX series The Bear was the surprise big winner at the 2024 Emmy Awards on Sunday night, dominating the comedy categories by taking home the Outstanding Comedy Series prize as well as three acting awards.
The Bear is centered around a young chef named Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto who takes over his family’s Chicago beef sandwich shop after a family tragedy. Critics have praised the show for its realistic depiction of the chaos and stress of working in a small restaurant kitchen. However, its categorization as a comedy rather than a drama raised some eyebrows coming into awards season.
Complete List of The Bear’s Emmy Wins:
- Outstanding Comedy Series
- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richie Jerimovich
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu
The show’s creator, Christopher Storer, was not present to accept the award for Outstanding Comedy Series. Executive producers Joanna Calo and Hiro Murai took the stage along with several cast members.
Matty Matheson, the Toronto-based chef and actor who plays the role of Neil Fak on the show, delivered a memorable, expletive-filled acceptance speech.
“We’re making a show about mental health and trauma and fking sandwiches. Who gives a st?,” Matheson declared. His co-star Ebon Moss-Bachrach then rushed the stage to give Matheson an impassioned kiss mid-speech in a moment that quickly went viral online.
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Outstanding Comedy Series | The Bear |
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richie Jerimovich |
| Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu |
Online Debate About The Bear’s Comedy Categories Designation
In the weeks leading up to the Emmys, many TV critics and awards pundits debated whether The Bear should truly be considered a comedy series given its subject matter tackling topics like grief, mental health struggles, family dynamics, and high pressure work environments.
“I wouldn’t call it a comedy,” said actor Jeremy Allen White while speaking to reporters backstage after his Lead Actor win. “I think it’s a look at the human condition. The highs and lows of being alive.”
The show’s unique tone – balancing tense kitchen scenes with absurdist humor – made its genre classification a complex debate. Ultimately the Television Academy placed it on the ballot as a comedy, leading to its sweep on Emmy night. Whether the categorization was fully accurate remains up for discussion.
“We just try to tell really good stories,” said executive producer Joanna Calo backstage when asked about the comedy designation. “If that means we don’t fit neatly into any genre, so be it.”
What’s Next For The Bear After Emmy Breakthrough
FX has already renewed The Bear for a second season, meaning viewers can look forward to more chaos in the kitchen of The Original Beef of Chicagoland.
With Emmy voters now firmly on board and a rabid fanbase online, expectations will be high for the second season to build successfully on the first installment’s creative success.
“I’m just so thankful to be telling Chicago stories with my chosen family,” said Ayo Edebiri about the show’s future prospects while speaking to reporters Sunday night. “I grew up working in restaurants so this is very personal for me. I can’t wait to get back in the kitchen with this team.”
The Bear became a breakout hit this past summer, with many viewers binge-watching the full first season over the course of just a few days. Its streaming availability on Hulu and Disney+ exposed it to a wide audience hungry for prestige TV offerings over the slower summer months.
“I don’t think any of us expected this kind of response when we were sweating it out making the show,” said Matty Matheson backstage at the Emmys. “We just tried to keep it real, you know. But now here we are I guess.”
Where The Bear goes from here remains to be seen, but its big Emmy night cemented its status as one of TV’s most buzzworthy new comedies. Whether the show returns triumphantly for a second season or stumbles under the weight of high expectations, last night marked an auspicious and emotional beginning for Carmen Berzatto and his family sandwich shop staff’s underdog journey.
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