If you like good TV, chances are you’re aware of The Bear, the hit comedy-drama on FX (on Hulu or on Disney+) starring Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colon-Zayas, Abby Elliot and Matty Matheson among others.

The show centers around White as Carmy Berzatto, who returns to his hometown Chicago after being away to be a Michelin star chef but is forced to return to The Beef, the family Sandwich shop, after his brother Mikey (played by Jon Bernthal) left it to him before committing suicide.

During the three seasons, almost everyone agrees that the show is great. It already has its share of accolades, including an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, and it snagged White his Best Actor award and Moss-Bachrach and Edebiri their Best Supporting Actor trophies, as well as several other awards.

But what’s great about The Bear is how it makes its audience feel. The Bear has a knack for being intense, and it manages to string its audience along with its compelling characters, mainly those of Carmy (White), Richie (Moss-Bachrach), and Sydney (Edebiri). Tension wells up as we see these characters go about their lives that, incidentally, intersect at the restaurant where they work. Their common denominator, it seems, is that no one feels they deserve to be happy. One minute, a character is buoyed by something good, and the next thing you know, self-sabotage because they are just built that way. It’s like impostor syndrome dialed to ten. Because there’s no midway and no holding back for these characters. Season 2, episode 6, titled “Fishes,” reveals how dysfunctional, ergo, why everyone is so messed up.

But there are inspirational moments, too. Episode 7, season 2, titled “Forks,” sees Richie (a masterful Moss-Bachrach) turn his life around after deciding he doesn’t have to be the chaotic loser he believes himself to be.  Gems like these are strewn about in The Bear. The writers and directors deserve their trophies for crafting a story with characters that audiences can empathize with, but most especially, for their skill in building and creating tension and eventually giving their viewers a much-needed release.

Of course, The Bear has a butt-kicking soundtrack to boot. Drawing from rock-pop classics from the 80s, 90s, and early 2k. “Strange Currencies” by R.E.M. figured prominently, as did the music of Wilco in “Via Chicago” with its slow electric chug. Radiohead’s “Let Down” definitely added aural tension, as did Pearl Jam’s “Animal” for a shot of aggressiveness. An orchestral version of R.A.T.M.’s “Bulls On Parade”  by Walt Ribeiro is some cool quirk, while Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” sung by Richie on the solo episode is like a little wave from a friend you don’t get to see much. “A Little Respect” by Erasure is spot-on, if not a too obvious dig at the characters who, like clockwork, try to bite each other’s head off every episode. I’m lookin’ at you, Carmy, and Richie.

Pianist Raul Sunico with the Manila Symphony Orchestra is set to perform three concertos in one evening in “Gabi ng Piyano Konsertong Pilipino” on Feb. 6, 2025 at the Manila Metropolitan Theater.

Raul is synonymous with Philippine classical music and with conductors Jeffrey Solares and Herminigildo Ranera of the Conservatory of Music of the University of Santo Tomas—masters both--at the helm, the event will surely be something to watch out for aficionados of classical music. 

“This historically significant event marks a milestone of Filipino music as the featured concertos, considered cornerstones in Philippines musical heritage, will be performed for the first time after many years.”