Summary
The Bear’s Fak family tree is one of the more convoluted clans in the series — partly becausethe show seems to introduce a new Fak every few episodes. Prior toThe Bearseason 3, only Neil Fak (Matty Matheson), the bumbling mechanic-turned-server, and Ted Fak (Ricky Staffieri), the even more bumbling handyman, had appeared onscreen. The third’s ever-stressful third outing introduces a few more Fak siblings, but it still leaves viewers wonderinghow many Faks there are inThe Bear’s canon, especially as the family’s role grows more and more prominent — for better or worse.
By and large, the Emmy-winning Hulu series centers onThe Bear’s Berzatto family tree. Although the Berzatto siblings, including protagonist Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), dub folks “cousin” and “uncle” even though they aren’t related by blood, the Berzatto clan is much more straightforward than the Fak family tree. Aside from wonderinghow, exactly, Uncle Jimmy is connected to Carmy, viewers probably don’t have a hard time understanding the core family’s relationships. As the ever-chatty Fak brothers nab more screentime,it’s hard to ignore the expansive family and their incredibly unique dynamic.
Neil Fak
Played By Matty Matheson
One of the most memorable members ofThe Bear season 3’s cast of characters, Neil Fak worked with Mikey (Jon B) and Richie at The Original Beef of Chicagoland. While the character helped sling sandwiches on occasion, he more often served as the restaurant’s go-to mechanic. By the end of season 2,The Bear’s Neil Fak has handed off (almost) all maintenance duties to his younger brother, Ted, and became a full-time server on Richie’s front-of-house crew. Always a chatterbox, Neil has stumbled lately, from walking away with customers' meals to dousing tables in water.
How Uncle Jimmy Got So Rich In The Bear & What Happened To His Money In Season 3?
Uncle Jimmy’s ambiguous characterization in The Bear season 3 raises 2 questions: how does he earn his money and what happened to it in season 3?
Theodore “Ted” Fak
Played By Ricky Staffieri
Despite appearing inThe Bearseason 2’s iconic Christmas episode,Ted Fak really makes his mark inThe Bear’s third outing. In the second episode of the season, he appears to help fix a light in the kitchen; almost immediately, things go awry. Still, Ted has a heart of gold. As he tries to rise in Carmy’s friendship ranks, Ted takes on more restaurant responsibilities too. Most notably, Ted also constantly talks about"haunting" in The Bear season 3. The running gag turns into a much more thematically significant story byThe Bearseason 3’s ending.
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The Bear has been one of the best shows on TV for the last few years, but season 3 confirmed one harsh reality about the critically acclaimed series.
Sammy Fak
Played By John Cena
Sammy Fak’s scene-stealing cameo inThe Bearsees John Cena (Peacemaker) turning up out of the blue to lend a hand to his fellow Fak brothers. As the restaurant prepares for a photo shoot withThe Chicago Tribune— an under-the-radar food critic stopped by The Bear and now needs some photographs for their review —Cena’s Sammy Fak bursts into the former Italian beef hot spot. While some viewers found Cena’s casting distracting, others have fully embraced the comedic actor’s appearance on the series. If anything, it’s great to see Sammy mess with Neil and Ted.
All 15 Real Professional Chefs In The Bear Season 3
Episodes of The Bear season 3 take the FX series further into the world of culinary when real-life chefs join the cast in guest appearances.
“Uncle Gary” Fak
Neil, Ted & Sammy’s Uncle
Although he appears very briefly inThe Bearseason 3, episode 7, “Legacy,” “Uncle Gary” Fak makes an impression. As Neil notes,Gary does share that “particular shape” the Faks have, and seems just as easy to derail as Ted and Neil. Like the other Faks, Uncle Gary is a handyman who shows up at the restaurant to lend a helping hand. Much like Uncle Jimmy, Gary may or may not be a Fak by blood. While there’s no reason to doubt his “uncle” moniker,The Beartossed Uncle Gary into a scene without much additional context for the character.
“Big Neil” AKA Neil Sr.
Neil, Ted & Sammy’s Father
Mentioned in name only, “Big Neil” Fak (aka Neil Sr.) is Neil’s father. Whilefather Fak has yet to make an onscreen appearance, it seems more likely than not that viewers will catch a glimpse of the Fak patriarch beforeThe Bearends. After all, the Berzattos and the Faks are so enmeshed that it’s almost shocking that viewers have yet to meet Big Neil. Known for taking big swings withevery cameo inThe Bear, creator Christopher Storer needs to thoughtfully cast Neil Sr. Someone like Wayne Knight (Seinfeld) would be pitch-perfect for the role.
The Bear Timeline: All Flashbacks In Order & How Much Time Passes In Each Season
The Bear’s flashbacks can sometimes make the show’s timeline difficult to decipher, but certain scenes from all 3 seasons clear things up.
Francie Fak
Neil, Ted & Sammy’s Sister
As of the end of season 3, viewers still don’t knowwhat Francie Fak did toThe Bear’s Sugar(Abby Elliot), Carmy’s sister and co-owner of the fine-dining restaurant. As it stands,Francie Fak might just be the show’s greatest unseen villain.The Bearhad previously hinted at an ongoing feud between Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto and Francie; some past incident pushed Sugar to fully resent the Fak sister. Although the show has been scant on details, the Berzatto family and Richie’s (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) general disapproval of Francie indicates that her transgression was legitimately not great.
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Other Fak Family Members Mentioned In The Bear
Many Of The Faks Haven’t Been Cast Yet
Up untilThe Bearseason 3’s ending, viewers are introduced to more and more Faks. This prompts Cicero “Uncle Jimmy” Kalinowski (Oliver Platt) to wonder, “How many f**king Faks are there?” It’s a fair question, especially given the way new Fak Family members seem to appear out of nowhere. Other Faks mentioned duringThe Bear’s three-season run include:
