Watch Cooper's Bar

Cooper's Bar is a dramatic comedy series that premiered on AMC+ in 2022. Set in Philadelphia, the show follows the staff and regulars at the titular neighborhood bar owned by Dennis Cooper. Though Cooper's Bar has been a local staple for over 20 years, Dennis struggles to keep the business afloat in a quickly gentrifying part of town. However, the bar's charm and strong sense of community have kept a loyal customer base coming back. The show explores how the bar acts as the heart of the neighborhood, a place where people from all walks of life gather to enjoy a drink, commiserate, celebrate, and spend time with friends new and old.

At the center of Cooper's Bar is Dennis, the gruff but good-hearted owner who inherited the bar from his father. Dennis takes pride in the bar and his role as proprietor, welcoming both new patrons and longtime regulars. However, he often clashes with his head bartender Sasha, a talented mixologist with ambitious ideas for updating the bar's menus and décor. Their spirited debates showcase how they both want what's best for the bar, even if their approaches differ.

Supporting Dennis and Sasha is the bar's staff, made up of quirky characters like lead server Smitty, a lovable loser perpetually down on his luck, and kitchen manager Big Country, a retired football player whose glory days are behind him but still lives up to his imposing nickname. The staff's dynamic mixes exasperation with mutual affection, capturing the familial bonds that form working in the high-stress atmosphere of a busy neighborhood bar.

Beyond the staff, Cooper's Bar has a cast of regulars who give the show its heart and reflect the diversity of the changing neighborhood. There's Tony, a local contractor struggling to keep his small business afloat. Raj and Priya, young professionals new to the area. Mrs. Delaney, a widow who's been coming to Cooper's for decades. And Freddy, a local artist and urban gardening activist. Though from very different backgrounds, the regulars are united in their shared love for Cooper's.

Episodes find quirky humor in the mundane moments of bar life, while navigating weightier themes like gentrification, addiction, and managing change. Cooper's Bar celebrates the role of local businesses in communities, how they foster connections and provide continuity even as neighborhoods evolve.

With flawed but endearing characters and a charming, nostalgic portrait of a corner bar, Cooper's Bar offers a feel-good take on the places that bring people together. Though full of drama and misadventures, the show maintains an optimistic tone, believing in the power of shared experiences and the meaning found in "regular" people living their lives. The series ultimately shows why longtime establishments like Cooper's Bar should be treasured by the communities they serve.

Cooper's Bar is a series that ran for 2 seasons (12 episodes) between June 9, 2022 and on AMC +