The Bear Rewatch S3 E2: Next

• Opening with Syd! Syd who i’m going to note is wearing a scrunchie! Anyway, her bathroom time gets interrupted. Dadamu needs the room. 
• They are very close. After she’s relocated, he’s telling her exactly why he needs the bathroom, she tells him she’ll bring him food from work- she doesn’t like that he always gets sick from this restaurant he’s gone to; she asks if he’s taken his meds, he tries passing it off, she sticks to the point. 
• They love each other, and they’re so close, but, I get why she pushed moving out asap. She needed some space to live- alone.
• Lyrics to the song playing include: “Cry but i don’t need my mother, just hold my hand while i come to a decision on it”
• It’s shots of people in their early morning routines- spy shots of someone working out in a high rise, people walking to work, various workers in various trades like at a newspaper, someone manning a zamboni, hospitality and restaurant workers both front and back of house, shots of chicago landscape, etc. It’s the working class of Chicago and it’s very lovely! Easy to imagine the bear crew as real people in the middle of the city also trying to get the job done, and trying to live their lives. 
• Carmy, still at work. it is silent, and he is very neatly placing some peas on a tray before is it chi-chi? The guy he sold denim to in the pilot? Chi-Chi comes crashing into the kitchen delivering some microgreens.  
• Carmy relays the news that he’s quit smoking. “Since when?” “Since last night” He says it is not for his health it’s because he’s thinking of the extra 5 minutes it takes him.
• ChiChi is pushing for them to open The Beef window. Regulars are rejecting The Bear, and want The Beef back. 
• Carmy agrees to open The Beef’s window tomorrow
• ChiChi reminisces with Carmy about the old days when they both worked at The Beef. “slicing bread, wiping tables” ChiChi says: “felt like we could have done anything. Probably a little different for you.” Carmy asks why different for me? And ChiChi follows up with: Different cause you knew what you wanted to do.
• ChiChi says everyone else had more possibilities, but Carmy was focused and on one-track. Super interesting
• Nat enters, and i am confused by their interaction. She says hi, Carmy says hi, then Nat snaps at him “I said hi” Carmy responds “did i not say something?” and she looks chastened. I don’t know what that means?
• Nat asks how long he’s been at work. He says a minute (he was there the previous day, all day, literally dawn to dusk)
• Nat asks if he’s spoken to Richie and claire- Carmy cuts her off quickly. She says his name back to him, sternly. Then? They greet each other with good mornings. And they tell each other they’re good. They’re dancing around each other a bit. 
• Carmy diffuses it by saying he’s there for her. Nat is worried about the baby she’s about to have. Carmy takes it in.
• Nat finds his non-negotiables list. Carmy says this is the way to do this correctly, that’s how restaurants of the highest caliber operate. 
• Nat again asks if Carmy is good and he asks her to type the list up and print it out for distribution.
• Uncle Jimmy is here, they’re surprised to see him, and he asserts that he owns the place. 
• Carmy is chastened- says sorry. 
• Nat is picking apart the list “you think we are going to constantly evolve through passion and creativity?” …isn’t that a mimic to Syd’s resume? Cool.
• Nat is trying to slow things down. Asks why Carmy is doing this and he responds: “I can’t waste that much time”
• Syd is here! Babygirl looks worried seeing Carmy’s work. She hasn’t seen these dishes, right? These are all brand new plates that Carmy has done on his own, and he never told her this was happening. The last time she saw him was Friends & Family, they had Sunday off, and now the whole menu is scrapped. 
• Interestingly, there’s a dish with foam, and there’s a scallop on its shell, so, idk it’s probably not that serious or that meta but- just to note
• Anyway, when Syd asks what’s going on Carmy says it’s R&D, she pushes to say you changed the menu and he says “I subtracted and I pushed”
• Syd tries chasing the point and he cuts her off with that firm but soft manly voice and says “Syd, we’re going to get a star”
• And here’s the thing. Here’s the thing. I’m not Syd. I think I would have folded. And it would have been such a shame. I’d be like okay he’s been there done that i’ll let him take the lead and watch him look pretty while he does it. I’ll tap out right here. Sydney however is more wise than me. And has different goals. 
• Syd laughs at him! She laughs immediately and says “i thought that was a trap” (re getting stars) Carmy responds “I thought we were going to be dialed” (married people language and references, and pacing! The back and forth!!!!!) 
• Carmy is such….oh he’s a brat and he’s trying to get back in his wife’s favor and he immediately follows up with “your cook was excellent, by the way”. 
• Okay so it’s early morning, there’s early morning light filtering through the windows. There’s no overhead sterile commercial lights on in the kitchen, and they’re using that married tone and they’re going back and forth and they’re making references, and just - it looks like they’re a couple at home having domestic banter. 
• Not to cross too many wires, but, Syd and her dad just had their familial banter first thing in the morning and now it’s Syd and Carmy having common language and referencing common points of interest. 
• The parallels, the lighting, the dialogue? I am not willing to call this a coincidence. 
• Okay so Carmy tries getting out of trouble and saying her cook was excellent. Syd thanks him but sticks to the point: “you changed all my shit”. He says first “it’s our shit” and then tries minimizing what he’s done and says no i just adjusted the plating. 
• Quick note! He says the scallop was perfect. Okay! So this is something that’s been with them since day 1. He takes the 6 other fishes away from the course, and that’s what Syd goes on to perfect. AND I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the dish she perfects in season 4, the dish that holds a ton of weight, is a derivative of 7 fishes. Carmy tried to reclaim cannoli, and it was Syd’s work with the scallop that ultimately helped seal or helped mend the memory we see in “fishes”. Just platonic things you share with a coworker. 
• So Carmy actually worms his way out of things for a second. He makes some adjustments, tells syd the thinking on it and she’s rolling her eyes and agreeing, and you can see she cannot believe he’s gotten her again. And then. Oh and then. Carmy says it: “I’m going to change it every day”
• Syd first thinks he’s talking about specific pasta shapes and then he drops the bomb that he’s changing the full menu every day
• If you give a mouse a cookie. 
• Syd’s questioning this. Carmy clears his throat very loudly and nervously, and calls his sister for backup. 
• Carmy wants to do this so that “they can see what we’re capable of”. Syd asks who ‘they’ is. Carmy deflects and asks if Tina can do farmer’s market, and Syd calls him on the deflection- “You didn’t answer my question”. Carmy deflects again, talks over her and says “and there’s a docusign in your inbox, did you see that?” 
• Syd hadn’t seen it yet. She has no clue what he’s talking about. “It’s a partnership agreement. You, me, Nat.” He says there’s a vetting schedule and Nat calls out to correct him. oh my shayla. It’s a “vesting” schedule. 
• alsoooooo interesting that Nat can hear the whole thing. I thought she was walking over to join the conversation but she’s all the way in the office. Carm knows where people are and he acts accordingly. Confirmed. He says things and does things as though his and Syd’s time together is monitored. Because it is. It’s his family house, he has only had her in his independent space when they worked on the menu in season 2. Very interesting.
• Sksksksksks he’s so…husband here. Syd is trying to parse out what’s happening and he’s just bulldozing a bit. Syd asks what the vesting schedule says and he just cuts over all the noise “how much of this place you’re going to own”
• They go quiet. They weren’t yelling at each other, but they stop talking and stare at each other, both nodding their heads yes and nodding in sync, and Carmy breaks the moment by asking “you okay?”
• They’re both very physically affected by this 
• Syd says she’s overwhelmed, Carmy agrees that it’s a lot. Syd asks why he’s doing this. “So that i can push you and you can push me”
• They take vows to each other constantly but won’t go on a date
• Make it make sense
• Carmy, as he’s opening a pack of nicorette gum with his tweezers still in his hand asks syd: “this is what you wanted, right?”
• Syd doesn’t answer right away, she asks if he’s quitting smoking, he cuts her off saying he’s trying, yes
• Syd deflects from the original question (this is what you wanted, right) to ask Carmy if he’s talked to Richie 
• He literally yells over her- calls for Ebra and continues on with his tasks, actually walking away from Syd
• Syd is nawt pleased. Eyebrows up, letting out a frustrated breath, surprised he just disregarded her like that
• Nat comes into the room, nonnegotiables freshly printed. Syd is just being introduced to these as well.
• Carmy’s back. Nat says Carmy is going to need to explain and Carmy just says “it’s a bunch of stuff” Nat bickers with him before Carmy continues “it’s a bunch of stuff that’s going to make this place more efficient” 
• Nat asks if Syd has seen the docusign. Nat says it’s going to be an exciting day. It comes out more like a question. Like she’s asking if syd is onboard. Carmy pipes up “it is exciting” then within a second is prodding syd, trying to confirm and take her emotional temperature, asking “yeah?”
• Syd says yeah and I swear to you, she looks like the Auguste Toulmouche painting “The Reluctant Bride”
• Nat follows up telling her to have a lawyer look at it because “the computer drafted the agreement” and Syd has to come on board to understand that the computer is a person. Nat and Carmy are doing twin speak telling her both computer’s actual name (Nichloas Marshall) and that she does have a lawyer (my angel baby muffin Pete)
• I have to slow down for the lawyer thing. Syd says she doesn’t have one, she thinks she knows one, and they are both firm in saying Pete is your lawyer. 
• Alsooooooo he specifically had Computer draft this. Carmy didn’t just google something or use AI like syd initially thought. within 24 hours he called a village elder and said I need you to bind her to me, and he’s very firm in telling her of course she should talk to a lawyer about her best interests (legally because omg he’s not handing over her best interests personally to ANY other man) but the specificity to say you talk to Pete about this. That’s a lot. That’s something. I don’t want to say he’s caging her but the possessiveness is astounding. She has freedom in the circle he vets. And she’s only being introduced to the idea of exploring her interests and interacting with other men around her financial and legal rights because he wants to take them over. 
• Isn’t marriage a legal, financial, and property based contract? 
• Between partners?
• Just saying
• Sorry, one second before i press play again- it’s like she had the marriage ceremony when she came out to the dining room before friends and family wearing the special white garment (which Carmy provided, and enjoyed seeing her in) and now they’re signing the certificate after the ceremony. Just…platonically of course. 
• Syd narrows in on that mission statement as she reads the non-negotiables. She narrows in on the the same thing Nat did: “constantly evolve through passion and creativity” baby that’s literally from your resume. so … lol the person we are in an interview is never the person we are when the dust settles.
• There’s a little moment where syd, continuing to read says “of the place? Is that what you think mise en place means?” funny, BUT i’m willing to bet that he sincerely has something in mind. Carmy knows his shit. He knows what mise en place means and translates as. This is something that he has up his sleeve and idk maybe it never fleshes out but i know i know i know he didn’t make a mistake. He just didn’t communicate it properly.
• Richie walks in! The last time they were all in a room together, Carmy and Richie had a nasty fight. Carmy called to apologize. He told Richie he loved him. Richie is up early, in his suit, greets the whole room, tries to make a neutral environment 
• Carmy doesn’t say shit. Carmy and Richie are staring at each other. Syd is looking between them.
• Her marital home is ….a busy village. 
• Ugh. Richie breaks the moment where he and Carmy are in a stalemate by talking to Carmy through syd. Carmy does the same thing back. 
• Carmy gets barbs in- he’s so mad at Richie and Richie is annoyed and mad too but Carmy is aggressive about it. (I think it’s because Richie just stepped in and helped his new bride on their wedding night, but, what do I know)
• Richie brings up the elephant in the room. Recycles what was said during the fight. Carmy tries diffusing it, saying he apologized, but now Richie wants all in. Now Richie’s the aggressor and Carmy is on defense. 
• Syd calls for Nat’s help, and Nat doesn’t really have to raise her voice to be heard when she says no she doesn’t want to help. Yeah, everyone’s very physically close in this place. Carmy wouldn’t put moves on Syd or make anything overt with this kind of proximity. He’s quietly staring, or monitoring where she is, or cutting Syd off in conversation when Nat comes into rooms, or just the whole….the entire physicality of it is because there’s no privacy. 
• Richie is trying to go separate from Carmy’s influence. The dining room is Richie’s dojo, and Richie is the master of the energy there. 
• Interestingly, the first thing Carmy addresses is breaking down the four top tables (the longer tables, the one that he and syd fixed and the one that claire sat at). He sys all those four tops were fucking nonsense. He starts to make another point about the flowers, and i’m sure he’d continue on but Richie cuts him off. I’m willing to add this as a win for the sydCarmy pile- we see him clean and reorganize the dining room first in the previous episode, but he specifically dismantles the place where claire sat. leaves no more room for her and calls the place she sat “fucking nonsense”. In fact Richie repeats twice: you added the four tops in the first place. Now he’s taken it back. Now he sees it’s not functional and he doesn’t want it. In the middle of his binding syd to him more closely and being more locked in, i’m willing to call it something significant. 
• Richie and Carmy keep fighting. Carmy tries at the very end to say hey he apologized, but it’s all just a mess. It ends because syd asks them to stfu please. The lights flicker and she jokes out loud that she’s finally having a stroke. 
• Richie unfortuNately drops the news that there are plural faks on the way. Ugh. 
• The lights flicker again. I’m? I’m wondering why the lights flickered but wondering why the characters focus on it? They don’t focus on the rose light washing over syd, or the red light washing over Richie which i chalk up to Mikey’s ghost. But they all see the lights? They all pause for it and acknowledge it? What are the writers communicating? If anything?
• Syd has her hands up to her temple as though she really does have a headache; she tells Richie to direct problems and questions to her. Carmy, absolutely gnawing on his gum has looked up from his microgreens to look over his wife as she speaks. Carmy agrees, calls it ‘good’ that Richie won’t be talking to him. But when Richie starts mocking the non-negotiables, Carmy engages in some back and forth with him. Syd breaks it up. Very elementary school teacher style. 
• Carmy even tries sticking up for himself with Syd after she tries explaining the non-negotiables to Richie “I can sense the sarcasm”. Syd is not amused
• Richie asks ‘exactly what’ the non-negotiables are. Syd, in the room with- in fact standing next to the person who made them, says “I wish I could tell you. You may read them for yourself”
• Richie calls them suggestions and says he would have suggested some of them himself. (he’s saying this with his ‘hmmm yes ahhh’ businessman voice affect btw)
• Richie also narrows in on the vibrant collaboration language and says it can get fucked. He and Carmy have their “you can get fucked” squabble. 
• Tiny tiny bit of body language, before the fight winds up, syd starts holding the back of her neck, turning away from them both, and Carmy knows better because he looks right at her as he’s saying “no. you can get fucked” he has that look on his face like he’s concerned for her but simultaneously is just ready to stay in trouble, and he lets the moment escalate. 
• The next time Carmy looks up at syd, because he knows he’s in the middle of bad behavior, it’s after Carmy has sniped at Richie saying “oh you worked in a three star restaurant for ten minutes” and syd’s voice is upset when she says stop! He turns toward her, fully facing her, and looks down taking her chastening him seriously. 
• A little more squabbling. But the next important thing that happens is Carmy calls these non-negotiables, insisting on that status. He says to syd ‘you two can keep talking shit but they’re non-negotiables’ and his expression shutters a bit! He really didn’t like using that language in her direction! 
• Syd tries closing the argument. Saying “I know what they are” Yeah. she understands the literal use of the word, but, when she’s said thus far “i don’t know what this is”, she’s been speaking in a larger sense. She doesn’t know what he MEANS by it. 
• His expression is wonderful. He has a tiny tiny moment of rearing back. It’s not a full blown neck roll. He holds still and you can see him thinking and then this little wave of surprise and hurt! JAW will there ever ever ever be anyone like you again oh my days. 
• “You don’t think I can do it?” And it’s so…it’s such a marital fight. This is the back and forth of a very committed couple. This isn’t people dating and trying to meld together and opposite ends of any spectrum. This is marriage. 
• The fight with Richie has stopped. Carmy is demanding an answer from syd on this. She answers his question (you don’t think I can do it?) with a question (are you serious right now?) and he is adamant that she answer him. He’s agitated. He is facing her head on and he’s hurt. 
• Syd says “I think you’ve managed in a miraculous way to make this about yourself” and you can literally see Carmy sway! He’s not blinking, and he looks so affronted, and he sways when she says this is Carmy making things about himself. 
• HER RESUME IS PUT BACK ONTO THE NON-NEGOTIABLES LIST. this isn’t about Carmy. This is about Carmy’s love, but it’s not Carmy being egotistical. 
• IN FACT, Carmy is framed now with the beef’s window behind him and! There’s a blue neon light in the window. His blue light signaling melancholy is back! All morning it’s been dim artificial lights or the wash of sunlight from another room. This is the first time we see a light source framed just this way. Not a coincidence! 
• Syd closes it all by saying they’ve both been yelling and she has a migraine now at the base of her “fucking skull”. syd really doesn’t usually speak like this
• And then come in the faks. So. her headache is now worse. 
• The lights flicker again. With neil noting it. The third person to wonder if they’re having a stroke. Ted says “gonna fix some lights. Send out some vibes” and puts his hands on Carmy’s shoulder. The neon blue light from the beef is again in the background of Carmy’s shot, though this time, his head is covering the literal neon light, so he has a blue aura emaNating from his head. (my old english teachers and professors would be so proud of me my god)
• Ugh. the moment continues on with Neil being confused. Carmy and Richie bicker but mostly Carmy is trying to settle Neil saying they’re not fighting fand nothing’s weird. He finally just says here open your mouth and he hand feeds Neil something before he walks off.
• Richie notes that Carmy is now adding times to his labels. Every container now has date, time, and item. Richie is mocking it, the camera is showing Syd’s stress. Richie and Carmy are still bickering. Carmy snaps at Ted because he’s too close and messing around with the lights. Syd is having a panic attack! She can hear Carmy’s voice, first apologizing to Ted and then shouting at Richie who just egged him on. She has her own set of rapidly flashing images just like Carmy does in his panic attacks.
• Tina comes in, diffusing the room for a second. The fight between Richie and Carmy continues. 
• The room is full. Ted is on a ladder behind Carmy. Carmy is separate from everyone else because of Ted’s positioning. Neil says this all has to stop, that it’s scary. Syd whispers to him a bit. Richie and Tina who are on the same side of the island have a bit of a talk. Tina tries addressing Carmy specifically as she gets up to date with the non-negotiables. 
• Interestingly she calls Carmy “Geoffrey Ballet” lol what? Cute though because he’s been screaming angry messy and she can use a cute nickname on him and he responds to her and addresses her calmly 
• Interestingly, there’s a moment where it’s allllll upside down. Neil thinks it’s impossible to learn a new menu every day, Carmy asks ‘oh you can’t do that’ and then Richie pipes up with he can absolutely do that and now Carmy and Richie are both saying the same thing that neil CAN get this done but they’re still fighting with each other. Now Richie is picking a fight saying Carmy thinks front of house can’t keep up with Carmy’s demands. 
• People have been saying “this is crazy” and Carmy has a break where he says it’s not crazy and then Carmy says “i’m not crazy” 
• And ouch here’s the part that really hurts. Richie says “ask claire if he’s crazy” whole room goes quiet. 
• Ted pipes up to say “i saw claire bear” and sydney responds in a whisper “jesus christ”
• I won’t pick out the details here but ted says it’s all good and Carmy looks at sydney before he says “how could it possibly be all good” and i swear to you his eyes are watery
• Syd says “it seems impossible for it to all be good” Richie tacks on and Carmy only snaps at Richie. Doesn’t even look over at syd this time. But also of course doesn’t snap at her. 
• So back and forth, people in Carmy’s business. Let’s gloss over the weirdness here. 
• Syd breaks up the gossip sesh with asking the room if anyone’s checked in on Marcus yet. Carmy says he’s tried. 
• Uncle jimmy tries scraping it back to the claire situation. Gary summarizes- Claire heard Carmy talking to himself in the cooler and everyone’s trying to figure out what he said. Carmy offers that he said he thought it was all a waste of time because he is who he is. 
• THAT’S IT
• The actual thing she overheard was a mental health crisis and a healthcare worker should have responded differently for a multitude of reasons, but, Carmy isn’t lying or really diminishing anything here. He’s also a grown man who can decide if something isn’t working for him. Why this is about to trail out for multiple seasons i do not know but ugh. Ughhhhhhhh.
• Richie brings a moment of light! Tries moving on saying “who cares let’s get some work done” ah it still goes sideways. Carmy says he agrees and then they’re back to fuck yous
• The news comes out that servers quit. Syd says it’s because they didn’t want to work in a dysfunctional kitchen. Carmy looks right at her as he and Richie say at the same time “show me a functional one”
• Buzzer goes. 
• Richie and Carmy keep saying things at the same time including ‘stop saying the same shit as me’ which they say twice. Omg.
• Hmm…jimmy comes back through the kitchen. When the buzzer rang he said it was for him and when Carmy asked what it was jimmy said ‘nonya’ and Carmy falls into the trap “what’s non-” before uncle jimmy gets to laugh and say “none ya business”. uh when jimmy walks back in, he’s carrying a cardboard box, doesn’t entertain questions on it just says “it’s not for this hon” to Nat and ignores Carmy completely
• I need to see the mafia element. I need to see a little mafioso come through who’s a hottie tottie and syd gets her fling. This isn’t even about Carmy this is about her having fun and having a great day. 
• Okay i’m back
• Interesting to say in this scene, as everyone’s gathered around the island, Carmy ends up by himself! He’s cut off from everyone else because Ted is on a ladder fixing the light that kept flickering. He’s so agitated and disgruntled and alone and he’s the head of this household and he’s trying to be a leader here
• They have to resolve the tip issues (tip vs. service charge) and Carmy does the math lightning quick. What’s dis? 
• Richie compliments the choice, but they trade a few more fuck yous 
• I was like wow this meta is much shorter than the others and it’s because it’s just a tangle of arguments and fuck yous lol nothing to report
• Richie for some reason doubles back and says tipping is a bad practice even though he liked Carmy’s solution to the tipping thing (I think Carmy told them to do a base of $175 per server plus tip?) and there’s a little row over things 
• Marcus walks in! Whole room, of course goes silent. Marcus says no one has to say anything he just wants to be at work with them and not think about his mom dying. 
• Marcus walks forward and asks what they’re all gathered around? Everyone answers in unison: “non-negotiables”
• Syd makes a call to action that they all get back to work
• Carmy looks absolutely miserable looking over at Marcus. marcus is the one that just experienced a death (and so has Carmy, but less recently) and Carmy looks much more worse for the wear than Marcus does
• Everyone goes their separate ways, tina and syd to the farmer’s market, Carmy sets the menu, ted is told to level the tables in the dining room, etc. 
• Quick close ups of the demo plates Carmy has done. There’s a profile shot of syd, and a small mechanical whine. So i think syd is still panicking, and panicking the way that Carmy does sometimes.
• Carmy and marcus having a heart to heart. Marcus is the only one that accepts the non-negotiables right away. Says they don’t seem crazy when Carmy tries to cede that it probably seems crazy. Marcus has just said he didn’t want to talk about things but Carmy can’t not say something. He needs to address it. 
• Carmy tells marcus “some of us here we probably know how you’re feeling…just maybe instead of not dealing with it try to, um..” 
• Marcus asks if that’s what Carmy did and he cuckles as he says no. Carmy wraps it up saying “i’m here, you know, if you need anything i’m here”
• Marcus says “i was here when she died” Carmy says he knows and he feels terrible, but marcus says he means that as a good thing. he thinks that’s how it was supposed to be. Carmy’s definitely not expecting that. As an audience member i wasn’t either.
• Marcus says “she wanted me to be with y’all. This is what’s up now. This place has gotta work. And i need you to do something for me” Carmy: “yeah. Name it” Marcus: “take us there, bear” Carmy: “yes chef”
• The song Nice Dream plays out the episode: “They love me like i was a brother. They protect me. Listen to me. They dug me my very own garden. Gave me sunshine. Made me happy. Nice dream.”

Is people on Chicago really use the word fu$k in every sentence or ‘The Bear’ led me into believing it ?

I watched like 4 seasons of ‘The Bear’, and i was like wow this kid is talented, but carmy honey you need sleep and a therapist.

Then I watched this one freaking episode 'napkins’ , with Tina and mikey and Richie at the original beef, ykwim?

One single episode of Michael Berzatto and I’m on my knees going , baby marry me 💍

vs

The complete tear-jerker (drama) that Napkins was in S3, IMO was 1 of the best eps in the season, not bc it was funny, or had any semblance of humor, clearly. Only bc it was really emotional and an all-around well-told story (thanks to Ayo and the writer). Having said that, it had no genre nuances or hybrid quality balancing out drama and comedy as any good dramedy should have, just drama and on-point social criticism, which I guess was what Storer wanted to tell, that´s why he signed it off to begin with in the WR and approved it for the season, later offering it to Ayo for her directorial debut.

Tangent: I still think that it was an unnecessary ep in that phase of the show´s grand scheme bc at that point we still didn´t have a Syd-centric ep and S3 chopped off Syd´s airtime to point the spotlight to secondary characters like Tina, whom I love, the Faks, who I hate, and guest stars, that the show simply didn´t need to bring in the comedy element, seeing as we already had comedy gold right there at hand, like Ebon, Ayo herself, and Cicero, for instance. No need to bring in John Cena or give Ricky, whatever his last name is, more screentime to make the show “funny”. We already had a perfectly balanced dramedy before, and that carefully curated balance shouldn´t have been altered for the sake of giving them more airtime, by depriving other characters of theirs and crack a few bad jokes or make ppl cry bc at a certain age, with no college education, the system pushes you out. Not the right time for that, sorry, not sorry. Not when the rest of the season wasn´t funny either bc it showed the protagonist melting down in the middle of service and barking orders or behaving like a psycho haunted by flashbacks and struggling with his mental health more than ever before, not when the rest of the season had Syd also having panic attacks and Sugar giving birth while reconciling with her abusive crying mother and her husband wasn´t there by her side. Neither was his only living brother, who didn´t even show up later either. Nope, a thousand times not the right time to add to that long list of dramatic elements, yet another one in the form of Napkins. Timing matters and so does balance especially when you do a show like The Bear that is supposed to be BOTH, drama and comedy, not just the former.

So, It´s really hard to win a comedy Emmy by making ppl cry bc you got a second chance in life given by a guy who killed himself. Now a drama Emmy… that sounds more like it, but the show competes in a different category altogether just bc the Dramedy category is nonexistent.

That is why Liza lost, bc S3 was not a comedy, not because of her performance.

The tone of the show is defined by the writers and the producers before it gets to the filming phase; the cast and crew (including the director unless the director is also an EP) only follow orders to the best of their abilities based on the goals set by the EP, and the writers write what the EP assigns for them to write, giving them more or less creative freedom in the process, submitting their scripts for consideration later, for the EP to approve or not, with or without modifications. In other words, S3 was a drama because that was what Storer wanted to deliver; he made a conscious decision to remove the comedic element to show Carmy´s struggle and breaking point (3x10), and the price he was willing to pay was losing everything he had gained so far. All that seasons 1 and 2 built was demolished to build a whole new show in S3 that was a drama through and through, probably taking inspo from his own personal journey bc it was realistic, for sure, but not comedy material, as there was no EDY in DRAMEDY.

S4, started to repair the damage S3 caused, but 10 eps were not enough, especially when you don´t seize every single opportunity to steer the wheel back to the original dramedy course, and continue delaying the natural progression of some story lines.

S5, I hope and expect, will finally get us out of the woods, and the awards will come back or not, doesn´t matter, but at least the original balance between culinary drama and noir comedy that the first 2 seasons had, will be restored. BECAUSE THAT IS THE STORY THEY WERE TELLING, and the problems started when they changed the story and began to tell a different one that was not only not funny, but deeply disturbing dramatic.

The Bear S03E09 (Apologies)

Book title: Benu (2015) by Corey Lee

The Bear S03E02 (Next)

Book title: The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert (2013) by Richard Betts with Crystal English Sacca and Wendy MacNaughton

SYDCARMY SYDNEY AND LUCA. LET’S BE FAIR. THE BEAR SEASON FUTURE

The jovial and flirty moments we see with Sydney and Luca could happen and have happened with Carmy

We just have been able to see Carmy’s down side as well

But we know he’s capable of those love highs we are projecting onto Luca

We never saw Luca frustrated or upset

I like the Sydney and Luca interactions

But I want to be the tiniest bit fair

Carmy can up the ante as well.

Season 6?

I feel like the subway is weirdly the bear coded but like if syd ever left the restaurant cause i dont care about claire

the bear thought bubble

things the bear needs:

• ace/sex repulsed representation (changes in the bear’s demographics from older viewers to younger viewers means either a surge or a decline in romantic storylines – hoping it’s a decline for the sake of consistency. it’s a city, the populations are meant to be diverse sexually also.)
• either carmy, sydney, richie, tina, or natalie to be prescribed antidepressants/ssri’s (having characters self-reflect their way out of things works for the show now but having the characters seek psychiatric care would both introduce new characters and gauge viewer perception, also prozac carmy? come on)
• either carmy or sydney competing on chopped/iron chef (the intensity of both shows would marry well, as both series evoke stress in ultimately very controlled/conditional settings and environments, such as a cooking competition, and top chef would be too gimmicky. plus an alton brown cameo!)
• character arcs/developments for the faks (mainly my main man neil, having him accidentially embezzle or something would be hilarious and would broaden him from just being the comic relief guy as season 2 dumbed his character down so much he just feels like an afterthought. which i feel is just underutilizing the goldmine of an actor who was a literal consultant on the show)
• writing off characters who serve no purpose in the show other than elevating/highlighting something about a man character (GET CLAIRE AND TED TF OFF MY SCREEN)

things the bear does not need

• claire. full stop. her character feels like an off-brand lorelai gilmore circa season 5. not to mention she was probably deliberately underdeveloped to make the “main” ship of the show more appealing.
• MAIN CHARACTER X MAIN CHARACTER SHIPS. for those of us who are viewers of bojack horesman and/or house md paid witness to the worst on-screen ships on planet earth aka bojack x diane or house x cuddy know that if there is one thing that writers of “edgier” shows tend to get wrong IT’S ROMANCE. IT IS LITERALLY ALWAYS. ROMANCE. they just can’t do it and realistically sydcarmy is neither going to not happen or just fx using the ship to attract more women/poc viewers. sydcarmy not happening also means ayo could be more involved in behind the scenes, as the episode that focused on tina was a literal masterpiece. she brings a quiet, calculated anger and frustration to the show that may be diminished if she’s occupied since both characters will have to be reworked for the ship to be narratively productive.
• the long form episodes. i feel like they always drag for longer than they need to and don’t really contextualize the arcs/reasons for each character being themselves as well as they should for the length of each one. the character-focused long form episodes, however, absolute fire.

friendly reminder that these are just a random new england media student’s ramblings/opinions and i have never claimed to be some sort of ridiculous connoisseur of media literacy/subtext. i would be a shitty bear fan if i didn’t welcome critique so feel free to fight me over these in the comments :) love you guys <3.

we honestly don’t need another trope of an emotionally erratic career-driven dude x level-headed deuteragonist who is essentially babysitting him until he sees her in a different light. actually despise this ship so much. let us all remember gossip girl, whiplash, and pi. fx, be better than this. leave this trope is 2010. there are like 2 screenwriters on planet earth who make this type of ship work. 68 sydcarmy. just kill it. keep them both single. (for all of the shippers in my comments section, i see you. i put this on the internet and its open to criticism, that’s just how being online works. if anyone alleges this to be rage bait you’re getting reported. i realize i did not explain myself well in the original post because that’s what happens at 9am in the middle of a day of fucking household chores. however, do not come onto my page and allege that i, a whole writing student and published writer, “lack media literacy” because i have an opinion you don’t like. you are allowed to yell at me, disagree me, insult me, i welcome it, i would be a shitty bear fan if i didn’t but seriously do not tell me that shippers are superior fans that is actually wrong on so many levels. k i’m done.)

there’s something so funny about this little post funeral dinner party they’re all having

how unobservant do you have to be to think that the fridge incident was good for carmy

it means something that carmy invited sydney, who has no personal connection to ever, to come to the funeral dinner.

olivia colman pleaseeee get this emmy i don’t like jamie lee curtis (im still mad over the oscar’s idc stephanie hsu should’ve won it)

EMMY NOMINATED DIRECTOR AYO EDEBIRI I KNOW THATS RIGHT

Emmys Nominations have been announced & The Bear season 3 got what was expected I think, acting noms for Leads in Comedy for Ayo, JAW, Supporting for Liza, Ebon. Guests for JLC, Olivia C and Jon B.

But also a Directing nom for Ayo!!!

2025 Emmy nominations are announced: See the full list

the time jumps are weird and at some point i lost track of which ones were the present and which ones were the near past

i’m sorry, what was the point of the mini claire montage

really interesting to see where carmy picked up some of his kitchen practices