The Bear: Next
June 27, 2024 4:54 PM - Season 3, Episode 2 - Subscribe
Carmy sets a new standard.
What a follow up to that first episode.
It's basically a bottle episode and in real time once they get into the kitchen. Just out here firing off some of the most interesting TV writing in ages.
We will see how it develops, but based on these first two episodes I'm a little baffled by the critics saying it's dininished.
posted by absalom at 11:26 AM on June 28 [4 favorites]
It's basically a bottle episode and in real time once they get into the kitchen. Just out here firing off some of the most interesting TV writing in ages.
We will see how it develops, but based on these first two episodes I'm a little baffled by the critics saying it's dininished.
posted by absalom at 11:26 AM on June 28 [4 favorites]
Conflict is inevitable (unless you want it to be an endless travelogue of different people going to train in Copenhagen). I'm not sure it's less realistic or desirable to keep working over the same sore points than it is to resolve those and introduce new ones.
In this instance, Richie made so much progress last season. But even if Carmy recognized that, even if Carmy praised him for it, they could never be buddies. Richie wants to have grown on his own rather than from Carmy's prompting. He knows he's stunted and he's trying to grow, but it's embarrassing that everyone has to make room for that, when Syd comes in seemingly fully formed and competent. If they ever do find a way to really accept each other as family, the show will be over, because it will lose its engine.
It's interesting to watch Syd and Carmy, because they are on a different level from Richie and Carmy, but they don't truly trust each other yet. Offering Syd a piece of ownership is huge, but at the same time redoing the menu without consulting her and making a lot of nonnegotiable demands is not helping. Still, he knows more than anyone what it will take to get a star. But he's doing it in pursuit of excellence as a replacement for human contact, which is obviously super unhealthy.
If the show has to spin its wheels a bit for a season to gain more traction later, that's fine with me. I had expected more of a time skip, but I guess it's important to draw out the tension of can they make it before Uncle Jimmy calls in the chips.
posted by rikschell at 4:47 AM on June 29 [2 favorites]
In this instance, Richie made so much progress last season. But even if Carmy recognized that, even if Carmy praised him for it, they could never be buddies. Richie wants to have grown on his own rather than from Carmy's prompting. He knows he's stunted and he's trying to grow, but it's embarrassing that everyone has to make room for that, when Syd comes in seemingly fully formed and competent. If they ever do find a way to really accept each other as family, the show will be over, because it will lose its engine.
It's interesting to watch Syd and Carmy, because they are on a different level from Richie and Carmy, but they don't truly trust each other yet. Offering Syd a piece of ownership is huge, but at the same time redoing the menu without consulting her and making a lot of nonnegotiable demands is not helping. Still, he knows more than anyone what it will take to get a star. But he's doing it in pursuit of excellence as a replacement for human contact, which is obviously super unhealthy.
If the show has to spin its wheels a bit for a season to gain more traction later, that's fine with me. I had expected more of a time skip, but I guess it's important to draw out the tension of can they make it before Uncle Jimmy calls in the chips.
posted by rikschell at 4:47 AM on June 29 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I def had an issue with Carmy unilaterally making all these calls, while simultaneously telling Syd she saved the restaurant the previous night and is going to be a co-owner. That... doesn't work.
By the end of the ep, I was pretty done with Carmy; he's got a lot of work to do to get back any sympathy from me.
posted by suelac at 12:12 PM on June 30 [4 favorites]
By the end of the ep, I was pretty done with Carmy; he's got a lot of work to do to get back any sympathy from me.
posted by suelac at 12:12 PM on June 30 [4 favorites]
based on these first two episodes I'm a little baffled by the critics saying it's diminished.
I've not read any reviews, but I'm two-episodes in and I'm not surprised if it's getting some criticism - so far the season has been a bit of a disappointment - it sorta feels like they're coasting on the success of the first two seasons, and at this rate the finale will be opening night. A lot of shows I like are slow and atmospheric, but it's not quite working for me yet, though I still have hope.
But what did work for me this episode:
-Syd and her dad - they continue to be one of the more interesting dynamics - and I think it's a timely exploration of adult children living at home.
-The conversation where Marcus tells Carmy that he's glad he was in the kitchen when his mom died. It seemed potentially healing for Carmy, because yeah, perhaps similar to suelac, I'm finding the character to be wearing thin.
posted by coffeecat at 3:16 PM on June 30 [1 favorite]
I've not read any reviews, but I'm two-episodes in and I'm not surprised if it's getting some criticism - so far the season has been a bit of a disappointment - it sorta feels like they're coasting on the success of the first two seasons, and at this rate the finale will be opening night. A lot of shows I like are slow and atmospheric, but it's not quite working for me yet, though I still have hope.
But what did work for me this episode:
-Syd and her dad - they continue to be one of the more interesting dynamics - and I think it's a timely exploration of adult children living at home.
-The conversation where Marcus tells Carmy that he's glad he was in the kitchen when his mom died. It seemed potentially healing for Carmy, because yeah, perhaps similar to suelac, I'm finding the character to be wearing thin.
posted by coffeecat at 3:16 PM on June 30 [1 favorite]
Mod note: Comment removed. Folks, please just avoid talking about future episodes at all, some people would prefer not to know anything about what's to come.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 6:10 PM on July 3 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 6:10 PM on July 3 [1 favorite]
Finally watched the first two episodes, and I think it's great. The contrast between episode one (almost no dialogue/almost all imagery) and episode two (basically a play - one location and all dialogue) demonstrates the varied strengths of the creators.
I think the overall theme of this show is "hurt people hurt people." Carmy and Richie both want to be better people, but they suffered so much trauma and abuse at the hands of Michael and Carmy's mother (and, in Carmy's case, dickhead Chef Joel McHale), that they cannot get past their protective/defensive instincts, which include lashing out at one another.
I thought it was interesting that Richie on several occasions said something that sounded like he was parroting something he heard in therapy, but hadn't internalized it for himself.
Looking forward to see what happens next.
posted by Ben Trismegistus at 7:23 AM on July 10 [1 favorite]
I think the overall theme of this show is "hurt people hurt people." Carmy and Richie both want to be better people, but they suffered so much trauma and abuse at the hands of Michael and Carmy's mother (and, in Carmy's case, dickhead Chef Joel McHale), that they cannot get past their protective/defensive instincts, which include lashing out at one another.
I thought it was interesting that Richie on several occasions said something that sounded like he was parroting something he heard in therapy, but hadn't internalized it for himself.
Looking forward to see what happens next.
posted by Ben Trismegistus at 7:23 AM on July 10 [1 favorite]
based on these first two episodes I'm a little baffled by the critics saying it's diminished
I like how the show seems to be following similar non-negotiables in its production to the ones we see Carmy obsessing over. It would be easier to repeat the previous hits and give the critics what they expect. It would be easier not to take risks with every episode to make the storytelling fresh. It would be easier not to spend quite so much money on throwaway shots and in the editing room. But, fuck it, what would be the point of that?
posted by rongorongo at 2:49 PM on July 17
I like how the show seems to be following similar non-negotiables in its production to the ones we see Carmy obsessing over. It would be easier to repeat the previous hits and give the critics what they expect. It would be easier not to take risks with every episode to make the storytelling fresh. It would be easier not to spend quite so much money on throwaway shots and in the editing room. But, fuck it, what would be the point of that?
posted by rongorongo at 2:49 PM on July 17
I can't get over the "change the menu every day" thing. Just seems like a wasteful gimmick that takes away from their ability to refine dishes, for what gain? Would Michelin reviewers really be impressed by that?
posted by DowBits at 6:40 PM on July 24 [1 favorite]
posted by DowBits at 6:40 PM on July 24 [1 favorite]
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
What could make Carmy and Richie feel like absolutely minuscule pieces of fucking shit after they dragged that screaming match out just as far as any viewer (or Syd) could stand it, and completely re-frame it all in a nanosecond? Marcus coming through the kitchen door. My heart.
posted by tzikeh at 7:45 AM on June 28 [7 favorites]