This week everyone is questioning personal purpose. Is it love for Claire or, love of work, that calls more for Carmy? For Sydney, is it staying in her youth or is it creating a big responsibility? This episode also gives a window for an even bigger perspective, how alcoholism affects the addict and those around them, and how endless this cycle seems to be. We see this as Carmy attends an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting, which he has meant to do since the first episode. He has finally made it here and it is time for him to hear everyone out. It seems that he has quit smoking also from the previous episodes this season.
Shapiro is also trying to take Sydney from The Bear, for a new restaurant of his own. He sweetens his deal by giving her complete creative direction as well as insurance and benefits. She considers another career path that might be more promising of stability. She is not expecting the offer when the two of them chat about this over lunch, and she leaves him with an “I will sleep on it.” Considering such a nice partnership offer is not something that she seems to feel guilty about, as The Bear is having its onslaught of grand opening faux-pas. She feels that she could be betraying the restaurant, however, it is a job that she wanted at first for a different experience, but became one that she was forced into with much more responsibility than she anticipated for her younger age.
Marcus becomes more and more interested in Carmy’s notebooks he kept during stauging tours. They depict an incredibly busy and ruminating mind, with plenty of impressive pocket drawings. One day, intrigued and inspired, Marcus decides to sit and ask Carmy about a photo titled “Legacy.” It’s a photo he found in a magazine comprised of many prolific and talented chefs. Carmy explains how legacy was important to them, not in the typical way, but instead starting a chain reaction of sharing the talent and gift of food and how to spread a new way to eat to many different parts of the world. Marcus, Carmy, and Sydney all muse on what would be their legacy. Carmy says he would like something that he left to be panicless and worry-free, but to do that, he would have to be square with everything and “filter out the bad”. Marcus says that his legacy is to keep his chin up and to do honest work. He wants to be fun around and dependable to the people he loves. This deep conversation is what rings them in for there 8 a.m. shift.
Some great things never change, and at The Bear it is the sandwiches. Many changes are being made to The Bear’s pick-up window. But it is all by the same people, that know the ins and outs of the job. The window that many know and love is still selling sandwiches daily. Tina and Ebraheim have a sweet moment together as they remind each other how they practically are the parents of the place and have been here for years. They are happy to see their loyalty become worth something. Tina sees him fumbling with loose papers and hands him a clipboard that she has gifted him.
We then see the brothers Neil and Theo ask Sweeps why exactly he left baseball. Sweeps is open-hearted, telling them how much he thinks about “what could’ve been, and how his purpose has changed. In the end, Theo mentions that he was a stud, but that he is so proud of where he is and that he has known about him and has been a fan. This is the first time that we learn more about this supporting character as he has been with the team since season one but has never opened up about his past. The Bear has a seemingly long thread weaved within it, and has a mission for each of its characters to discover their purpose, even if it is continuously changing.
We get an update on Natalie as she is more and more nervous about bringing in a baby. She has accepted the hard parts of being pregnant, and asks about everyone’s experience at her stage. She is endeared with Richie reminiscing about his daughters birth. Richie had left a trip with Mikey, to find his wife in the hospital and the two of them had a strangley calm birth.Richie feels sentimental about memories with his late best friend, who won’t be able to meet his niece. Natalie then asks Tina about her experience with her boy Louis, and she tells her that she was incredibly nervous for a lengthy amount of time. She said that after her boy was born nothing was different.
Sydney and Carmy try and work out a new menu together. Sydney realizes working with Carmy that she doesn’t have creative direction as part owner of the restaurant. She begins to have second thoughts.
We end with an incredibly prominent scene.Natalie, doing the ever-so-mundane tasks of a business owner, runs an errand to grab C-folds. She is almost successful with her restaurant depot run when her water breaks. She goes into complete panic and so does the audience as we wait to see what this will do to the Berzzato family.
Rating: 8/10