In this episode, we start in a complete panic in Natalie’s brain as she experiences contractions. trying to call anyone who can help her but everyone is busy at the restaurant unable to pick up a call. She tries calling anyone who can help her, but everyone is busy at the restaurant. She suddenly decides she has no choice but to call her mother and meet her at the hospital. From the jump, Donna can’t help but try to coach her breathing, making Natalie more anxious about the birth looming ahead. They continue to bicker about staying calm.

Donna tries her best to soothe Natalie, telling her personal crazy birth stories. She recalls how her doctors were all fresh out of med school, and how for Mikey’s pregnancy, she had to walk to the hospital solo while in labor. When that doesn’t work, the mom and daughter fight over having an epidural. Natalie is adamant not to have one until she knows the amount of pain she’ll have to endure; but Donna is insistent she take it, saving herself the trouble and discomfort, as she has “been through it before.

Donna is doing her best to take care of her daughter and help her relax. Natalie fears being numb and feels unsure about all of this. She starts asking a lot of questions. Donna mentions she was surprised that Natalie called her, but is so thankful she did, saying there’s no place she rather be. Then, she gets emotional and asks Natalie why she didn’t initially tell her about the baby.”Instead of answering, Natalie asks Donna to finish Mikey’s birth story, as she had been walking to the hospital.”  She mentions that Mikey was a strange baby and had been all wrapped up in chords trying to get out “almost as if he wanted to stay in there”. Natalie then asks hoping for happier story, what Carmy’s birth was like. Donna says it was the only birth her father had been there for. It was long and even more painful despite thinking it would be easier to birth a boy. . She tells natalie that none of it is easier and that this all hurts the same.” The doctor then comes in after a few more pushes, and lets her know she is at 5-6 cm and must wait until 10 cm to induce labor. She is now feeling like she wants this to be over and asks for the pitocin and epidural that her mom was talking about earlier. 

Natalie then asks Donna what she felt she was not saying before. “Natalie comes clean about why she did not let Donna in for most of the pregnancy. Natalie doesn’t like everything that her mother brings. Donna reassures her she’s working on her problems, including the alcohol. Donna feels awful about this.Natalies tells Donna how her people-pleasing nature causes her to feel drained and how she’s been trying to make people happy or better her whole life. Trying to make people happy or better, she tells her that she has been doing this her whole life with her.  Natalie comes clean about why she did not let Donna in for most of the pregnancy and that she just wants to live to protect her. 

Finally we get to the final birth story that Donna has, it is about Natalie. She says that it was beautiful and before the due date, and was so excited to be able to go to bed early to deep sleep and dreamed about going to a city and seeing a fish tank that only she was looking at with the most vivid neon colors, amongst a gray city. She remembers being the only person looking at the glass on this tank cracking, partly grateful that this would make people realize the incredible fish. Donna then says that her water broke and she asked Aunt Gail to meet her there and she put on a song “Baby I Love You” and Natalie was born. 

She plays this for Natalie and they have a moment of happiness together when Pete enters the hospital room. Donna quietly leaves, longing for more time, but grateful to have seen her daughter through this. 

 This episode is impeccable because of the acting of both Abby Elliot and Jamie Lee Curtis as this entire 35-minute episode was almost solely these characters. It helped to reshape their torn relationship that we have seen since the Fishes episode in season 2 which just received an Emmy nomination. Again, an incredible cast makes another poignant midseason episode for us to remember. These episodes have a way of giving reality and focus to the trauma and experience that the Berzzato’s are going through. Acting out labor, and how to support someone through it is difficult but the audience felt very close to it. This episode is rivaling with Napkins for season favorite, but there is no doubt that greater character focus in this season makes for a greater depth of understanding in each character. In the last scene, Donna waits in the hospital lobby as the Fax brothers enter, reminding her that she is a grandma. They are all happy and eagerly awaiting. The Bear is welcoming the baby!

–Rating: 10/10