S03.E05: Children

[chitowngirl]

Synopsis: The Computer gives The Bear its odds.
Drops on Hulu June 27, 2024.

Edited June 26 by chitowngirl

[Mindthinkr]

John Cena was so funny and wonderfully utilized in this episode. 
 

I’’m so glad that Natalie saved Marcus from the Computer. He is an understated character that I enjoy. Especially for his zen amid all the hassle and bustle of kitchen.

I’m wondering how Carm is going to fare with all these cutbacks. He did seem to wake up when he heard that Chef Terry was closing her restaurant. 

[maddie965]

Yes, I think so. Maybe he will realize that the search for perfection is not everything? From a business perspective, it can be disastrous. And from a personal perspective, it can leave you burned out and empty. 

I hope he can meet Terry and talk to her about those things. That would be wonderful. Plus, I adore Colman and every second with her in my telly counts.

[SnapHappy]

Wow, I thought the whole Sammy & haunting thing was incredibly ridiculous and made zero sense.  They've already got their 2 stooges with the Faks that work there, the addition of Sammy during an exceptionally tense and crucial make-or-break time didn't work at all for me.  Goofy is fine, that came off stupid to me.

Marcus is such a quiet MVP, I love that HE became a "non-negotiable" to Natalie.  And I love that Carmy's genius is a catalyst for his genius.  Great synergy.

Bringing up the really non-essentials and pointing them was such a good move.  I like that everybody knew Computer and took his words as gospel.  Efficiency Experts seem to have faded away, though I imagine they're just called something else in corporate America these days.  I've always hated chargers, so pointless!  But I'm a minimalist, so clean & modern is always my preferred vibe.

Edited June 29 by SnapHappy

[peeayebee]

1 hour ago, SnapHappy said:

Wow, I thought the whole Sammy & haunting thing was incredibly ridiculous and made zero sense.  They've already got their 2 stooges with the Faks that work there, the addition of Sammy during an exceptionally tense and crucial make-or-break time didn't work at all for me.  Goofy is fine, that came off stupid to me.

I'm right with you. Every time any Fak is on the screen, I tense up like there's going to be a disaster. I kept expecting something awful to happen during the floor buffing. But aside from that, the goofiness isn't working for me. I think the show may be using more of them to add more comedy.

Also, while I love John Cena and think he's a great comedic actor, his presence took me out of the scenes. He didn't seem to belong.

The Computer had some good suggestions, but also some terrible ones. "Do you need a pastry chef?" First off, it's Marcus! Secondly, yes, a fine restaurant needs a pastry chef.

I'm looking forward to hearing what Chef Terry says about closing the restaurant. I hope Carmy takes it to heart. Don't be so busy that you don't appreciate how great something is!

[possibilities]

I wondered if Carmy was going to try to hire the former employees from Ever and fire his entire crew. He seems to be stuck between his dream and his desire for loyalty. I mean, he seemed to genuinely care about Marcus, but then... he doesn't act like he cares at all about anyone on a consistent basis.

Of course, he can't afford Terry's staff, and they wouldn't put up with his chaos, so maybe even he knows that.

I hate the Fak disasters. I feel like they ought to have grown by now. Richie did. And if they can't, then they need to be managed better to get them to not do stupid shit like smoking in the restaurant, especially not when the review people are due any second. Them professing to care and be excited about being part of the action is not enough in the face of their constant horsing around and acting like toddlers. I get that they are family, but they need to be directed in some way that prevents them from sinking the entire ship. 

 

[aghst]

The Faks must be comic relief or their idea of authentic working class characters?

Or Carmy, like Michael before him were loyal to family and friends, personally connected with all his employees.

Of course the flip side of being personally close to coworkers is that you have the volatile relationship between Richie and Carmy.  I don't know if the screaming affects others but it has to be exhausting at least sometimes.

Sydney has gradually reasoned with Carmy, not in a frontal assault like Richie would do but made him see that a lot of the things Carmy demanded were  not only counterproductive but threatened the financial viability.

It may not be a deliberate strategy on her part, more just seeing opportunities to make him see her POV.

Curious about the timeline, the article alluded to the pandemic.  Restaurants have to be back and they have really raised prices, not to mention raised wages of workers because of worker shortages.

I guess that's the other aspect of family and friends as employees.  They're pretty loyal or they're not looking for other jobs, though in the last 4 years or so, there was an opportunity to job-hop and increase one's income.

 

[Crazydoxielady]

John Cena hijacked his scenes. His grand mugging was unneeded. The Faks are more than enough as is. John’s over acting and over smiling and yelling his lines took me 100% out of the scenes. 

[tennisgurl]

John Cena going full ham alongside the Faks is a whole lot happening at once, they can be a lot and their constant screw ups give me a whole lot of stress, but I could not stop laughing when Cena showed up in the kitchen at the end and he was asked to get a duck. 

I'm hoping that seeing Terry closing her restaurant is a wake up call for Carmy to chill out just a bit and enjoy his success. Its interesting how much Carmy influences the people around him, more than he probably thinks he does. His brilliance and professionalism can inspire others brilliance and growing professionalism, but when he's anxious or angry that can spread to everyone. 

Computer made some good points, but Marcus is a nonnegotiable. 

[yanksno1]

Made it through Season 3, Episode 5. For the most part, didn't like John Cena's guest star. The guest star's were my main issue with the X-Mas ep last season too. But at least he had the funniest line of the night asking about grabbing the duck from the park in a plastic bag. That made me laugh out loud pretty good. Do you guys know the story behind all these guest star's? These are big name actor's their getting. Just was wondering the story behind it. Did sign up for a month with Hulu to support the show.

[peeayebee]

Here's an interview with Josh Harnett (Frank). It says that he and the show's creator (Chris Storer) had met years ago and wanted to work together. After The Bear came out, Josh watched it and loved it, and called Chris to tell him. 

Quote

[Chris] was like, thanks man, we have to work together at some point, let’s make this happen. And then maybe a year goes by and he called my agent and said we’ve got a role for Josh. I said yes right away, before I even read the script, because I wanted to work with him.

 

[MicheleinPhilly]

I absolutely HATED everything with John Cena and the Faks. Stop trying to shoehorn these slapsticky teenage boy antics to justify your inclusion in the comedy category. It just doesn't work for me AT ALL. If you can't organically incorporate comedy, then hire some experienced comedy writers for crying out loud. 

I adored Sydney's bonding with Marcus over the Dead Moms' Club and was thrilled when Natalie went to bat for him with The Computer. 

Does Carmy not keep notes on what the menu is each night? I know he doesn't know WHEN the critic came in, but the fact that they were all standing around like "I don't know" was really frustrating. They're making it difficult for me to root for Carmy this season. 

Edited July 3 by MicheleinPhilly
spelling

[SoMuchTV]

5 hours ago, MicheleinPhilly said:

Does Carmy not keep notes on what the menu is each night? I know he doesn't know WHEN the critic came in, but the fact that they were all standing around like "I don't know" was really frustrating. They're making it difficult for me to root for Carmy this season. 

That's a really good point, because haven't we seen he keeps detailed notes (with pictures!) in those journals or notebooks or whatever they are?

[chitowngirl]

When Natalie prints up the daily menu, wouldn’t she save them in the computer?

[thuganomics85]

Nat getting ready to murder "Computer" over even suggesting the idea of letting Marcus go is just more proof that she's the best!  I get budget cutting, but some lines can not be crossed, good sir!

Love John Cena (think he and Dave Bautista are the true best "wrestlers turned actor", with respect to The Rock) and he brought some good laughs for me, but I can see why some would find it too camera-hogging and mugging, and to be fair, I do think part of it is because he never really came off like an actual character.  He wasn't just another Flak: he was basically John Cena buffing floors and scaring Theo.  Obviously, the show is no stranger to surprise appearances from big actors, but they are usually able to make the characters feel like real people by the end of things, and I don't think Cena quite got there (although, I guess I could argue to same for John Mulaney, but it still managed to work better for whatever reason.)

Finding out Chef Terry is closing down her restaurant hit way harder than I expected it would.  This industry is brutal as hell.  I hope Carmy takes notice how easily things can fall through.  Did like Richie talking to Jessica from "Forks" again and the Garrett namedrop.

The Marcus/Sydney scene was a nice moment.

Uncle Jimmy continues to be a pretty layered character, when he could easily have been more of a caricature.

[Ilovepie]

I love the Faks in small doses. Ritchie grilling Neil about if Neil is Bear employee material. The Fak brothers selling John Mulaney on their baseball card scheme. Neil returning the broth to kitchen.  Neil and the brother talking about who their best friends are and about how great Francine is. I hope we get to meet her sometime and find out why Natalie hates her so much. Love all these moments.

I also love John Cena. But he did not work here. He was not a Fak. He was John Cena. Maybe the first guest star on this show to not work at all. The haunting was beyond dumb, and that's saying something for characters who largely function as the comedy on this show.

"Push the fucking button." Uncle Jimmy is the best.

[pasdetrois]

On 6/29/2024 at 11:30 AM, SnapHappy said:

Wow, I thought the whole Sammy & haunting thing was incredibly ridiculous and made zero sense.  They've already got their 2 stooges with the Faks that work there, the addition of Sammy during an exceptionally tense and crucial make-or-break time didn't work at all for me.  Goofy is fine, that came off stupid to me.

Annoyed the hello out of me. I had to FF for the first time. It seemed like a different show and interrupted the storyline.

[andidante]

23 minutes ago, pasdetrois said:

Annoyed the hello out of me. I had to FF for the first time. It seemed like a different show and interrupted the storyline.

I fast forwarded through it too it was so annoying!

[meep.meep]

On 7/3/2024 at 1:14 PM, chitowngirl said:

When Natalie prints up the daily menu, wouldn’t she save them in the computer?

No because Carmy keeps changing it at the last minute per the conversation between Sydney and Carm last episode.

It was interesting that they admitted the sandwich operation is making money vs the fine dining.

I'm in the John-Cena-was-too-much camp.

[lucindabelle]

So this did not entirely ring true because as a member of the Press, and in fact a former culture editor (which includes food), I can say for sure that if the restaurant changes the menu every day that the photographer would be informed of that and would know that he would take picture of another dish, OR, they would have called the restaurant to tell them what they needed because they can’t use the photographers time to sit around and wait for Carmy to cook a duck.

 

that is the case for all photos that are done after the fact. They are prepped and there are no surprises.

Edited July 24 by lucindabelle

[MBayGal]

On 6/29/2024 at 8:30 AM, SnapHappy said:

Wow, I thought the whole Sammy & haunting thing was incredibly ridiculous and made zero sense.  They've already got their 2 stooges with the Faks that work there, the addition of Sammy during an exceptionally tense and crucial make-or-break time didn't work at all for me.  Goofy is fine, that came off stupid to me.

Totally agree!!! Two idiot Faks is already too much, we don't need another. I think they are adding all these stupid antics to make it a comedy, but it is not. They're ruining a formerly beautiful show.

[Elizzikra]

On 7/3/2024 at 9:56 AM, MicheleinPhilly said:

 

Does Carmy not keep notes on what the menu is each night? I know he doesn't know WHEN the critic came in, but the fact that they were all standing around like "I don't know" was really frustrating. They're making it difficult for me to root for Carmy this season. 

To be fair, all they really had to work with was “the duck dish.” One of them pointed out that they have had multiple duck dishes so without a little more to go on, I understand the confusion.

On 7/3/2024 at 4:14 PM, chitowngirl said:

When Natalie prints up the daily menu, wouldn’t she save them in the computer?

I would. I know the menu changes every day but I would still save them. I’m a pack rat that way.

On 8/4/2024 at 6:06 PM, MBayGal said:

Totally agree!!! Two idiot Faks is already too much, we don't need another. I think they are adding all these stupid antics to make it a comedy, but it is not. They're ruining a formerly beautiful show.

I don’t think the writers are necessarily trying to make the show a comedy but I think they realize how heavy the show is normally and they are trying to inject a little levity, which I appreciate. I too, am captivated by Sugar’s hatred for Franny Fak and I do hope this mystery is solved for us soon. 

John Cena was fine but I couldn’t really get past the fact that he doesn’t resemble any of the other Faks we have seen. Maybe someone took the wrong baby home from the hospital?

[paramitch]

This was not a favorite of mine. It felt self-indulgent and smug. I hated Cena and Fak (and am honestly really tired of the Fak Overkill this season in general). The schtick wasn't funny to me and I felt myself actually resenting the scene because the dining room is perfect, the photographer is on the way, and these idiots are five seconds away from trashing the place or burning it down because they are acting like ginormous five-year-olds. The grabbing and shoving and all that stuff -- the smoking in the dining room?!! -- aghghgh. I just can't. I hated it.

On 6/29/2024 at 8:30 AM, SnapHappy said:

Wow, I thought the whole Sammy & haunting thing was incredibly ridiculous and made zero sense.  They've already got their 2 stooges with the Faks that work there, the addition of Sammy during an exceptionally tense and crucial make-or-break time didn't work at all for me.  Goofy is fine, that came off stupid to me.

Marcus is such a quiet MVP, I love that HE became a "non-negotiable" to Natalie.  And I love that Carmy's genius is a catalyst for his genius.  Great synergy.

100%. I was freaking out over the computer's assumption that firing Marcus was a given, and loved Sugar's absolute "that is not happening." Thank God.

On 6/29/2024 at 10:35 AM, peeayebee said:

I'm right with you. Every time any Fak is on the screen, I tense up like there's going to be a disaster. I kept expecting something awful to happen during the floor buffing. 

I liked the Fak stuff in season 1 but last season he was overused for me and I began to actively dislike him and to find the entire character indulgent and over the top (take, for instance, the repeated SCREAMING/electrocution scene in the otherwise perfect episode "Forks"). I can't stand him now and have to keep myself from fast-forwarding. It just feels like they're indulging Matty Matheson too far. I don't care that he's part of the show's creative team, stop trying to make Fak happen.

On 6/29/2024 at 1:17 PM, possibilities said:

I hate the Fak disasters. I feel like they ought to have grown by now. Richie did. And if they can't, then they need to be managed better to get them to not do stupid shit like smoking in the restaurant, especially not when the review people are due any second. Them professing to care and be excited about being part of the action is not enough in the face of their constant horsing around and acting like toddlers. I get that they are family, but they need to be directed in some way that prevents them from sinking the entire ship. 

All this. And it breaks immersion for me. I just do not believe they would be smoking in the fricking dining room right before a member of the press shows up. Much less smoking in the restaurant dining room, period.

On 7/3/2024 at 6:56 AM, MicheleinPhilly said:

I adored Sydney's bonding with Marcus over the Dead Moms' Club and was thrilled when Natalie went to bat for him with The Computer. 

That was such a nice scene. I'm so glad they're okay with each other again. I'm glad there's no weirdness there and they are still friends. I really love their friendship, so was really antsy last season when Marcus seemed to try to edge toward romance (not least because it just felt like "hey, let's put the two Black characters together!" and I hate that).

On 7/3/2024 at 1:14 PM, chitowngirl said:

When Natalie prints up the daily menu, wouldn’t she save them in the computer?

Exactly, they should have a constant final record of the menus they've served.

On 7/5/2024 at 1:10 PM, thuganomics85 said:

Finding out Chef Terry is closing down her restaurant hit way harder than I expected it would.  This industry is brutal as hell.  I hope Carmy takes notice how easily things can fall through.  Did like Richie talking to Jessica from "Forks" again and the Garrett namedrop.

Uncle Jimmy continues to be a pretty layered character, when he could easily have been more of a caricature.

I was so upset to see that Chef Terry's restaurant is closing. It really affected me and I instantly thought of everyone there and how much I had grown to care about them in one short episode. I loved Richie's call to Jessica and that he so naturally asked her to give Garrett and everyone his love. It was just one conversation but beautifully written -- you could see how close he has remained to them all, that he has kept in touch, etc. 

Oliver Platt is such a gem as Uncle Jimmy -- the sweetest, cuddliest loan shark uncle ever. He really makes him feel like a real person, and you can feel how much he cares for the Berzatto kids.

On 7/16/2024 at 9:07 PM, lucindabelle said:

So this did not entirely ring true because as a member of the Press, and in fact a former culture editor (which includes food), I can say for sure that if the restaurant changes the menu every day that the photographer would be informed of that and would know that he would take picture of another dish, OR, they would have called the restaurant to tell them what they needed because they can’t use the photographers time to sit around and wait for Carmy to cook a duck.

that is the case for all photos that are done after the fact. They are prepped and there are no surprises.

As a former magazine editor, THANK YOU. This really bugged me. They would have let them know ahead of time so that the dish was cooked and plated for photographing, for one thing. It was just ridiculous that the photographer was expected to arrive and then sit there while the food was purchased (!) and then cooked. It was a rare misstep for the show, which is usually so accurate on details.

I'm still enjoying this season, I'm just frustrated that every single episode is so damn stressful. I'm constantly waiting for disaster to strike. I enjoyed last season more because it had moments of peace and kindness and real communication. Carmy is so unlikable right now -- I still care about him but he irritates and angers me, too. Right now my sympathy is with literally everyone else who has to put up with him -- poor Syd, Tina, Marcus, Richie, Sugar, the rest of the staff.

[Kel Varnsen]

On 8/4/2024 at 6:06 PM, MBayGal said:

Totally agree!!! Two idiot Faks is already too much, we don't need another. I think they are adding all these stupid antics to make it a comedy, but it is not. They're ruining a formerly beautiful show.

Neil by himself isn't bad but him and his brother getting their own conversations is super annoying. It's like they cut from the actual show to some kind of old time Vaudeville skit. And then adding a third brother made it extra annoying. 

I was also kind of surprised that Richard didn't ask out the chef from Olivia Coleman's restaurant he was talking to. 

Also what was the deal with Computer saying they needed to open a 6th day. I thought they only closed on Sunday.

[edhopper]

The restaurant thing is getting ridiculous. The idea that they are just throwing new dishes out there without even writing the recipe down. The whole new menu every night is stupid. They don't want repeat customers who love a dish? This just isn't the way a fine dining restaurant works. Their whole staff is in training and they want $175 per? Carm has no grasp on how much a dish costs, and it's like he doesn't remeber he only has months to pay back hundreds of thousands.

If this is all intentional by the writers, then they are showing he wants to fail.