I thought the entire finale was heartbreaking, especially after the Fishes episode and knowing his background.

- Carmen repeating the same things his mom did: pushing away those he cares about the most before they can leave him.
- Carmy coming completely unglued and losing his grip on his emotions when Richie called him "Donna". Same way his mom had no control over her emotions.
- Sugar's husband basically letting their mom off the hook. Giving her permission to turn her back on them once again, being able to walk off blameless and guilt-free.

Man I don't know I was touched by sugars husband trying to like protect his wife and empathize with his mil

Oh I don't blame him at all. My anger is solely with the mom. She manipulated the hell out of him like she did all her kids. And as he saw her walking away with seemingly no guilt, he realized that.

Don't know if this will work, but if any olds use Amazon music like me I made a Bear 2 playlist.
https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/615a9bfb1c9b439eb98bd7eb0df2ba38sune?ref=dm_sh_6QXCn9EQAkMh7U4L2xeZqRcBT
Should be in order by episodes.

Dont even waste your time, its just some sad person.

StringerBell said:

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Man I don't know I was touched by sugars husband trying to like protect his wife and empathize with his mil

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Yeah, that was brutally emotional.

TCTTS said:

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Finished the season late last night and, somehow, I think it really does eclipse the final season of Succession as the best of the year for me. I wasn't prepared for how cliffhangery the finale felt, as who knows how long it'll be until we get a third season, or where it'll even go from here, but it was still amazing, and so damn emotional in all the best (and most devastating) ways. Just an incredible effort all around.

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I've been thinking about this recently as well. I think what Succession pulled off in the final season is more impressive, but The Bear is more enjoyable and satisfying. While they're both what I'd consider to be dramedies, they're both very different. I think The Bear has a lot more in common with Ted Lasso than Succession. Succession can't reach the same emotional highs or lows due to the fact that none of the characters are people you can identify with or root for. That doesn't mean it's a lesser product, just different. I know some people that have struggled to get into Succession due to that hurdle. The Bear on the other hand is full of characters that you can root for and identify with, even with their flaws. There's someone on that cast you can identify with personally or equate to someone in your life. I don't know anyone that a person from Succession reminds me of. All that being said Succession is still one of my favorite shows of all time.

One thing I've been thinking about since Forks is something that Luca said to Marcus in Honeydew. He talked about the relief he felt when he figured out he wasn't the best because of the realization he was working with a person that was the best. It was freeing to him to not carry that burden of greatness. In Forks there's a scene when Richie is looking at photos and one of them is of Luca and Carmen. Are we supposed to infer that Luca was talking about Carmen? That's how I interpret it because of how different those two characters are. Luca looks happy in the kitchen while Carmen is anything but, all he feels is pressure.

Oh he was 100% talking about Carmie.

Also he did an amazing job… but I had the hardest time taking him seriously.


Also… when Richie gets in the car and starts jamming to T swift. Best moment of season 2 for me.

Saw someone propose that on Reddit as well and I'd like to believe it just because it wraps stuff up in a nice bow

Definitely makes sense that he is referencing Carmy. Every person interned with someone that Carmy previously worked with or for it appears. So the connection makes sense. Together at the restaurant where Richie interned. As soon as he said that line I knew he was talking about Carmy

It is pretty amazing how I never want to watch episode 6 again, but wanted to rewatch episode 7 immediately after it was over.

Just watched forks for the third time

Wife and I started this show last week. This show is the most stressful part of our day! Just finished the PreOrder meltdown episode, intense. Such a great show!

StringerBell said:

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Just watched forks for the third time

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Same. So good

I just now watched the Jamie Lee Curtis episode.

WOW.

incredible job by her. fantastic episode.

I don't know why, but I found it so funny every time Richie said, "I wear suits now".

Forgive me, but wasn't the chef that Carmy worked for Joel McHale (not Olivia Colman), and that part of the reason he went back to Chicago because of the abuse he was receiving? That was the one confusing part of Forks for me. I haven't finished the season (Forks is the last episode I watched), so I might be missing some later context.

I also caught that pic, and think you are right about Eyebrows declaring Carmy to be the best chef ever.

Definitely Not A Cop said:

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Forgive me, but wasn't the chef that Carmy worked for Joel McHale (not Olivia Colman), and that part of the reason he went back to Chicago because of the abuse he was receiving? That was the one confusing part of Forks for me. I haven't finished the season (Forks is the last episode I watched), so I might be missing some later context.

I also caught that pic, and think you are right about Eyebrows declaring Carmy to be the best chef ever.

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I believe the McHale restaurant was in New York.

Yeah I think he did the Olivia Coleman restaurant and then went to New York and got his star there

StringerBell said:

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Yeah I think he did the Olivia Coleman restaurant and then went to New York and got his star there

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I maybe incorrect but I thought he worked for Olivia in Copenhagen and then moved to the 3 star place in ny after the holiday dinner where his cousin wants him to visit in nyc

There you go that timeline makes sense

Thanks to all.

powerbelly said:

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StringerBell said:

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Yeah I think he did the Olivia Coleman restaurant and then went to New York and got his star there

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I maybe incorrect but I thought he worked for Olivia in Copenhagen and then moved to the 3 star place in ny after the holiday dinner where his cousin wants him to visit in nyc

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This was how I understood it.

Just finished episode 9 and am not sure if this was discussed and I am probably way off base. When they are giving the final instructions before service and Sydney shows up late and out of breath, is it assumed that she and Marcus just got it on? He arrives right after she does.

Damn that was a great season. I love this show

The only thing that sucks about this sequence is that I'm afraid I'm going to be the chasing the high I felt in this moment for years to come. At the risk of hyperbole, the more time has passed, the more it's become one of my favorite moments from any series or movie ever…

I don’t think I’ve ever rooted for a character more than I rooted for Richie in the “Forks” episode of “The Bear”. pic.twitter.com/hGHnx1Ywaa

— David Blattman (@davidblattman) July 9, 2023

Man.

Just finished this. I love this show so much and I don't know. I think it's because I feel like I identify with every single character. I've had a parent that is like the mom whom I've not talked to in years, throughout life I feel like I've been in everyone's place in the show. The stress, failure, success, thinking you're the bomb when you're not, the chaos of feeling lost…all of it is gold. I don't think there is anyone alive that can't identify with most if not all characters. Richie is the one I get the most….having someone else believe in you when you didn't believe in your self. Having someone push you because they saw you were worth pushing. And the moment you realize that you are good enough and the peace and pleasure that comes from accepting that.

It's just all around good. All of it.

bro same

im about richies age and the notion of richie struggling for so many years for "how things should be" and where he fits…and then it jut clicks that there is a place for him to use his anxiety and neuroticism for the betterment of those around him especially his family?

incredible. might go back and watch it again today.

Finally finished season 2 tonight.

Has anyone mentioned Carm saying "streets ahead" in his pep talk to the staff? I'm aware of the connection between this show and Community. However, including this saying that Jeff Winger told Pierce to stop trying to "make it a thing" made me pause the show so I could finish laughing.

So good.

TCTTS said:

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The only thing that sucks about this sequence is that I'm afraid I'm going to be the chasing the high I felt in this moment for years to come. At the risk of hyperbole, the more time has passed, the more it's become one of my favorite moments from any series or movie ever…

I don’t think I’ve ever rooted for a character more than I rooted for Richie in the “Forks” episode of “The Bear”. pic.twitter.com/hGHnx1Ywaa

— David Blattman (@davidblattman) July 9, 2023

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Misty.

It's all been said but I'm Just here to say Forks is the best single episode of a television series I can remember. I think Fleabag Season 2 had some moments that were close to this Season of the Bear, but I don't think any of the moments were as brilliant and heartfelt as this episode. Those are the two most recent seasons of television I can remember being completely in awe of and able to reach something creatively that I don't think any other shows can.

This show felt made for me, as I'm sure it did to a lot of people at my age and stage in life. As someone who loved Bourdain and everything he stood for, I felt a connection to this show that I'm sure he would have had as well. It also basically chose some of my favorite songs for its soundtrack from artists like Wilco, Steve Earle, Pearl Jam/Vedder, David Byrne, REM, etc.

It was such a great season of television and I hope they keep making more….

My wife (who is not a Community fan) could not figure out why I was laughing so hard when Britta showed up in Ep. 6.

Because she is a B.

jah003 said:

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My wife (who is not a Community fan) could not figure out why I was laughing so hard when Britta showed up in Ep. 6.

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Yep, I immediately said "Oh, Britta's in this?"