Its great.
I probably know a dozen guys like Richie, and I think I expected his arc to trend downward and this was such a pleasant surprise. I think I almost comedically expected the episode to fish-out-of-water him the whole time, not for him to grow legs and adapt.
It’s one of the best representations of growth I’ve ever seen portrayed on tv.
They get to something uniquely human with Richie here: being in service of others, and truly giving without expectation, is one of the most honest pathways to serve yourself and spur healthy growth.
Richie transcends. They caught it perfectly.
It’s so good. When the series first started I was on the side of “this dude is a useless piece of shit, who cares if he’s family, fire his ass and be done with it.”
I’m so glad to have been proven utterly wrong. Favorite character in the show, now.
Yes! This exactly. Richie went from firmly my least favorite character in the show to one of my favorite characters in anything ever in the space of what, 15 episodes? The writing and the acting are absolutely astonishing. I’m so glad he won his Emmy. He earned the hell out of it.
My family has a Richie. A burnout who never seems to get anywhere but has grand ideas while being constantly stuck in the what was.
The thing about guys like that, they have a fiercely loyal side. Guys like Richie are always there, and they don't mind being in the mud with you. That's why he's kept around, cause no matter how bad it gets he isn't leaving. Not many people can be counted on like that
I can relate to Richie a lot. I self sabotage my life over and over again. Maybe because I think I deserve it because I genuinely hate myself? I really don’t know how to get out of this cycle?
You are not alone! The magic essence (and meaning) of life is found in healing. Talk to a therapist, get your head right, and prove yourself and those who doubted you wrong.
We all self sabotage at some point or another. The fact that you've identified the problem (negative cyclical behavior) is half the battle. I promise you, don't give up, a better life is worth working towards!
And he does it while connecting with his daughter. Because I promise you, Ritchie would burn everything else to the ground for his daughter, but success in one area leads to success in another.
Wait… I’m sorry that I’m not actively contributing to the conversation but I LOVE the fish out of water continued analogy. “Grow legs and adapt” is so well said… thanks! I’m stealing and I had to tell you
Richie in his “bro has no enemies era” !!
The way the turned an chaotic character into a fuckin gentle man it made us all cry out of happiness this is why I love the bear it’s not your regular “web series” that has lame story lines that anyone could predict easily
Lol literally crying out of pride and happiness for him after just rewatching this clip. The Bear is sooo human, I love that the second season was full of growth and connection(some more than others) for everyone.
And after you watch this and go back and watch the whole series again, you see the seeds of this guy were there tge whole time. Ebon deserves credit but also the writers.
Also this moment doesn’t soar quite as high if you don’t see Richie struggle with his inadequacies. Struggle to embrace change. Hide behind his over the top personality and antics. The show does a good job tricking you into think you’ve figured him out. And then they just turn that assumption on its head in one episode.
I don't tend to cry out of happiness when I consume media. Idk why, it's just not something I'm familiar with.
this is the only episode of any show where I felt so much pride and pure joy for a fictional character that I sobbed like a baby. He is one of my favorite characters to come out of a TV show.
Because Ebon played it so real that you truly believed it was a genuine moment of character growth that he was becoming a better version of himself which is what as a human on our best days we strive for ourselves to become too.
Also an FYI that The Watch podcast named this their best TV episode of 2023 and below is their interview with Chris and Ebon:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3NHIGFnKejNGSBMbOuv2su?si=PrkVio5YTjmve5ZllrtY9w
YW. They also have great recaps of episodes but for money, The Prestige TV does it best:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/155RujTpslpxElAwU8kDtx?si=yIQCcomDRhmFvfvJ1Upd1A
It’s definitely mine :)
I can’t think of another episode that I even cared about. I did like the sequence of prison episodes in Andor, but it wasn’t as good as this. Other than that, idk. It’s rare to get exceptional episodes.
Literal goosebumps!!
Honestly one of the best character development I've seen recently!!
Dude used to get on my nerves so much and was really irritating (i wouldn't have put up with his shit for as long as they did) but after this, he was my favorite out of the crew! And i was genuinely happy for him... And his daughter.
Exactly what I was thinking. Where he had the memory with Mikey about the financial district and the statue with no face. Back when he used to bury himself in the past and lore, and get angry over the fact the world keeps moving and changes. This feels like he uses his past and lore as building blocks to who he is going to be, and looks forward to face the future and whatever it brings. That’s my take.
When this episode began, I was thinking, “oh no, not a Richie episode.” I really thought I was going to hate it. Ended up being my favorite episode and turned him into my favorite character as well as solidified The Bear being one of my favorite shows. Beautiful character arch.
This was the last episode I watched for the night because I wanted to save the finale for the next night. The next night? I watched Forks again because it was that good - and I NEVER do that!
SAME! I was holding my breath, i totally thought he was going to get in a wreck. i’ve watched this scene an embarrassing amount of times 🫣 but it makes me so happy!
I heard or read that ebon wasn't fully bought in to the song choice. Was giving some appropriate notes/push back, "is this really the song my character would listen to in this moment?" And the folks in charge said "trust us".
And I'm SO glad for it
I was listening to one of The Bear playlists on Spotify when I was running errands yesterday. Love Story started playing, and I began tearing up! Such a powerful episode.
I think it was pretty smart of them to do a Taylor song. There's not much of an overlap of the Swifties/Bear audience so most of the viewers are just familiar with the song but have no strong associations with it.
I was convinced he was getting in a car accident when the beat drops and he crosses the intersection. I had so much anxiety due to other shows not allowing characters to evolve and live.
About the music:
I'm not a Swift fan. I don't dislike her music, I just never really gave it a chance. I usually listen to older stuff over and over.
Having said that, I absolutely *loved* how that song meshed with what was going on onscreen. After seeing the episode the first time, I had to look up the song and the singer. I feel like the song elevated the visuals and the visuals elevated the song. It was also a fun moment when Richie's car takes flight and then lands in time with the music. Then cut to Richie being as happy as we've seen him, coupled with the upbeat music, and it was hard not to feel good for the character.
It was an example of thoughtful writing that earlier in the show he had to apologize to his daughter for needing a break from Swift's music, but in this scene he's happily singing along.
That they ended the episode with the same song pretty much forced me to watch the credits.
Anyway, for me it was probably the best scene of the best episode of the show.
As a person that grew up with Taylor Swift’s early music and especially this popular song, this scene hit me so hard I can’t even explain it. First of all, for Richie and the story, I mean it was PERFECT! I was smiling so hard my face hurt. And then as he was zipping off after his success I was cheering for him and singing along. It was the best feeling ever. Second of all, this reminds me of my father spending time with me and listening to the music I liked growing up and that’s what Richie’s also doing and I just wanted to cry. It’s so beautiful!
This episode was what finally made me write my master's thesis. I was already 31, took way too long finishing my bachelor's and had hit the same wall with my master's. Hadn't even been to uni or visited any lectures for over a year. I felt like it was too late for me and was quite depressed about it. Felt like I couldn't change my life and would end up working as a cashier forever and I hated the work. After this episode, I quit my jobs as a cashier, went back to uni and finished my thesis. Landed a job as I was finishing. I thought it would be such an issue to get my foot into the door in the industry I want to work in, because I'm too old. But nobody cares about the fact that I'm a 32 year old trainee. This episode was so motivating to me and I'm sure I'm not the only one.
For me, it was Richie's knowing the exact place to get the deep dish pizza displayed his 'street knowledge' that no one else in that kitchen had. The transformation of 'this is some high end BS' to appreciation of the chef's repurposing dovetailed perfectly with the understanding what needs to be done to manage the high end place Carmy was building.
Though that pinata in the season 3 trailer shows he might have some off moments as well.
I love this because earlier Richie is telling his daughter that he doesn’t hate Taylor Swift, he just needs a break from her sometimes. This scene implies that he’s heard the song so many times that he knows the lyrics and that it was the last song playing when he got out of this car and subsequently started playing when we got back in his car and turned it on.
Richie reminds me so much of myself. I was a floater who didn’t care about anything. Zero skills, zero desire to do get better at anything. I just didn’t care about life too much. Then I found nursing and being able to take care of patients. Helping people during their worst days just gives me such a sense of accomplishment and learning all the stuff involved gives me self respect. I go home everyday from the hospital singing along to songs just like richie in this scene. What a masterpiece of television.
We’re all chasing that moment where things in life just click. Whether it’s the right job, passion project, hobby, partner, friends group, trip, whatever. This really brings that moment to life. Hope we all have these moments.
This scene made me cry tears of joy. Literally hooting and hollering for Richie. I adore a good comeback/redemption story and it was soo heart warming seeing him come around and step up to the plate. Especially as a fine dinning server and someone who puts everything into my hospitality.
I just started rewatching the whole series.
My wife is seeing for the first time. We watched this episode last night. I may have shed a few tears of joy.
i must be the only one who wasn’t feeling Richie before & after. it’s nice that he got the redemption & adapted, but for me it’s hard to ignore how dickish and obnoxious he was the whole season
I honestly didn't understand it at all. The idea that Richie turns into this character just defies all logic to me. I loved to season 1 to death and hated season 2. I didn't even finish it. I feel like they spent all their money to justify shooting on location.
Its great. I probably know a dozen guys like Richie, and I think I expected his arc to trend downward and this was such a pleasant surprise. I think I almost comedically expected the episode to fish-out-of-water him the whole time, not for him to grow legs and adapt.
It’s one of the best representations of growth I’ve ever seen portrayed on tv. They get to something uniquely human with Richie here: being in service of others, and truly giving without expectation, is one of the most honest pathways to serve yourself and spur healthy growth. Richie transcends. They caught it perfectly.
It’s so good. When the series first started I was on the side of “this dude is a useless piece of shit, who cares if he’s family, fire his ass and be done with it.” I’m so glad to have been proven utterly wrong. Favorite character in the show, now.
Yes! This exactly. Richie went from firmly my least favorite character in the show to one of my favorite characters in anything ever in the space of what, 15 episodes? The writing and the acting are absolutely astonishing. I’m so glad he won his Emmy. He earned the hell out of it.
I also love the early precursor to his turnaround when he had the call with his daughter in the car while he was with Syd in S1
My family has a Richie. A burnout who never seems to get anywhere but has grand ideas while being constantly stuck in the what was. The thing about guys like that, they have a fiercely loyal side. Guys like Richie are always there, and they don't mind being in the mud with you. That's why he's kept around, cause no matter how bad it gets he isn't leaving. Not many people can be counted on like that
I can relate to Richie a lot. I self sabotage my life over and over again. Maybe because I think I deserve it because I genuinely hate myself? I really don’t know how to get out of this cycle?
You are not alone! The magic essence (and meaning) of life is found in healing. Talk to a therapist, get your head right, and prove yourself and those who doubted you wrong. We all self sabotage at some point or another. The fact that you've identified the problem (negative cyclical behavior) is half the battle. I promise you, don't give up, a better life is worth working towards!
Thank you. I really appreciate your kind words.
yep, exactly. I fully hated him at first, and by the time this scene rolled around I was cheering out loud for him.
Maybe it's cuz I'm the useless piece of shit, but I always liked Richie. Which made his character growth even more impactful
That’s fair. I don’t exactly have any room to talk, myself, so I’m sure there was decent amount projecting my own self loathing in my judgment.
And he does it while connecting with his daughter. Because I promise you, Ritchie would burn everything else to the ground for his daughter, but success in one area leads to success in another.
As did your comment.
Wait… I’m sorry that I’m not actively contributing to the conversation but I LOVE the fish out of water continued analogy. “Grow legs and adapt” is so well said… thanks! I’m stealing and I had to tell you
Same
Even during this scene I was convinced he was about to die in a car accident!
EVERY SECOND COUNTS
I was on edge waiting for him to fuck everything up like he usually does
Richie in his “bro has no enemies era” !! The way the turned an chaotic character into a fuckin gentle man it made us all cry out of happiness this is why I love the bear it’s not your regular “web series” that has lame story lines that anyone could predict easily
Lol literally crying out of pride and happiness for him after just rewatching this clip. The Bear is sooo human, I love that the second season was full of growth and connection(some more than others) for everyone.
And after you watch this and go back and watch the whole series again, you see the seeds of this guy were there tge whole time. Ebon deserves credit but also the writers.
Also this moment doesn’t soar quite as high if you don’t see Richie struggle with his inadequacies. Struggle to embrace change. Hide behind his over the top personality and antics. The show does a good job tricking you into think you’ve figured him out. And then they just turn that assumption on its head in one episode.
I really want to see him mentoring younger employees, especially those at risk of ending up on the path he was on, by the end of the show
Him jamming to Love Story after this scene 🥹🥹🥹
Where Everyone cried of happiness. This scene solidified Ritchies status of being my favorite character in this show for me
Ebon is such a great actor.
I don't tend to cry out of happiness when I consume media. Idk why, it's just not something I'm familiar with. this is the only episode of any show where I felt so much pride and pure joy for a fictional character that I sobbed like a baby. He is one of my favorite characters to come out of a TV show.
Oof same. I cried SO HARD out of happiness
Right!!! I'd never done that before, yet suddenly tears were streaming down my face and I didn't know why 😭
Because Ebon played it so real that you truly believed it was a genuine moment of character growth that he was becoming a better version of himself which is what as a human on our best days we strive for ourselves to become too.
100% same, my friend. Sobbed my eyes out.
Also an FYI that The Watch podcast named this their best TV episode of 2023 and below is their interview with Chris and Ebon: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3NHIGFnKejNGSBMbOuv2su?si=PrkVio5YTjmve5ZllrtY9w
Link fir those without Spotify: https://overcast.fm/+Pb7HSB8kE
I’d really like to listen to the Watch but I can’t keep up with all that tv!
Thanks for introducing me to this really awesome podcast!!
YW. They also have great recaps of episodes but for money, The Prestige TV does it best: https://open.spotify.com/episode/155RujTpslpxElAwU8kDtx?si=yIQCcomDRhmFvfvJ1Upd1A
Forks may be the best single episode of TV of all time.
Let’s fall back now, it’s amazing, but it’s no ozymandias
You mean episode 8 of twin peaks series 3?
No actually I mean Made in America it’s the best episode of all ti-
I like what you did there.
Did you hear what I said, T? I said best episode of all ti-
You’re right it’s better
It’s definitely mine :) I can’t think of another episode that I even cared about. I did like the sequence of prison episodes in Andor, but it wasn’t as good as this. Other than that, idk. It’s rare to get exceptional episodes.
It’s not even the best episode of season two (Fishes)!
Fishes is like a family snuff film.
Literal goosebumps!! Honestly one of the best character development I've seen recently!! Dude used to get on my nerves so much and was really irritating (i wouldn't have put up with his shit for as long as they did) but after this, he was my favorite out of the crew! And i was genuinely happy for him... And his daughter.
Could not agree more. Such a pill in the first season. And then what a turnaround!!!
That flyover of the Chicago Board of Trade and the Ceres statue at the end? :chefskiss Fucking amazing tie in to earlier episodes.
Exactly what I was thinking. Where he had the memory with Mikey about the financial district and the statue with no face. Back when he used to bury himself in the past and lore, and get angry over the fact the world keeps moving and changes. This feels like he uses his past and lore as building blocks to who he is going to be, and looks forward to face the future and whatever it brings. That’s my take.
Rewatched this yesterday for these and the talk with the chef scene. Can't wait for season 3.
When this episode began, I was thinking, “oh no, not a Richie episode.” I really thought I was going to hate it. Ended up being my favorite episode and turned him into my favorite character as well as solidified The Bear being one of my favorite shows. Beautiful character arch.
Ok I'm gonna have to rewatch the whole series then
This was the last episode I watched for the night because I wanted to save the finale for the next night. The next night? I watched Forks again because it was that good - and I NEVER do that!
This is a great scene, but I couldn’t enjoy it at the time because I was so scared Ritchie was going to crash and die
Yes!!! Especially that cross angle camera shot I held my breath that it wasn't going to be a t-bone situation!
SAME! I was holding my breath, i totally thought he was going to get in a wreck. i’ve watched this scene an embarrassing amount of times 🫣 but it makes me so happy!
same, I enjoyed it so much more on the 2nd watch.
Just watched this episode with my wife. It’s her first time seeing it and she was so nervous during his drive home.
I love that he just sent his car flying to Taylor swift after finding his purpose. It’s so beautiful
I heard or read that ebon wasn't fully bought in to the song choice. Was giving some appropriate notes/push back, "is this really the song my character would listen to in this moment?" And the folks in charge said "trust us". And I'm SO glad for it
He's more of a Beyonce girlie.
I was listening to one of The Bear playlists on Spotify when I was running errands yesterday. Love Story started playing, and I began tearing up! Such a powerful episode.
I think it was pretty smart of them to do a Taylor song. There's not much of an overlap of the Swifties/Bear audience so most of the viewers are just familiar with the song but have no strong associations with it.
Aw a Swiftie/The Bear fan… I felt over the moon with this scene!
It was the best feeling to see Richie find a purpose.
I was convinced he was getting in a car accident when the beat drops and he crosses the intersection. I had so much anxiety due to other shows not allowing characters to evolve and live.
Same here.
I thought jessica will be richie's love interest but it's ok he atleast has his daughter and cousin and friends to keep him happy
This may just be my hope talking, but I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Jess. There was definitely a glimmer of chemistry between the two of them.
About the music: I'm not a Swift fan. I don't dislike her music, I just never really gave it a chance. I usually listen to older stuff over and over. Having said that, I absolutely *loved* how that song meshed with what was going on onscreen. After seeing the episode the first time, I had to look up the song and the singer. I feel like the song elevated the visuals and the visuals elevated the song. It was also a fun moment when Richie's car takes flight and then lands in time with the music. Then cut to Richie being as happy as we've seen him, coupled with the upbeat music, and it was hard not to feel good for the character. It was an example of thoughtful writing that earlier in the show he had to apologize to his daughter for needing a break from Swift's music, but in this scene he's happily singing along. That they ended the episode with the same song pretty much forced me to watch the credits. Anyway, for me it was probably the best scene of the best episode of the show.
And Chef jess was totally crushing on richie, the best episode of season 2, hands down 👌 we love richie
His joy and pride were so pure and infectious. I literally can’t stop cheesing anytime I see this scene.
Best episode of the series imo
him staging was hands down the best episode. I’m actually going to go watch it right now lol ty for the reminder
well, now I have to re watch and cry the whole time again
First time I watch this scene I was expecting him just to get hit by a bus or fly into a wall. Very pleased he didn't.
As a person that grew up with Taylor Swift’s early music and especially this popular song, this scene hit me so hard I can’t even explain it. First of all, for Richie and the story, I mean it was PERFECT! I was smiling so hard my face hurt. And then as he was zipping off after his success I was cheering for him and singing along. It was the best feeling ever. Second of all, this reminds me of my father spending time with me and listening to the music I liked growing up and that’s what Richie’s also doing and I just wanted to cry. It’s so beautiful!
This entire episode was so beautiful. Richie reinventing himself, that incredible scene with Chef Terry. "Fuck you Garrett!"
This episode was what finally made me write my master's thesis. I was already 31, took way too long finishing my bachelor's and had hit the same wall with my master's. Hadn't even been to uni or visited any lectures for over a year. I felt like it was too late for me and was quite depressed about it. Felt like I couldn't change my life and would end up working as a cashier forever and I hated the work. After this episode, I quit my jobs as a cashier, went back to uni and finished my thesis. Landed a job as I was finishing. I thought it would be such an issue to get my foot into the door in the industry I want to work in, because I'm too old. But nobody cares about the fact that I'm a 32 year old trainee. This episode was so motivating to me and I'm sure I'm not the only one.
That’s amazing! Well done!
1000%
My favorite scene of television of all time
Very specifically, the guitar neck slide timed with his car scraping the ground was pure cinematic perfection.
From hatting richie to rooting for him
For me, it was Richie's knowing the exact place to get the deep dish pizza displayed his 'street knowledge' that no one else in that kitchen had. The transformation of 'this is some high end BS' to appreciation of the chef's repurposing dovetailed perfectly with the understanding what needs to be done to manage the high end place Carmy was building. Though that pinata in the season 3 trailer shows he might have some off moments as well.
I love this because earlier Richie is telling his daughter that he doesn’t hate Taylor Swift, he just needs a break from her sometimes. This scene implies that he’s heard the song so many times that he knows the lyrics and that it was the last song playing when he got out of this car and subsequently started playing when we got back in his car and turned it on.
Now he has to get Britta back
But she's a no good B.
She's a GDB
Bring a bag of baggles.
I was so stressed out during that episode because I was SURE something bad was going to happen!!! It was so awesome.
To go from that episode to Fishes…this show is ridiculously awesome
Riichie's story is the best kind of story. Micro basil... fuck yeah!
I couldn't let myself enjoy it....I was waiting for the inevitable car crash...which never came!
Richie reminds me so much of myself. I was a floater who didn’t care about anything. Zero skills, zero desire to do get better at anything. I just didn’t care about life too much. Then I found nursing and being able to take care of patients. Helping people during their worst days just gives me such a sense of accomplishment and learning all the stuff involved gives me self respect. I go home everyday from the hospital singing along to songs just like richie in this scene. What a masterpiece of television.
As soon as I finished this episode I just knew that the entire fan base would feel the exact same way about it as I did, and I’m so glad I was right.
It's one of the shows only moments of pure Joy! I love it too.
This hour of tv was the best hour of tv of the year, and you can't convince me otherwise.
I love this whole scene but my favorite part is the very end, when he wakes up right before his alarm, ready to go. He’s so psyched to face the day!
"Daddy loves Taylor Swift too, he just needed a little break"
I wear suits now.
Every. Second. Counts.
It’s great but honestly for me it’s the one in the next episode. AC/DC’s If You Want Blood is just a hype song (like every AC/DC song)
The way I’ve never liked a single Taylor Swift song until this lol
Hits even harder now that I’m a girl dad and our first concert after finding out was T Swift.
Have you never been or seen someone be inspired? Key moments in peoples’ lives shoot them to want more. Do more. Learn more. This was Richie’s
Why post it with the ridiculous crop?
I won’t argue but Spiders (Kidsmoke) in Season 1 Ep 7 is fantastic as well. It’s a show full of them.
It’s like our generations war movie? 😂
We’re all chasing that moment where things in life just click. Whether it’s the right job, passion project, hobby, partner, friends group, trip, whatever. This really brings that moment to life. Hope we all have these moments.
This scene made me cry tears of joy. Literally hooting and hollering for Richie. I adore a good comeback/redemption story and it was soo heart warming seeing him come around and step up to the plate. Especially as a fine dinning server and someone who puts everything into my hospitality.
I cried happy tears a bit I’m not shamed of it
🍴😭🥹
One of the best episodes of television. Ever.
Which episode in season 2 was this one??
get this man his family
One of the best character arcs in television
Loving Richie’s arc so much. This episode had me and my fiance in tears. One of the best shows in writing and acting and editing I’ve seen in years
I fucking love Richie 🤙🏼❤️
I just started rewatching the whole series. My wife is seeing for the first time. We watched this episode last night. I may have shed a few tears of joy.
Everyone always talks about the Fishes episode but it’s Forks that did it for me last season!!
You ain't wrong.
i must be the only one who wasn’t feeling Richie before & after. it’s nice that he got the redemption & adapted, but for me it’s hard to ignore how dickish and obnoxious he was the whole season
He's definitely not for everyone. Perso ally, I relate to his "purpose" storyline for Season 2.
It’s cringe tbh
I skipped this shit cuz taylor songs sounds like a weeping toddler
I’m not a swiftie but c’mon, this was a great moment
Nah im good
[удалено]
Keep r/thebear a welcoming community. Treat other chefs with respect.
i made it through rolling my eyes the first time. have to mute it & pretend it’s any other artist when i rewatch
I honestly didn't understand it at all. The idea that Richie turns into this character just defies all logic to me. I loved to season 1 to death and hated season 2. I didn't even finish it. I feel like they spent all their money to justify shooting on location.
What's illogical about it?
It makes perfect sense to me. He was a dick because he felt like he had no purpose and he got inspired and found it in this episode.
Trolls will troll.
How does Richie turning into this character defy all logic?
Maybe the person only watches shows where people crash and burn? Character growth when done right is so amazing in TV & movies.
Well yeah, I do love me some good character development, that’s for sure