Review

If you've worked in a kitchen, this is a brutal reenactment of the insanity, abuse, toxicity, danger, and impossible stress in a particularly overwhelming work day. Everything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

At some point 3/4's of the way through you suddenly realize the camera hasn't cut in a while and from what I could tell there weren't any tricks done to get away with it so Im assuming most of the episode was shot in one very long take. This episode took this series to a new level. Some of the first episodes were really confusing and so short I really could not figure out what was going on at all. But now the show has found its stride and the first season ends very strongly.

I knew when the episode started with Sufjan Stevens's "Chicago" it was going to be a special episode. The placid nature of the song while also being about getting out and trying new, scary things fits perfectly as a lead-in to the chaos afterwards. What a 180° shift occurs. Such a well-made episode in every regard.

This episode really blew me away! The credits started rolling and it felt very sudden, as if only a few minutes had passed since the episode started. But then I realized it was because there were no cuts or breaks in the entire episode! You are taken through and extremely busy and unforgiving day in the shop and seeing it through the perspective of the characters.

I cannot praise this episode enough. Very well written and shot. Much like real life, you realize what feels like a moment in time was actually 30 hectic minutes flying by. Bravo!

This is episode is *probably* why the show got so famous.

Let me break it down for you.

By this seventh episode, we know our characters, we know their backgrounds, their motivations, their frustrations. We also know their relationships and dynamics in the restaurant really well by now.

By this episode, we see the kitchen coming into its own, everyone has a place and knows their role, and it seems Finally, there is calm coming to The Beef. It almost feels like there should be a lull to the rest of the series now, but no. Absolutely not. This is by far, the BEST episode of the series.

Infact, this episode explodes. Like literally explodes onto your screens. When the episode started, I noticed it was only 20 minutes long and also realised for whatever reason, the show creators decided this was the episode to include an opening credits segments in. Didnt feel very wise. Feels we were being robbed of precious screentime. But after 20 minutes, you realise why they did this.

It is because the show HITS in this episode.

Apart from the opening sequence, the episode is shot in one single take. Which I am ashamed to say I didnt even realise until it was pointed out to me by some one else, because I was that engrossed in the drama unfolding on the screen.

When the episode concludes, and you see the title card for the first time at the end, it is nothing short of incredible.

Showrunners, you did well. Sorry that I doubted you. 5/5.