Sundae

The montage-heavy nature of this episode was fun, as were the scenes with people who I assume are real Chicago area chefs. It also conveyed the idea that the restaurant business is a dicey one, accentuating Sydney's misgivings.

I don't quite get the nature of those misgivings yet, though. As I understand it, the restaurant is half owned by Carmen and half by Nat. Mickey left the restaurant in his will to his two siblings. Sydney isn't in a position to make a financial investment that would give her the right to expect something like profit-sharing. Is she just young and clueless?

The scenes regarding the mold were funny. Sydney's reaction to not being consulted was irrational but a product of her rather clueless fears. They would have torn down the walls anyway, no choice.

I have never been so disappointed in a season 2! The first season was full on, pumping with action. So far all the characters are meandering through, eating food and complaining about rotting wood.

I do not understand how these episodes are rating so high. I am waiting for something, anything, to happen, and it is not.

There's no plot, and the actors seem like they're just saying the words. The soul of this show has been torn from it's still-beating heart, broken down and stomped on, returning to a lifeless corpse that is season two.

And the music! Oh my god. There's a new song playing every thirty seconds. It is annoying and adds nothing to this slow motion train wreck.

Sydney is such an awful character. She came to Carmie to work for the Beef, HIS brother's restaurant, yet she is acting like Carmie is the one who's untrustworthy. She's going behind his back looking for sous chefs at this very instant!! That is so messed up. Like bro, you quit in season 1 because you got your feelings hurt. If anything, Carmie is generous to trust you as his business partner. This is his restaurant and he is the one who got the funding to renovate it, so no, he does not have to consult you about tearing down walls which are sodden with mold. I really hope she moves on to work for another restaurant so we can be spared of her insolence.

So Sydney contributes zero money, has nothing to lose but some crappy food dishes that no one seems to like (not even herself) she has no resume or reputation yet is worried about Carmen!?? Can someone please give this chic a reality check!? It's a total entitlement of a generation expecting things and pieces of something that belongs to someone else or another family because they demand it! She literally walked into a family restaurant off the street and begged to work there and she thinks she's something special. I just don't like her and it's making the show less fun to watch.

I give the rest of the stars for Richie and Carmie and literally anyone else besides Syd!!

I love a montage as much as the next person, and this episode jam-packed as many into 25 minutes as possible.

This works on some levels; I particularly loved the montage set to 'Future Perfect' as the different dishes flashed across the screen, alongside images of the developing city across time and its urban sprawl. However, it maybe sacrificed a bit too much of its runtime to achieve this almost music-video-esque aesthetic.

What saves it? The brief but endearing conversation between Carm and his ex-girlfriend (I'm forgetting her name, Claire?). And the facial acting of Ayo Edebiri throughout, who conveys her character's doubts, frustrations and sadnesses effectively to ensure that minimal dialogue is required.

Still, a good episode that was certainly never boring to watch. The cinematography was a particular highlight, and if individual characters are getting individual episodes in this season? That may be something I can get on board with.