Worms

There's one shot in Season 4 Episode 4 of The Bear ("Worms") that literally made me burst into tears. Directed by Janicza Bravo.

An episode all about the decisions we face from childhood to adulthood. You get older and what was hard is now easier, but you are faced with new challenges. The fact of the matter is, Syd will probably be alright regardless of what she does, but making the decision is very hard because there are emotional casualties.

Her cousin clearly has taken up a semi/motherly role in her life and once she has to step away, Syd gets to spend time with her younger cousin who doesn't realize how lucky she is to have this time with her Mom.

Sometimes people who need to workout a decision in their life can reach a conclusion by helping someone else with theirs.

I'm glad her younger cousin is going to the sleepover.

Then we get that shot of the phone with all of the work notifications from Carmy, Pete, and then you finally notice the wallpaper: Syd and her Mom. That hit me like a tidal wave.

Truly one of the best episodes of The Bear with some amazing writing and acting from everyone involved. It's such a refreshing episode that reintroduces the light and comedy into what has been a dark past 2 seasons and takes us into the world of Sydney which fans have so desperately been asking for. We get to finally hear her internal monologue externally as she continues to decide between The Bear and the new restaurant. We get to see the people in her life and how she functions in the real world, giving us the juxtaposition they talk about later in e10- Sydney has managed to be an amazing chef, better than Carmy even, while still having a foot in the world around her. One of the highlights of the entire series.

About time we got to spend time with our favorite executive chef of the bear!!! I was primed and ready for this knowing the talent behind the lens and pen and let me tell you how it delivered. From the opening shot of Jumpin Jack to Ayo removing her braids on camera, I immediately started crying because I never expected a show like the bear to show me something so personal with her character. The micro aggressions almost immediately jump to the forefront as Sydney takes a call from Shapiro and it was like being triggered on a whole nother level. The family dynamic between Sydney, TJ and Chantel were perfect! The banter hilarious and it pushed Sydney's journey forward as she sought TJ's advice for how to choose between the Pizza House and the Video Game house! We finally saw some on question if Sydney's logic was a little blinded by a crush to which she denies but even the fact that it was mentioned raised a few eyebrows. I love how Sydney loved on TJ and the pairing of the two actresses were so natural and comfortable you'd think TJ was a mainstay on the show. I love learning more about Sydney as she's someone who brings a lot of heart and life into this show and it continues to be showcased every season! Looking forward to seeing and learning more about all aspects of Sydney from more of her backstory, her love story, and her journey as The Bear.

As someone who cherishes every glimpse we get into Sydney's life outside of the kitchen, this was a delectable episode. I loved watching her dynamic with her cousin and her niece (or second cousin, rather) and hearing more about why she's so torn between The Bear and Shapiro's place. So far, her viewpoint could be gleaned from gestures and expressions and hints, but it was nice to hear it in her own words (even through a sleepover metaphor lol). This episode was funny, it was warm, it was grounded, it was enlightening (in terms of Shapiro's flaws), and for me, personally, it felt familiar in the best way. Kudos to Ayo and Lionel for this one!

By the end of the year, this episode will probably end up with a 7.5 or so. Which is great, but this Syd centered episode was wonderful and deserves a rating in the strong eights. Really enjoying season 4! The found-family-trope really hits throughout the episodes and I'm so here for it!

I wonder if we'll see Syd's cousin and her daughter again. Very great chemistry and decent acting by all of them!

Though the pacing reminds me of season 3 (which I enjoyed), season 4 feels a bit more vibrant and less depressing. I love it and this change in direction had to be made.

I'm already sad that season 5 will be the final season. But it's probably for the very best!