#the bear 1x06 ceres

[thoughtfulchaos773]

Syd x Carmy- Music

This has been mentioned a few times but I wanted a compilation of songs and the importance of it in the show.

Senior, the producer concurred. “...But for us, music is part of the world of the show, and it almost would feel disingenuous to be dropping songs that we couldn’t relate to or that didn’t feel like they lived in this world, and only because they were popular for a different reason.”

I find the songs placed in the Carmy-Claire-Syd interesting which is why I put it in the post:

_______________________________________________________

1x05-Impossible Germany by Wilco

This is what love is for

To be out of place

Gorgeous and alone

Face to face

1x06- last train home by John Mayer

read @currymanganese post here.

2x05- can't hardly wait by the replacements

Fak: My first favorite album is Meet Me, which has the greatest high school song ever. "Can't Hardly wait"

I'll write you a letter tomorrow

Tonight, I can't hold a pen

Someone's got a stamp that I can borrow

I promise not to blow the address again

2x08- Throw Your Arms Around Me by Pearl Jam (cover)

and though I disappear from out of view

you know I would never say goodbye

and though I try to forget it

you will make me call your name

as I shout it to the blue summer sky

2x09- Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

These words, you will be mine

These words, you will be mine, all the time

Now fool might be my middle name

But I'd be foolish not to say

Honorable lyrics:

And I don't know what you mean to me

But I want to turn you on

Turn you up, figure you out

I want to take you on

2x09- Come Back by Pearl Jam

If I keep holding out, will the light shine through?

Under this broken roof, it's only rain that I feel

I've been wishing out the days

Oh-oh-oh, come back

I have been planning out all that I'd say to you

Since you slipped away, know that I still remain true

I've been wishing out the days

[whenmemorydies]

This needs to get good or go away.

Having watched all of season 3 of The Bear, Carmy's epic spiral in 1x07 The Review makes so much more sense now. Let's take a look.

Recall Sydney's Cola-Braised Short Rib & Risotto dish from 1x06 Ceres, which she asks Carm to try:

Carmy tells Syd the dish, while tremendous, is not ready to be rolled out as part of The Beef's menu:

Now at Eleven Madison Park, where Carmy was CDC before returning back to Chicago to take over The Beef, when Carmy produced a dish that his EC (Joel McHale as psychopath, Chef David Fields) didn't think was ready, he was berated and abused for it:

Carmy would then be made to THROW AWAY the food he had made:

This is because in Chef Field's kitchen, the food needs to get good or go away:

Note: This particular brand of abuse by Chef Fields almost certainly set the stage for the COLOSSAL waste of food we kept seeing in season 3 as Carmy chucked "not perfect" dish after dish into the trash. He was reverting to learned patterns of behaviour picked up under Fields at EMP in his feral pursuit of a star at The Bear.

Alright, so I think we can establish that in Carmy's experience, there's no serving food to patrons where the EC doesn't think that food is ready to go out. Even if this means huge amounts of perfectly edible and probably delicious food gets chucked in the bin.

But what does Sydney do in 1x06 with her tremendous but "not ready" dish of Cola-braised short ribs with risotto, of which she has an extra plate? She sends it out to a patron. Because Sydney Adamu Does. Not. Waste. Food! (a woman after my mother's heart):

She even tells Carmy that she didn't want to waste the food in the next episode, 1x07 The Review, when we find out (along with Sydney) that the patron she gave her dish to was a food critic who wrote a glowing review about The Beef, and made special mention of Syd's dish in particular (note: this is the same review that Syd has stuck to her fridge door in 3x10 Forever):

Now Carmy plays the review and the fact that Sydney's dish made it out of the kitchen off here. He insists "its all good" but this lasts for about a second before he drops this petty, passive-aggressive barb:

And then as most people know by now, the kitchen rapidly descends into chaos when we come to realise that Sydney accidentally left The Beef's online pre-order option open, resulting in a huge number of orders that the crew could not reasonably be expected to fill. While this is happening, Carmy begins to spiral. He starts berating Sydney:

And then we get it, the moment Carmy snaps to EMP, Chef Fields and Michelin Mode:

Of course, Sydney asks the question that we're all thinking:

Because really, the short rib and risotto dish has nothing to do with the pre-order fiasco...but Carm is in the middle of a spiral here.

He is off kilter, triggered by Sydney sending out a dish he deemed was "not ready" and a new system they've tried to implement now blowing up in their faces. When Sydney asks Carmen what her Cola-braised short rib and risotto dish has to do with the pre-order issue, Carm yells at her:

Chef, stop!

Then Sydney does her best to try and manage expo but at this point, Carmy is taking anyone speaking to him as an act of insubordination. His need to regain control is so great at this point in the episode that he blows up at Sydney in a moment that is still hard for me to watch:

As I said at the start of this post, seeing the windows into Carmy's culinary (and familial) ancestry across all 3 seasons of The Bear has contextualised Carmy's breakdown in 1x07 that much better for me. Key to this context is control and agency.

@chaoswillcalmusdown and I talked here about how important a lack of control is in driving much of Carmy's actions, particularly in the context of being locked in the walk-in at the end of season 2. I think this obviously holds for season 1 as well.

Carmy's history of trauma, particularly as the child of an addict, means that he has grown up feeling powerless and fearful in the one place where he was meant to feel safe and secure: his home.

This fear was felt by all the Berzatto kids. In 3x08 Ice Chips, Carm's sister Natalie tells their mother, Donna, that the latter scared all of her children and that this is something Natalie doesn't want for her own unborn child.

In his Al-Anon monologue in 1x08 Braciole, Carm also discloses a number of other instances where he felt powerless, including as an adolescent at school and later in his relationship with his brother Mikey:

Carm wanted desperately for a relationship with his oldest brother but the latter's addiction and mental health issues meant that Carm was kept at a distance. Mikey's death by suicide would have been another foundational trauma for Carmy: an event he could not have controlled at all but, had he been able to, would have tried to change with everything in his power in order to avoid losing the only father figure he's ever really known.

Now, add to all of this: Carmy's experience at EMP working under an Executive Chef who seems to get off on inducing a perpetual state of fear and powerlessness in his staff. We see from Carmy's flashbacks throughout the series that at EMP, he never speaks back to Chef Fields despite the latter's incessant verbal and psychological abuse. The ONLY time we see Carmen challenge Fields is when he makes the decision to sub out his EC's choice of fennel soubise for blood orange in a hamachi dish - a dish that eventually will make its way to Sydney Adamu. But even this challenge by Carmy is oblique, one that doesn't involve direct confrontation of Fields himself. In fact, as far as we know, Fields never finds out about Carm's act of insubordination.

Where folks have experienced repeated or chronic trauma like Carmy has throughout his life, a common coping mechanism is to try and assert control wherever possible. This reflex is an attempt to claw back some of the powerlessness that traumatic incidents have taken away. We've seen Carmy do this most profoundly throughout season 3. But this is also what has been happening all along in the show, including in ep 1x07.

Here at The Beef where Carm was in effect EC, his sous, Sydney, challenged him by sending out a dish he said wasn't ready. She does what he did at EMP but the difference is, here Carmy finds out about it. And then, as the kitchen descends into chaos because of the pre-order fiasco, Carmy ROARS. He doesn't stop to think about how similar Sydney is to him in their rebellions. Or that it makes sense to not waste perfectly good food. Instead, he lets the bear out of its cage in an attempt to scare everyone in his vicinity into submission. He channels the most recent mentor he's had - the one whose abuse would have literally altered Carmy's brain chemistry and behavioural instincts (because thats what trauma does to us) - in order to assert control and avoid, at all costs, that familiar feeling of powerlessness.

All of the above is not to say that Carmy's behaviour in 1x07 (or 3x03 or 3x09 etc) was acceptable. It wasn't. Carmy even recognised this in 1x08 when he apologises to Syd via text:

Later in that same episode, Carmy offers to start The Bear with Sydney: a peace offering and a commitment to their relationship.

We got none of this remorse or show of contrition from Carmy in season 3, which I think has contributed to why the most recent season of The Bear has divided audiences. But given the events of 3x10, I suspect these things are going to come from Carmy in the next season. I also note this interview with co-show runner Joanna Calo where she says (about depicting trauma and recovery on the show):

[I]f you're going to change, its probably temporary [...] or if you do actually change, it takes a while.

[...]

[c]hange is gradual and you do, you go back and forth [...] You make gains in one way but then when its actually tested in another, you realise you actually aren't fixed at all [...] and that felt like a real thing that we knew we wanted to explore.

Watching this interview after season 3 was reassuring. It contextualised a lot of Carmy's behaviour as regression, given his past trauma. This leaves room for the next season of the show to explore what happens after Carmy realises the cost of his regression - on himself and his loved ones. And hopefully we then get more steps forward than backwards in his recovery. Hopefully, we get less perfection (which itself is an attempt at control) and more joyful, loving mess.

[braedenhales]

THE BEAR "CERES" [1x06]

[queer-whatchamacallit]

Teeny tiny details I’ve noticed on my rewatches of The Bear:

When Syd goes looking for her onions in 1x03 Brigade and finds Richie, he’s talking to Crooked John from 1x06 Ceres

When Carmy calls Pete in 1x02 Hands, there’s a vase of flowers on the table, and it’s the same one that’s in Carmy’s nightmare in 1x08 Braciole

In 1x08 Braciole, the broken ticket machine is back, and it’s all covered in ductape. On said ductape ��Carmy is an asshole” is written in all caps

Sidenote - it seems like most of the characters write in all caps which in graphology, it’s like the writer is being aggressive and boisterous but it also means that its hiding all the traits that could be more easily found in lowercase (maybe Richie just writes on the whiteboards a lot)

Both Carmy and Sydney’s phone passwords are 11111

Edits:

In 2x06 Fishes, when Richie’s talking to Uncle Jimmy about the job thing, you can hear Mike going “Bill fucking Murray!” From the same story as in 1x06 Ceres (which is significant because the story is this reminder of what he’d be leaving behind, both the fun and the absurd irresponsibility that being friends with Mikey has brought him)

I may add to this later, but here ya go!!

[garelloswatch]

The Bear 1x06 "Ceres" ★★★★★★★★☆☆

[signsportals]

I'm watching The Bear 1x06 "Ceres"

[enigmaticfox]

THE BEAR 1x06 Ceres // 1x08 Braciole

"Hey Carmy, do some parm." Yeah, I got you. I got you.

[thoughtfulchaos773]

Thank you for asking

There's a possible callback here.

Carmy and Sydney need to consider their person before rushing to move forward.

In season one, Syd is grieving like The Berzattos- she is mourning Sheridan Catering, and after she talks to Carmy about her past, an idea sparks to life, and she's ready to move forward. Sydney was so excited to move forward with Carmy that she stepped on his toes even as he told her to give him a minute; this delay had to do with Carmy processing his own trauma.

As a disclaimer- this isn't a reason to blame Sydney for Carmy's anger in 1x07- this happens when you ignore the grieving process- the rage lingers until it explodes.

Throughout season 2, we can see that Carmy is making progress in coping with the death of his brother. He attends Al-Anon meetings, passes on Mikey's hat to Richie, tries to have some fun, almost asks Sydney out, and takes a step back when he meets Claire (though to him he's processed his trauma).

But this illusion of moving forward goes on until 2x08-2x09. When Carmy understands the error- he gets Richie to ask Sydney about Mikey's note, a way to tell Sydney he hears her (he should have told her this to her face but maybe the table scene makes up for this).

The Thank you for asking is considering each other before they take a step forward. Because when they rush to heal without the other, things go wrong. It's like the universe requires they're in sync now rather than too far in the past or too far in the future.

They're switching roles as they process grief. As I write, I realize what they meant by you could do this without me. I couldn't do it without you. Yeah, you could. I wouldn't even want to do it without you.

This is about healing together rather than apart.

[thoughtfulchaos773]

The 6th and 7th Episodes (Season 3 speculation)

This is a bit different since it only has one parallel, and that's Mikey. I think what will parallel mainly in the 3rd season is the story structure. (Spoilers below). This will probably be my favorite prediction and what I really hope happens!

1x06 Ceres and 2x06 Fishes Parallel- Mikey, Richie, and Bill Murray

1x07 Review and 2x07 Forks Parallels (N/A since it is a Bottle episode for Richie) and 1x07 was a bottle episode for the crew.

But what's cool is that seasons 2x06 and 2x07 connects with symbolism. There's a continuation of Forks being used as a way to disrespect yourself or others. 2x06 Four years earlier, Richie only laughed at Miky's antics of throwing the fork at Lee, and the next episode is titled Forks, and Richie is disrespecting himself by not cleaning the fork properly. This relates to Richie getting lazy from being around Mikey. It's about Richie figuring out his own way and finding the good that comes out of Working at the Beef.

Season 3 Episodes 6 and 7 Summary and Speculation

Mikey will make an appearance in the episode 'Napkins'. Credit to anyone who recognizes the callback to Tina and the story of Mikey running out of napkins. Instead of focusing on how Mikey, while he was alive, affected Richie, we're going to see how Mikey's choices affected Tina. The plot revolves around Tina looking for another opportunity, so the episode will follow her as she spends a month searching for another job while Mikey spirals.

In the next episode, there will be a similar situation in the present day where The Bear runs out of c-fold napkins. This time, Sydney will be affected by this instead of Forks, symbolizing Tina and Sydney's growth in season 3.

The 6th and 7th episodes of season 3 will parallel more with 1x06 and 1x07 in season 1, where Tina and Sydney were busy brushing off the chaos happening around them.

Tina witnesses Sydney's interactions with Richie and Carmy in episode 1x06 "Ceres," which deeply affects Sydney, leading her to push Tina away in the following episode 1x07.

Looking at the writers of the episodes and the directors, I hope we can focus on how women are often silenced in culinary industry and how Tina and Sydney are trying to forge their own paths while maintaining their sanity.

I also hope there's a heavy focus on Tina and Sydney's relationship and a deep dive into the dynamics in the kitchen.

[garelloswatch]

I'm watching The Bear 1x06 "Ceres"

[comfortfood-sydcarm]

Beautiful Chef!

Perhaps near the end of season 3 Syd and Carm can heal and work together!

Thank you for asking

There's a possible callback here.

Carmy and Sydney need to consider their person before rushing to move forward.

In season one, Syd is grieving like The Berzattos- she is mourning Sheridan Catering, and after she talks to Carmy about her past, an idea sparks to life, and she's ready to move forward. Sydney was so excited to move forward with Carmy that she stepped on his toes even as he told her to give him a minute; this delay had to do with Carmy processing his own trauma.

As a disclaimer- this isn't a reason to blame Sydney for Carmy's anger in 1x07- this happens when you ignore the grieving process- the rage lingers until it explodes.

Throughout season 2, we can see that Carmy is making progress in coping with the death of his brother. He attends Al-Anon meetings, passes on Mikey's hat to Richie, tries to have some fun, almost asks Sydney out, and takes a step back when he meets Claire (though to him he's processed his trauma).

But this illusion of moving forward goes on until 2x08-2x09. When Carmy understands the error- he gets Richie to ask Sydney about Mikey's note, a way to tell Sydney he hears her (he should have told her this to her face but maybe the table scene makes up for this).

The Thank you for asking is considering each other before they take a step forward. Because when they rush to heal without the other, things go wrong. It's like the universe requires they're in sync now rather than too far in the past or too far in the future.

They're switching roles as they process grief. As I write, I realize what they meant by you could do this without me. I couldn't do it without you. Yeah, you could. I wouldn't even want to do it without you.

This is about healing together rather than apart.