@thoughtfulchaos773 / thoughtfulchaos773.tumblr.com
We're 12 days late- HOWEVER. Did you know that the New Year's Eve tradition in Spain and in some Latin American cultures is to eat 12 grapes when the clock strikes midnight? It is believed that eating grapes at midnight on New Year's Eve brings good luck for the following year, while eating them under the table and wearing red garments is thought to bring luck in romance.
Getting hitched on their day off.
Just another scene analysis. Right now, I'm obsessed with this scene for the close shot placed on Carmy when Sydney says, Tell Claire I said thank you then. From there, we zoom in on Carmy's face. Remember how close shots can heighten the anxiety?
I love the close shots with Carmy because we catch every nuance in his facial expressions, revealing how he feels whenever he disagrees with Sydney and/or showing us exactly what he feels for Claire.
Usually, Syd and Carmy's disagreements are evenly placed(best I can describe). It's usually a wide shot where Sydney and Carmy are on camera at the same time (ex., the 1x06 argument, the 2x03 argument, and even 1x07).
But this particular camera angle switches between Sydney and Carmy, signaling that their argument has two different sides.
Another similar choice with switching sides and a close-up shot for Carmy and Sydney is 2x10 (refire the sets). Now, what do these arguments have in common? The focus of their disagreement is Claire.
Perhaps this choice in angles shows that Carmy gets anxious when the thought of Claire shows up. Example? A zoom-in on Carmy when Richie and Mikey say they saw Claire. It's the difference between Claire and Sydney, telling us how he feels about both of them.
Another close-up shot regarding claire? The kitchen scene.
This is what pro-Claire/Carmy fans can't get. It's the subtext in the sweet nothings Carmy has to say to her. The contrast in their scenes with zoom-ins and heartbreaking songs elicits a cold and anxious response regarding their relationship (that's the feeling we should get if you're really watching) Ex. of the opposite? The love scene that should have the same sparks flying as 2x05, but instead, we get a song about death and blue lighting.
But I digress.
Here's another thing in common between this argument and 2x10 besides the central focus being Claire and Carmy getting anxious about her? Sydney calms him each time.
Notice it goes back to a wide shot when the argument stops.
Why would the writers contrast how Carmy feels for Sydney vs Claire if this is a strict work relationship between Sydney and Carmy?
This show touches all angles to tell us how Sydney makes him feel.
In a show that mostly tells us of Carmy's emotions through contrast, Sydney plays not just the woman who calms Carmy, but she calms the viewers as we go through this rollercoaster. Sydney's character gets to the heart of the matter, and with her, we hear Carmy's true thoughts even if he is suffering from a panic attack. There's a serenity with Sydney.
The heart of this scene? Since the main obstacle with Carmy is anxiousness, the show tells us Carmy is beating this obstacle with Sydney, the same silence he felt when he focused on cooking in the past and got away from his family. When he focuses on Sydney, everything else fades away and they've told us this through dialogue, cinematography, and sound.
Nobody:
Nobody at all:
Anti-SydCarmy:
Anti-sydcarmy stay triggered. There are so many ships out there and never have I ever taken the time to go against a ship, do you know why? It’s none of my business. If I don’t like a ship for whatever reason, I just leave it alone because again, it is none of my business.
The Bear instagram account merely posted a pic of Syd and Carmy and this person was so triggered, they took time to write and post this comment. What’s very funny about this comment is that the person mentioned ‘’SydCarmy’’ like if you don’t like this ship why are you even using their ship name?!
Anyway, fxnetworks IG is on the right side of history.
And the anti shippers always claim that romance would ruin a show.
I should give these viewers grace... maybe they have the same anxiety as Carmy when it comes to any sense of fun, joy, or love.
Or they're just assholes.
Summary:
After the heartache and disappointment of the events of Friends and Family night, Syd and Carmy gradually salvage their fractured relationship, and then some.
Chapter Excerpt:
As Ebra solemnly read the article headlined “Lions and Tigers, and The Bear, Oh My!” from the copy of The Chicago Tribune that he held in his hands, everyone gathered at the family meal sat in stunned silence.
“If you were expecting fantastical off-offerings from a restaurant fantastically dubbed, “The Bear”, you’ll be sorely disa-disappointed….”
They were barely out of the gate, they hadn’t even been open for a full month yet and already one of Sydney’s worst fears had come true; the other shoe dropped, they’d gotten a bad review.
I'm back, and this is a sidebar/part 2 of the muse theory.
So, describing this look that Carmy gives Sydney after she says she visited The Beef every Sunday with her dad. I'm totally convinced Carmy has seen Sydney before, and this is the moment he realized it.
As @gingerylangylang1979 mentions, it's like he was doubting and confirming something at the same time. After he sort of chuckles, he looks down and the smile drops. Then he looks up at her with this micro expression of debelief, his breath stops it looks like and he then steps back a bit.
He's just as shocked as Sydney that they're in the same room. He was at a low point in his life when he saw her for the first time, and she's here- no longer afar but just a couple of feet away, and Sydney is just as star-struck. But unlike Carmy, though she hesitates, she makes the first move and puts the truth out there that she knows who he is. Now it's up to Carmy to make the first official move- to let it rip and tell this woman who's right here that he's loved her since he first laid eyes on her.
It's perceived that Sydney's struggle this season was learning to be a leader and wanting a successful business because of Sheridan Catering.
That could be it. But I think deep down her struggle lies in loneliness. She wanted all this because she wanted to do this with Carmy.
I think about the beginning of 2x03 Sundae when she asks if Carmy is sending her home to find inspiration. The question was laced in disappointment that she would be alone in her dad's house. I think Sheridan Catering reminds her of a lonely period in her life, and she realized in 1x08 how much they need each other.
Another scene that stands out, of course, is the table scene. When Sydney fixes her side and Carmy asks what she's afraid of she first says that I don't have what it takes to not fuck this up. But a beat changes, she pauses and let's out her deepest fear.
You could do this without me.
The point of coming back and opening The Bear has to do with Carmy. They're only focused on each other, building together, getting a star together.
I think the ending will point out that it's not about the star, the restaurant, or Sheridan Catering. They could possibly lose what they worked towards. The worst could happen where The Bear catches fire, and it doesn't matter. As long as they're together.
This is all for Carmy, like he's doing it all for her- because he expressed how much he needs Sydney.
WHO IS THIS?
I mean in real life.
Who is this?
I've been intrigued since I saw this scene.
It also keeps me going back to a question I sometimes think about.
If this show is basically about Christopher Storer's life, why did he choose a black woman for the role of Sydney?
I know he worked with Ayo before, but say he didn't know her, why a black woman?
Because wouldn't he have to take into consideration elements of her life that he probably wouldn't have to think about normally, in his own life? ( Christopher and Joanna seem brilliant btw, and not one note)
I'm really curious.
Feel free to answer all my questions. I'd like to know what everyone else thinks
Just FYI, I became interested in watching the show because somehow a preview showed up on one of my social media, and AYO was in it. Otherwise it may have just stayed on my watchlist forever
Love that it says family members instead of employees. This was the real life Mr. Beef
Now of course Mr. Beef wasn't the total inspiration for this show. But I think what they really took away from it, from a panel interview. Calo said they wanted to write about people you will see in a kitchen working. So they probably mixed it up with other restaurants and this one.
Chicago has a history of racism but like New York, it has its diverse history. Looking at chris storer insta is movies with all black casts and friends all the way back in 2012. He was the show runner for Ramy- a show about a Muslim man making his own spiritual journey. When you look at the owner of Mr. Beef, who storer went to school with his Instagram is so diverse with customers and employees he's known for years.
I think it is primarily based on their lives and who they grew up around. I don't want to assume, but if they had an all white cast, they seemed to be aware they're not doing their hometown any favors, and they would hear the critique loudly.
For calo, she's worked for a show that wrote about abortion in one episode. He probably got her in board to also get a woman's perspective and voice.
There was a question on a panel to Aho about playing the role of Sydney, and she mentioned how freeing it was to play a human being with real flaws. She had lunch with the storer, and he told her back in 2019 he has a role written for her-interestingly enough, their conversation, the topic was a bit about anxiety and always worrying about the future.
As a black woman I dare to say Storer and Calo probably really love Ayo and see her for the artist and person she is and Storer thought she would be perfect to play the role of Sydney, Jeremy's opposite. But they wanted to make sure she got her own background opinions on the character she played like Jeremy did for carmy and Molly did for Claire. He wanted them to have a say on what they think their character's stories are.
When people here worry about the white audience feedback and how the network would care. I don't think they do care. Because FX is a program where the most popular show had a black woman as the love interest (nip tuck). Had a fargo season with an all black cast. The network producer intentionally hired black filmmakers once he read about the issue of diversity in TV show networks and brought Atlanta on.
This is the same network with Ryan Murphy AHS. Which had a scene where Angela Bassett made out with Evan Peter's. FX is known for carrying more about the story itself rather than numbers (sorta) and audience influence (sorta). fx gives freedom to their creators.
Essentially, I dare say we're watching a show where they care about who's represented, and they don't care that it's in interracial relationship.
It’s going to be interesting to see how Carmy acts around Sydney in s3
The panic attack scene is very important and I think it changed things for Carmy. Does he now accept that he has feelings for Sydney? Will he want to be in a relationship with her or will he be too scared? While Carmy figures out the importance of Syd’s images calming him down, he may avoid her but not for too long because he needs her and she needs him.
I'm really curious about that panic attack scene. Right now I think Carmy realized his feelings for Sydney? It's why he called her name in the panic attack scene. When he says he doesn't need amusement or enjoyment maybe that's when he denied his feelings for syd because he feels like he let her down and he can't give her what he knows she deserves.
So that's the crossed my mind. I do think his conscious is battling with his unconscious right now.
Carmy has been calling out for Sydney since season 1
I just finished rewatching season 1 and I noticed that in episode 7 with all the chaos and as Syd and Richie argue, Carmy calls out for Sydney, but Sydney rightfully ignores him. Why did Carmy call Sydney in that moment? We know that he had just shouted at Sydney, so was he calling her to apologise or what?
The tag 🤣
This shows how much he needs Sydney even when he told her to get off the expo station.
God he's so irritating.
something poetic about the bear passing the fire suppression test, fire being something carmy has an interesting relationship with, only when carmy has returned to the kitchen, apologized for being shitty and him and syd are working together again. and then the next episode starting with the thought of syd calming him down during a panic attack.
the thought of her literally putting the fire out in his mind.
that’s something, chef. there’s something there.
Carmy to Sydney "is my hair on fire?"
We saw Carmy and Syd become more and more alike with every episode. They dress the same, they finish each other’s thoughts and they act the same even when they are apart. Syd and Carmy are sharing a single soul but live in two different bodies. These two are in love.
trying to understand why after carmy says he thinks if he enjoys himself and amuses himself more he’ll be better at providing those things for other people and then it cuts to a shot of sydney. and then it cuts to a scene of him and sydney at the end of which he says they should spend the day together, tasting food.
which is essentially their favorite thing on the planet?
then claire calls and it gets all messed up and the interaction with her is strange.
its also strange that after carmy talks about his family ruining things for him saying they’d fuck it up because they’d try too hard, claire calls and basically pressures him into saying he wanted her to have his number even though she had to track it down and he sounds disinterested.
he wasn’t going to hang out with claire, he was going to tell her no. until she said she needed help. and when has carmy ever turned down helping people? not as long as we’ve known him.
Carmy really thought he did something by tearing down the wall, but Sydney was not happy. After he apologised to Sydney, he walked away but where TF did he go? Did he go to cry in the car because his wife was mad at him? I need answers.
Carmy, we know you love to look at Sydney at every opportunity so why are you looking away now? Is it because you are scared? What are you scared of?
Several people have observed (and I agree) that it was a lil disappointing that Carmy didn’t jump up to help Sydney immediately, there were a few theories- a front runner being he as throughout, was reluctant to show his feelings and love for Sydney around others (lest they begin sticking their noses in and suffocating it like with Claire).
Still, consensus seems to be, he needs to (eventually) move past this fear of showing affection around others, definitely when (YEA I SAID ‘WHEN’), they get together- Syd deserves live out loud love.
But yes even with them presenting as ‘platonic’ work colleagues it was a bit- where’s the concern?
WELL I SEENT THE CONCERN (well heard it)
Just before she falls into the wall, Syd is talking to Carmy and Nat about how they (when getting The Bear ready) need to ‘stay calm …’ and her speech is cut short when she falls into the wall.
There’s a long post-wall fall interlude including several people coming in and out of the scene, starting numerous conversations-Richie, Marcus,Tina, until eventually Nat, Syd and Carmy are left alone again. Syd tries to remember her train of thought before the wall fall but she can’t remember:
Syd asks ‘ok what was I saying?’
And Carmy- without missing a beat, immediately replies ‘gotta stay calm’
Not even Syd remembers saying this- she questions if she did. Carmy has to reiterate yes you were saying that , and she’s like ‘huh really?’
So no he doesn’t rescue her damsel in distress style ( not saying he shouldn’t have , or it wouldn’t be cute / good to in other circumstances) but would Syd even want that- she doesn’t love being ‘rescued’ by men in work settings from what we’ve seen, whether going to get caulk with Richie or getting veal stock from a tall shelf and Marcus offering to help.
And remember this when she asked Carmy to listen, really listen to her?
Yeah that matters to Syd.
It’s maybe more significant to me that despite the commotion of the wall break, numerous people coming in and out of the office, Carmy held onto her words, and was so focused on what she was saying that he remembered it without skipping a beat, as if nothing had happened. He maybe couldn’t touch and cradle her in front of Nat, but he could comfort and reassure her with his focus.
Tina been shipping since 2022.
Sidebar: The second gif I didn't realize that the new team was so close to Syd and Carmy when they argued about Claire. It's like we as the audience get this perspective of working there watching syd and carm talk to each other like there's no one else in the room.
