Bolognese (The Bear)
| Company type | Television episode |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | June 22, 2023 |
| Founder | Rene Gube (writer), Christopher Storer (director) |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
| Products | Episode of The Bear (TV series) |
| Website | www |
Bolognese is the eighth installment in the second season of the American comedy-drama series The Bear. This episode is the 16th in the entire series and was scripted by co-executive producer Rene Gube and directed by the show's creator Christopher Storer. It premiered on Hulu on June 22, 2023, simultaneously with the rest of the season.
The storyline centers on Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto, a celebrated New York City chef who returns to his native Chicago to take over his late brother Michael's struggling Italian beef sandwich shop. In this chapter, The Bear readies itself for a crucial fire suppression inspection necessary for the restaurant's reopening.
Critics responded enthusiastically to the episode, commending its suspenseful atmosphere and strong acting performances.
Plot
With just a fortnight before reopening, The Bear focuses on preparing for a vital fire suppression test. Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson) makes a return and offers Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) an apology for his prior absence before stepping in to manage the takeout sandwich window in her support.
After consulting Claire (Molly Gordon), Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) informs Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) about upcoming menu adjustments, which causes Sydney to question her future role. Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) reappears dressed in suits, apologizes to Natalie (Abby Elliott), and helps conduct front-of-house interviews, rigorously assessing candidates' dedication to excellence. Marcus (Lionel Boyce) also comes back, bringing ideas inspired by his experience in Copenhagen to improve meal creativity.
Fak (Matty Matheson), investigating the repeated failures of the fire suppression tests, discovers that Mikey had disabled the system during an attempted insurance fraud arson. Fak repairs it just before the inspector arrives. The system successfully passes inspection, clearing the way for the restaurant’s opening. As preparations wrap up, Carmy departs while referring to Claire as his girlfriend and decides to cook dinner for her for the first time.
Development
In May 2023, Hulu announced the eighth episode of the season titled "Bolognese," penned by co-executive producer Rene Gube and directed by series creator Christopher Storer. This episode represents Gube’s second writing contribution and Storer’s tenth time directing.
Costuming
Richie makes his return clad in suits, notably featuring a wool suit from designer Hugo Boss, selected through collaboration between actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach and costume designer Courtney Wheeler. Moss-Bachrach imagined Richie channeling Al Pacino’s iconic monochromatic look from 1995’s Heat, while Wheeler interpreted Richie’s style as an attempt to revive his stagiaire appearance; the all-black suit complements The Bear’s interior design. Wheeler intentionally refrained from tailoring the suit further, reflecting Richie’s personality.
Sydney wears a vintage 1997 Million Woman March T-shirt beneath a Wales Bonner Souskous menswear button-down. Additionally, Carmy sports well-worn 1950s Levi's jeans sourced from Knee Deep in Chicago during a domestic scene with Claire.
Set decoration and production design
After successfully completing the fire suppression test, the team at The Bear returns to cooking, now equipped with new appliances such as a double Blodgett oven. The stainless steel cookware utilized is produced by All-Clad.
Music
Songs featured in this episode include "Lay My Love" by Brian Eno and John Cale, "Stop Your Sobbing" performed by The Pretenders, "The Crane Wife 3" by The Decemberists, and "Throw Your Arms Around Me" by Neil Finn and Eddie Vedder.
Critical reviews
"Bolognese" garnered considerable praise from critics. Marah Eakin of Vulture awarded it 4 out of 5 stars, emphasizing the development of interpersonal relationships. A.J. Daulerio from Decider highlighted the episode as a significant moment with Carmy cooking dinner for his girlfriend, symbolizing the restaurant’s official commencement. Arnav Srivastava at The Review Geek assigned 3.5 stars, pointing out some inconsistencies in pacing but recognizing the clear trajectory toward the season finale and the restaurant’s opening. Karl R De Mesa of Show Snob underscored the excitement surrounding the menu’s completion prior to the soft launch.
Rafa Boladeras from MovieWeb positioned this episode as the eighth best of the season, commending its tension and emotional intensity during the fire suppression test. Jasmine Blu of TV Fanatic ranked it seventh, acknowledging the high stakes involved in passing the inspection necessary to open the restaurant, although she considered it less suspenseful than other moments in the season.
Retrospective reviews
In 2024, The Hollywood Reporter placed "Bolognese" 26th out of 28 episodes, noting that it mainly serves to set up the concluding part of season two. ScreenRant ranked it 13th among 28 episodes spanning through season three, highlighting both the tension arising from the fire inspection and Carmy’s character growth. By 2025, Vulture rated "Bolognese" 33rd out of 38 episodes, describing it as "adequately satisfactory."
See also
- List of The Bear episodes
- The Bear season two
- Prior episode: "Forks"
- Subsequent episode: "Omelette"