Dogs (The Bear)

Roeser's Bakery
Founded	1911
Headquarters	Chicago, United States

Dogs represents the fourth installment of the American comedy-drama series The Bear during its inaugural season. Crafted by writer Sonya Levitsky-Weitz and helmed by director Christopher Storer, this episode debuted on Hulu on June 23, 2022, simultaneously with the release of the entire season.

The narrative follows Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto, a celebrated chef from New York City, who returns to his native Chicago to take over the management of his deceased brother Michael's faltering Italian beef sandwich establishment.

Plot

Carmy teams up with Richie to cater a children's birthday celebration for Cicero. Carmy prepares a homemade version of Ecto Cooler, which inadvertently becomes laced with Richie's Xanax, resulting in the children falling asleep outside. Upon informing Cicero about the presence of Xanax, Cicero admits he enjoys the newfound tranquility. Concurrently, Sydney experiences initial friction but eventually builds rapport and earns respect among the restaurant crew. Meanwhile, Marcus shows enthusiasm for introducing a new chocolate cake initiative.

Context

Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) mentions Ed Debevic's when referring to Carmy's father, suggesting that dining there inspired him to open a restaurant despite lacking formal experience in food service. Founded in 1984 in Chicago's River North, Ed Debevic's was recognized for its theatrical yet accessible 1950s diner vibe, serving adequate meals and accommodating up to 300 guests, attracting families and school groups alike. Although the River North site closed in 2015 due to redevelopment plans, it later reopened in the Streeterville neighborhood.

Filming

The episode begins with visually appealing shots described as "pure doughnut pornography." These scenes were filmed at Roeser's Bakery, a Chicago institution located in Humboldt Park since 1911. Owner John Roeser noted that filming started at 4 a.m., allowing production without interrupting regular operations, featuring specially crafted donuts for visual effect.

Costuming

Sydney sports a trout-patterned headscarf from Mountain Trail Outfitters. Carmy's distinctive fuzzy jacket with a block pattern is identified as the Gael 8267 model by NN.07. While producer Chris Storer initially imagined Carmy wearing a navy pea coat, actor White preferred the earthy tones of this Danish brand's jacket.

Music

The soundtrack includes tracks such as "One Fine Day" by David Byrne and Brian Eno, "Help Me, Rhonda" by the Beach Boys, "Loved by You" by KIRBY, and "Check It Out" by John Mellencamp.

Food

For the party, Carmy prepares Ecto-Cooler punch. The original Ecto-Cooler was a fruit-flavored soft drink under the Hi-C brand released alongside the The Real Ghostbusters animated series (1986–1991), made from tangerine and orange concentrates. The homemade recipe combines tangerine juice, orange juice, instant lemonade mix, instant orange-drink mix, and sugar. The dialogue exchange "you're a child asshole, Richie" along with Carmy's search for ketchup in the refrigerator alludes to Chicago's traditional approach to a Chicago-style hot dog, which Chef Berzatto modifies to suit the young party attendees. According to the Chicago Food Encyclopedia (2017), an authentic Chicago-style hot dog features an all-beef natural casing sausage served in a steamed bun topped with yellow mustard, bright green relish, onions, tomatoes, dill pickle spears, pickled Sport peppers, and sometimes celery salt. French fries are served on the side; ketchup is strictly excluded from the hot dog.

The chocolate cake Marcus presents was devised by pastry consultant Sarah Mispagel-Lustbader, who offers a similar version at her Chicago bakery Loaf Lounge. This dessert incorporates a chocolate mousse filling and requires roughly 12 hours of preparation and chilling time. Throughout the season, Marcus evolves the cake's presentation from rustic frosting to an elegant mirror glaze by the final episode "Braciole."

Actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach identified his favorite scene from season one within this episode: following the hectic birthday party, Richie and Carmy are visibly drained. Carmy samples Marcus' cake and remarks, "Chef, this is delicious," prompting Marcus to respond with an earnest thumbs-up—a poignant moment that captures much of the season’s emotional core.

Critical reviews

The Vulture reviewer commended this lighter installment for its combination of "heart and grit," though they pointed out an excessive focus on "Chicago" elements, including a somewhat saccharine tribute to Chicago-born actor-director Harold Ramis. The New York Times regarded the Ramis mention as an appropriate "deep cut" that captures the essence of the city. Collider characterized "Dogs" as a "comic interlude," spotlighting a scenario where Carmy and Richie serve immature suburban patrons. ScreenRant hailed it as "one of the funniest episodes" in the series and ranked it among "the funniest episodes ever produced" across television.

Retrospective reviews

In 2024, the Hollywood Reporter placed "Dogs" third among all episodes from the first three seasons. The same year, Variety ranked it fourth-best, while ScreenRant positioned it 11th out of 28 episodes, emphasizing its status as one of the most engaging and humorous chapters.

By 2025, Vulture had ranked "Dogs" 17th out of 38 episodes, describing it as "an almost overly charming episode." Collider included it eighth on their top 10 list, affirming its continued reputation as one of the series' funniest entries. Esquire ranked it ninth among standout episodes from the initial three seasons, highlighting its distinctive fusion of classic sitcom elements with dark humor and a poignant subplot focused on personal development and mutual respect.

A BuzzFeed critic viewing season four for the first time in 2025 singled out a scene where Jimmy and Richie engage in a deadpan stare-down during an argument, calling it "fantastic" and a prime example of how the show expertly balances comedic moments with dramatic tension.

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