Review (The Bear)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | 2022 |
| Founder | Christopher Storer |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Television episodes |
Review serves as the seventh installment in the debut season of the American comedy-drama series The Bear. The episode was penned by executive producer Joanna Calo and helmed by series creator Christopher Storer. It premiered on Hulu on June 23, 2022, simultaneously with the entire season release.
The narrative follows Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto, a celebrated New York chef who returns to Chicago to take over his late brother Michael's struggling Italian beef sandwich shop. This particular episode unfolds in real time, focusing on the kitchen staff as they prepare for opening amid mounting disorder. At just 20 minutes, it is the shortest episode in the series, featuring an 18-minute sequence filmed as a continuous shot.
"Review" received widespread acclaim for its inventive approach, cinematography, direction, acting, character arcs, sound design, and mounting suspense. It was recognized as one of the standout television episodes of 2022. The episode garnered multiple award nominations and victories, including nods for Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Supporting Actress awarded to Ayo Edebiri at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Plot
The episode begins with WXRT announcer Lin Brehmer introducing "Chicago" by Sufjan Stevens, which plays over the opening credits.
With twenty minutes remaining before opening time, the team readies themselves for their shifts. Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson) reads aloud a positive food critic’s review that praises a risotto dish Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) had been experimenting with and inadvertently served to the critic. Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) interrupts him, telling Ebraheim to stop reading.
Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) arrives late accompanied by her son Louie (Pedro Henrique), who is suspended from school. Carmy delegates Sydney to teach Louie culinary skills. Meanwhile, Sydney and Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) argue about whether to add the risotto to the menu. They then discover that Sydney accidentally left the takeout pre-order option enabled, leading to hundreds of orders due within ten minutes. Overwhelmed by the situation, Carmy orders everyone to begin cooking everything immediately.
As tensions escalate, Sydney and Richie continue their dispute while Carmy exacerbates their conflict by giving contradictory instructions. Marcus (Lionel Boyce) neglects his cake responsibilities while focusing on perfecting a donut side project. When he presents his latest creation to Carmy, Carmy angrily throws it on the floor, prompting Marcus to walk out.
Witnessing this, Richie and Sydney momentarily stop arguing to urge Carmy to calm down; during this moment Sydney accidentally stabs Richie with a knife. Richie brushes off the injury as Ebraheim tends to it. One minute before opening, Sydney resigns, blaming Carmy’s behavior for worsening the chaos.
Distressed by these events, Carmy tastes Marcus’ donut from the floor; impressed by its quality, he destroys the receipt machine and storms out in frustration.
Development
This episode was directed by series creator Christopher Storer and written by executive producer Joanna Calo. It represents Calo’s inaugural writing credit and Storer’s fourth time directing an episode of the series.
Costuming
Sydney is seen wearing the "mirrored Fuji" scarf designed by Kapital.
Filming
Among the eateries showcased in the opening sequence are Superdawg and Gene & Jude's.Christopher Storer mentioned that the episode originally lacked a specific filming style. The concept of a long take was introduced just two or three weeks prior to shooting, leading Storer and Calo to revise the script to fit this approach. Calo noted that with minimal dialogue, the camera needed to convey more of the narrative, while Storer believed that a continuous shot would best maintain the episode’s pacing.
Storer stressed that the production team prioritized storytelling over technical exhibition. Collaborating with Andrew Wehde and camera operator Gary Malouf, they planned the path through the set, even recording it using an iPhone. Although they debated potential cut points, Storer was confident in executing the entire episode in one uninterrupted take. Sound mixer Scott D. Smith later remarked on the challenge of capturing an 18-minute continuous shot, commending his crew’s boom operation for reducing reliance on ADR.
The actors performed four or five takes, exploring subtle shifts in their portrayals—Ebon Moss-Bachrach interpreted his role with more resignation, whereas Ayo Edebiri infused hers with greater anger. The final edit favored emotional intensity and immersion over flawless execution; for instance, a small spill of relish on the floor during a scene resulted from an on-set mishap but was retained in the final version.
Jeremy Allen White pointed out that Episode 7 was rewritten specifically as a single-take blueprint to sustain narrative tension and flow without interruption. He commended how this technique complemented character arcs and plot development.
Pastry expert Sarah Mispagel-Lustbader prepared a total of 12 chocolate cakes exclusively for the shoot.
Critical reviews
"Review" garnered widespread critical acclaim, with reviewers lauding its cinematography, screenplay, suspense, and acting. Rebekah Valentine of IGN praised its succinct structure and extended unbroken shots that encapsulate the season’s dramatic peak. Tim Lowery from The A.V. Club described it as "one of television's most remarkable directing achievements" that year. Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone highlighted the episode’s intense sense of panic balanced by profound character engagement, calling it "extraordinary."
Marah Eakin at Vulture awarded it a flawless 5-star rating, suggesting it should be analyzed in film courses for its expert handling of tension and exposition within just 20 minutes. Nicole Gallucci from Decider likened "Review" to Uncut Gems, applauding its anxiety-inducing atmosphere and authentic portrayal of toxic culinary work environments. Dina Paulson of Collider emphasized the episode’s rich emotional depth and character-driven tension.
Numerous prominent publications including The Hollywood Reporter, TV Guide, Mashable, Rolling Stone, IndieWire, Entertainment Weekly, IGN, and Paste recognized this episode among the finest television installments of 2022.
Accolades
Retrospective reviews
In 2024, Variety placed "Review" third in its ranking of the top 10 episodes of The Bear, emphasizing its powerful depiction of kitchen turmoil and interpersonal tensions, while also noting director Storer's Emmy win for this installment. The episode showcased the series’ ability to portray a dysfunctional culinary setting, a theme further developed in Season 2. That year, The Hollywood Reporter ranked "Review" second among 28 standout episodes, lauding its near continuous-shot approach and its thematic focus on triumph and defeat, dubbing it the viral moment that significantly raised the show's profile. ScreenRant positioned it as the third-best episode across 28 episodes through season three, highlighting its ambitious single-take execution and theatrical finesse.
By 2025, Vulture rated "Review" third out of 38 episodes, calling it "a perfect episode of TV." Collider awarded it second place on their annual top 10 list, praising its vivid portrayal of the hectic nature of restaurant work. Additionally, Esquire ranked "Review" fourth among the finest episodes of The Bear in that year.
See also
- List of The Bear episodes
- The Bear season one
- Previous episode: "Ceres"
- Next episode: "Braciole"
Sources
External links
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