Violet (The Bear)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | 2022 |
| Founder | Christopher Storer |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Television episodes |
Violet is the fourth installment in the third season of the American comedy-drama series The Bear. This episode, which is the 22nd in the series overall, was both penned and directed by the show's creator, Christopher Storer. It became available on Hulu on June 26, 2024, alongside the release of the entire season.
The narrative centers on Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto, a celebrated chef from New York City who returns to Chicago to take over his deceased brother Michael's struggling Italian beef sandwich establishment. In this episode, Sydney moves into a new apartment and learns about an important forthcoming visit to the restaurant. Concurrently, Richie reflects on his involvement in his daughter's life.
Plot
Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) reminisces about a discussion with Claire (Molly Gordon) regarding how he sustained a burn scar on his hand. Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) meets her father Emmanuel (Robert Townsend) while signing the lease for her new apartment; Emmanuel expresses concerns about its size and expense.
While out on the street, Sydney runs into Adam Shapiro (Adam Shapiro), the CDC of Ever restaurant who recently stopped by The Bear. Despite the hectic atmosphere, he commends the cuisine and praises Sydney. Fak (Matty Matheson) and Theodore (Ricky Staffieri) create portraits of prominent food critics for staff to learn by heart. Carmy initially reacts with surprise but ultimately endorses the initiative. Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) spends time with Eva (Annabelle Toomey), Tiffany, and her fiancé Frank (Josh Hartnett). Frank opens up to Richie about feeling uneasy proposing without consulting him first, but Richie offers reassurance.
Richie shares his worries about maintaining a presence in his daughter's life with Sugar (Abby Elliott), who encourages him to remain engaged. Their talk is interrupted by a call from the Chicago Tribune announcing that a photographer will be visiting the restaurant. Sydney realizes this confirms that a Tribune food critic has already reviewed them, causing concern among the team.
Context
Violets have been recognized as Illinois' state flower since a 1908 referendum conducted among schoolchildren. (Violets also hold state flower status in New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.) More recently, native milkweed was designated as Illinois' official state native wildflower.
Development
In May 2024, Hulu announced that the fourth episode of the season would be titled "Violet," written and directed by series creator Christopher Storer. This episode marked Storer's 11th writing credit and 15th time directing for the series.
Casting
Josh Hartnett makes his debut guest appearance in this episode as Tiffany's fiancé. Hartnett accepted the role without reviewing the script after previously discussing potential collaboration with Storer years earlier. He described filming as "refreshing" due to its swift pace. Gillian Jacobs commended Hartnett's portrayal, noting its significant effect on character interactions.
Costuming
During a scene involving grapefruit cutting, Carmy seeks Syd's father's opinion about her new apartment while Syd samples Carmy's nicotine gum, reacting negatively ("blech...that's awful"). Sydney is seen wearing a Nadashiko Chantilly floral-pattern scarf designed by Kapital.
Set decoration
For the scene where Tina purchases produce, set decorator Eric Frankel created an authentic farmer's market environment, incorporating 14 to 15 vendors sourced from markets around Chicago.[1] Frankel mentioned that the crew members were able to take home various fresh items such as vegetables, fruits, bread, and honey.[1] The vendor who tells Tina "what grows together, goes together" is Jerry Boone from Froggy Meadow Farm.[2]
According to The New York Times, the Fak brothers’ collection of critic photographs includes actual personalities like Naomi Fry of The New Yorker, podcaster Chris Black, and Sue Chan from the culinary marketing firm Care by Chan.[3]
Film editing and sound design
Editors Joanna Naugle and Adam Epstein emphasized their teamwork with sound mixers, led by Steve "Major" Giammaria, particularly in shaping Carmy’s frantic response to the critics’ display on the wall. This moment stands out as a prime example of seamless audiovisual collaboration.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Music
The soundtrack for this episode features tracks such as "Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops" by Cocteau Twins, "Spinning Away" by Brian Eno and John Cale, "Long Live" by Taylor Swift, and "Getchoo" by Weezer.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Jacobs shared that "Long Live" accompanies the conversation between Richie and Frank because Annie, who portrays their daughter, enjoyed the song during filming. This choice also highlights Frank’s identity as a "Swiftie dad," which is subtly shown through his painted nails and friendship bracelets in that scene.[4]
Critical reviews
Jenna Scherer from The A.V. Club awarded the episode an "A–," observing that although The Bear typically focuses on the pressures within the restaurant industry, this installment contrasts those with the experiences of ER physicians. Marah Eakin of Vulture gave it a 3 out of 5 rating, describing "Violet" as an episode that advances the narrative by delving into characters’ lives outside of the kitchen. Nicole Gallucci writing for Decider commended Ebon Moss-Bachrach for bringing warmth and complexity to Richie’s scenes and also noted Josh Hartnett’s performance. Josh Rosenberg of Esquire reflected on themes of isolation among the characters while underscoring the significance of human connection.
Accolades
TVLine recognized Ebon Moss-Bachrach with an honorable mention for "Performer of the Week" during the week of June 29, 2024, for his role as Richie in this installment. The publication commended Moss-Bachrach’s subtle and layered portrayal as Richie contends with the emotional complexities tied to his ex-wife’s remarriage and his bond with his daughter, describing his character arc as both compelling and inspiring.
Retrospective reviews
In 2024, The Hollywood Reporter placed "Violet" at number 13 out of 28 episodes, lauding it as a "beautiful offering" that showcases characters striving for creativity and inspiration. ScreenRant ranked the episode 24th, emphasizing the addition of Hartnett to the cast as a key highlight.
By 2025, Vulture positioned "Violet" at 23rd among 38 episodes of The Bear.
See also
- Comprehensive list of The Bear episodes
- Third season of The Bear
- Previous episode: "Doors"
- Next episode: "Children"
External links
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