Directorial debuts for actors within the show they’re also starring in are always tricky because there’s often far more judgment than there needs to be. The critiques are more elevated, and everything is questioned, even when there’s the most minor misstep. Yet, it’s hard to imagine that there could be even a single person who’d have something negative to say about Ayo Edebiri’s compelling and intimate vision in The Bear Season 3, Episode 6, “Napkins.”
The Bear creators and team excel at creating standalone episodes that cater to the character journeys in a way fundamental to the plot’s development. Like the third season’s motto, every second counts, and that’s especially the case for Liza Colón-Zayas’ Tina Marrero and how she finds herself working at The Beef. With this uniquely beautiful pairing, “Napkins” results in what might unquestionably be one of The Bear’s best episodes—thoughtful, intimately moving, and significant in showing a relatable story through which audience members could also find a profound connection.
Ayo Edebiri Cares About the Character Journeys, and It Shows
From the moment “Napkins” starts to the second it ends, nothing is more tenderly evident than the fact that director Ayo Edebiri cares about each character’s journey. This detail results in an incredibly intimate display of minority heartaches as it brings Tina’s character center stage and showcases how crushing the job market is for those who don’t have the privilege of being…well, a white man. It’s apparent from the start that this episode is going to mark a milestone in The Bear’s trajectory, and it does so with intricate pacing that highlights not only Tina’s determination as a hard worker but the immeasurable heart she brings to the show.
Edebiri shows us this compassion and innate warmth fizzling with the fire through a striking balance of close-up shots and moments that underscore what a vital caretaker Tina is. It’s especially heartwarming to take note of how the episode begins and ends at home, even while the circumstances evolve in the thirty minutes we spend there. This point then makes the last shot of Tina looking at her new uniform one of the show’s most memorable frames because it packs a massive punch in evoking how and why she stays at The Beef. It reminds the audience that Mikey’s words will perpetually ring true, highlighting that while it’s loud and chaotic, The Beef (now The Bear) is a place where people care and love each other to no end.
Both Tina and Mikey are tremendous characters in the show’s history, and Ayo Edebiri shows us their worth through an episode that emphasizes what it means to care. The episode’s tone is quietly somber, but it’s not hopeless—in fact, it’s so full of warmth that we know the sun will come up in Chicago again. The sun will come up for Tina, too, because there’s an unmistakable glow cast upon her diligence that I sincerely don’t think anyone else could’ve mastered as artfully as Edebiri. The episode feels lived-in like we’re experiencing Tina’s frustrations right alongside her, and that’s entirely due to how Ayo Edebiri focuses on how Tina’s presence is irreplaceable and significant.
Liza Colón-Zayas Delivers an Unforgettable, Award-Worthy Performance
The Bear doesn’t make me cry as often as other shows do, but I wept all throughout “Napkins,” pausing on multiple occasions to pull it together before continuing. In large part, it’s because I understand Tina’s struggles on a more intimate level than I’d like to admit, but it’s simultaneously due to the breathtaking performance Liza Colón-Zayas delivers throughout. One of the major reasons The Bear has its appeal is because of the compelling group of actors at its helm, and with this, it’s imperative to note that Colón-Zayas and Edebiri combining forces on and off the camera make for a match made in heaven.
At the same time, Liza Colón-Zayas conveys so much of Tina’s anguish in silence, which allows her to shine in an astounding manner. She’s showing the audience every load the character carries, the frustrations she harbors, and the deep lingering sadness ballooning inside of her. And because the episode’s trajectory follows her so closely, the moment she crumbles at The Beef hits like a ton of bricks because it’s a raw depiction of what it’s like to try and try with no success or light left to give. There’s also an innate relatability that comes alive in that scene because how many of us know what it’s like to crumble with food in our hands? (I cried into my burger just last week.)
The moment Tina loses it, we fall apart right alongside her. Scenes like this are often easy to overdo, but Liza Colón-Zayas embodies and understands Tina so carefully that everything is tamed. We actively watch her try to hold on—repress, keep it in, until it’s damn near impossible, which then makes the conversation with Mikey feel that much more rewarding. Jon Bernthal is often masterful when it comes to subtlety and he’s especially excellent at sharing the scene with Colón-Zayas. The conversation’s poignancy is thus elevated and becomes so cathartic that it brings a plethora to the surface with so few words.
This final scene with the two of them talking is brimming with such distinction that a thousand words are spoken in every fame—through the silence, their body language, the eye contact—every second counts gorgeously, and the emotions cascade brilliantly in showing us character journeys that feel undeniably earned. All this is to say The Bear’s “Napkins” is a perfectly directed and penned episode with sensational performances to treasure for a long time.
Now streaming on Hulu: What are your thoughts on Ayo Edebiri’s directorial debut in The Bear Season 3? Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©FX