Pack Your Knives

Every episode of television is a series of creative decisions. Which characters do we spend the most time with? In which settings? How will the conflict occur? Season Three of “The Bear” took some unconventional risks — some worked and some didn’t. PYK Producer Anthony Mayes joins Tom and Kevin to break it all down, and to look ahead to the show’s final season.  Subscribe to the new PYK Substack! https://www.packyourknives.com/ Rate PYK 5 Stars on Apple or Spotify Follow PYK on Twitter: @packknives & Instagram: @packyourknives COUNT THE DINGS MERCH STORE - Check it out here: https://bit.ly/CTDMERCH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chef Eric Adjepong knows restaurant kitchens and he knows television — he hosts “Alex vs. America” and “Wildcard Kitchen” on The Food Network. He stops by PYK to chat about what “The Bear” gets right. Tom and Kevin also ask him which is more beneficial: A love-letter of a review of a restaurant in a big city newspaper, or an Instagram reel of Kamala Harris & husband raving about the dining experience. He also shares why so many chefs both love the show, but also are triggered by the intensity of the kitchen experience.  Subscribe to the new PYK Substack! https://www.packyourknives.com/ Rate PYK 5 Stars on Apple or Spotify Follow PYK on Twitter: @packknives & Instagram: @packyourknives COUNT THE DINGS MERCH STORE - Check it out here: https://bit.ly/CTDMERCH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sandwiched between two bottle episodes, “The Legacy” puts Sydney on the spot — will she take Shapiro’s offer to become Chef de Cuisine at his new joint, or will she finally sign the partnership agreement and fully commit to the Bear. Tom and Kevin debate what Sydney will — and should — do. They also lament that the show’s shot selection, opting for more scenes of the Fak brothers esoteric and unfunny shtick over more dramatic beats that heighten conflict and deepen characters. Tom enjoyed “Ice Chips” and the interplay between Natalie and Donna on the verge of delivering her firstborn into the world. Kevin appreciated the stage play, but wonders how much the series can devote to deep dives between supporting characters before losing the central thread. Subscribe to the new PYK Substack! https://www.packyourknives.com/ Rate PYK 5 Stars on Apple or Spotify Follow PYK on Twitter: @packknives & Instagram: @packyourknives COUNT THE DINGS MERCH STORE - Check it out here: https://bit.ly/CTDMERCH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bottle episodes can be risky business for a series, but “The Bear” has shined with its one-off productions, from Season’s 2 family stage play “Fishes” to this season’s mood poem of a premier. This episode, “Napkins,” marks the directorial debut of series regular Ayo Edebiri (Sydney) and focuses almost entirely on how Tina (played remarkably by Liza Colón-Zayas) found her way to The Beef/The Bear. Friend of PYK C.J. Krawczyk stops in to share with Tom and Kevin his conflicting thoughts about the episode. On one hand, the half hour is an affecting portrayal of the heartbreak and frustration of job insecurity. On the other, it also takes us away from the central dynamics of “The Bear" in the middle of a season that has spent precious little time in the kitchen — and virtually no time in the dining room. Whatever misgivings the guys have about the trajectory of Season 3, they agree that the music has been pitch perfect.  Subscribe to the new PYK Substack! https://www.packyourknives.com/ Rate PYK 5 Stars on Apple or Spotify Follow PYK on Twitter: @packknives & Instagram: @packyourknives COUNT THE DINGS MERCH STORE - Check it out here: https://bit.ly/CTDMERCH Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices