Napkins (The Bear)

"Napkins" is the sixth episode of the third season of the American television comedy-drama The Bear. It is the 24th overall episode of the series and was written by Catherine Schetina and directed by main cast member Ayo Edebiri. It was released on Hulu on June 26, 2024, along with the rest of the season.

The series follows Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto, an award-winning New York City chef de cuisine, who returns to his hometown of Chicago to run his late brother Michael's failing Italian beef sandwich shop. In the episode, Tina's past is explored. This is the first episode where Jeremy Allen White does not appear, although he is still credited.

"Napkins" received critical acclaim, with particular praise for Liza Colón-Zayas' performance, as well as the script, Edebiri's direction, and Jon Bernthal's guest appearance.

Plot
In 2018, Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) lives with her husband David (David Zayas) and son Louie, while working at an office. One day, her company announces layoffs, and Tina is dismissed from her job. While David is still employed at a different job, she still wants to find a job as they are struggling with debts.

Tina visits many locations in Chicago, but all turn her down. Tina continues using her handwritten résumé, but the employees now ask her to submit it through LinkedIn. Some reject her as she does not have a Bachelor of Arts degree, while some prefer in hiring younger employees for different positions. Dejected, she makes a stop at the Beef and orders a coffee. Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) gives her the coffee on the house, along with an Italian Beef sandwich. She goes to the adjacent room to eat; as Richie and Fak (Matty Matheson) play on an arcade, Tina starts crying after tasting the sandwich.

Seeing her cry, Mikey (Jon Bernthal) sits down and offers a sympathetic ear. They talk over their struggles with the world, with Mikey explaining all the insufficient resources for the restaurant. He talks about Carmy, expressing jealousy that he could never achieve what his brother has made, yet pride in him for going so far. Tina expresses her own jealousy for the younger people that applied for her jobs, but also admits feeling admiration as they had more freedom. He offers her a line cook job at the restaurant, providing her with a Beef T-shirt, which she discovers as she arrives home.

Development


In May 2024, Hulu confirmed that the sixth episode of the season would be titled "Napkins", and was to be written by Catherine Schetina and directed by main cast member Ayo Edebiri. It was Schetina's third writing credit and Edebiri's first directing credit. Edebiri was confirmed to make her directorial debut in March 2024.

Filming
While filming the second season, series creator Christopher Storer approached Edebiri over an opportunity to direct an episode in the third season. She said that as they stared at the scripts, "‘Napkins’ was the one that we both said, and I was just like, ‘I would chew off my right arm in front of you if I could direct it. Because that would be a dream." To prepare, she joined the Directors Guild of America and took a few courses. She said, "It was really a blast and an honor to get to helm an episode that showcases everything that Liza can do." Liza Colón-Zayas commented, "Since day one, my girl is confident. Because she's smart and she's curious and she prepares. And we've had two years of working together, so there's already a bond and respect. It was so easy. I knew she was ready, but it was like she had been doing this forever. It was very gentle, very easy."

Music
The episode featured many songs, including "Get Down on It" by Kool & the Gang, "The Start of Things" by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, "The Morning Fog" by Kate Bush, "Let Whip It" by Dazz Band, "Sabotage" by Beastie Boys, and "Got This Happy Feeling" by Ghetto Brothers.

Release
The episode, along with the rest of the season, premiered on June 26, 2024, on Hulu. Originally, the season was scheduled to premiere on June 27, 2024.

Critical reviews
Jenna Scherer of The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A–" grade and wrote, "Not only is “Napkins” a much-deserved showcase for the fantastic Liza Colón-Zayas, it also marks the directorial debut of Ayo Edebiri, who began her screen career as a writer before stepping in front of the camera. Unsurprisingly, she's just as adept in the director’s chair as she is everywhere else: As “Napkins” traces our heroine’s progress through a bleak Chicago winter, Edebiri paints a precisely observed portrait of a middle-aged woman of color fighting tooth and nail to be seen in a world that would just as soon look straight through her."

Alan Sepinwall wrote, "This year’s sixth episode, “Napkins,” not only gives Colón-Zayas her first solo spotlight, but finally fills in this emotional blank. And in the process, it gives us the single best Bear scene of Season Three." Marah Eakin of Vulture gave the episode a 4 star out of 5 rating and wrote, "As a Bear character, Tina has never really gotten enough shine. We know she's been there since Mikey and she's developed dreams of becoming a chef, but we know little else about where she goes when she's not working. Or, rather, we knew little else because “Napkins” opens the door wide into Tina’s life, apartment, marriage, and past, giving us a glimpse at how she landed at the Bear."

Fletcher Peters of The Daily Beast wrote, "The episode is a tour-de-force, a relatable look into the endless, exhausting days of finding a job. By the end of the episode, a completely deflated Tina sobs into an Italian beef sub while Richie and Michae argue over a video game in the background, signaling a transition in her life out of the blues of unemployment and into the frenetic energy of the restaurant industry. Edebiri’s directorial vision shines through in this moment, in which she finds a way to explode two chaotic moments in one frame." A.J. Daulerio of Decider wrote, "She was sent to culinary school and elevated from a person who stirs giant pots of beef slop, staying quiet even in the most high-pressured fuck-you-fuck-off meltdowns between the usual front of the kitchen staff, to Sydney's sous chef. But she's never had her main-character moment until The Bear Season 3 Episode 6, “Napkins,” directed by Ayo Edibiri. This is one of those quiet episodes — a welcome and merciful downshift from the disjointed, Fak-heavy plot lines that have clogged up Season 3."

Josh Rosenberg of Esquire wrote, "Last episode, we talked about all the money the restaurant wasted in its first month of service — and goofed off with a new Fak brother! Turns out episode 6, “Napkins,” has a grander vision than the everyday struggles of The Bear."