After the intensity of the past couple episodes, writer/director Christopher Storer takes a bit of a breather with “Violet”. In sort of a vignette style, he checks in different employees of The Bear when they’re not in the kitchen. Some of these micro plots hit the mark (Sydney and her dad looking at her new apartment, Marcus finding quiet inspiration in nature) while others aren’t so good. Let’s start with the negative because that’s how the episode starts, and how it ends because the restaurant has been reviewed despite Neil Fak’s comprehensive dossier on food critics, near and far.

Molly Gordon is really a lovely performer, and I especially love her work in the four films I’ve seen her in, especially Shiva Baby (She and Rachel Sennott have insane chemistry.) and Booksmart. However, the chemistry that may have worked on the page (Fine dining chef and ER doctor), it doesn’t come out onscreen despite the Cocteau Twins dialogue. There’s definitely a physical connection and a kind of tender banality of having conversations about your favorite day of the week after a stressful work week. However, an anecdote about a girl covered in scars falls flat with Gordon seemingly rushing through her lines in an overlong story about how humor covers up pain, which is something The Bear explores a lot although not in that particular scene.

Another one on one character interaction is actually charming, sweet, and relatable as Sydney and her father check out an apartment she’s already signed a lease for. Of course, he thinks it’s too small, the walls are too thin, and she can save money by continuing to live with him, but he understands and will help her find an affordable couch. The Bear has been a real coming of age, spread your wings type story for Sydney (And also the career of Ayo Edebiri.), and this is a big moment for her: a place of her own. Sadly, it’s undercut by Adam (Adam Shapiro) from the restaurant Ever casually namedropping that he’s secretly been to The Bear and enjoyed it. From what’s been going on this season, The Bear isn’t ready for primetime, and the introduction of critics creates a new source of tension culminating in this episode’s cliffhanger phone call from the Chicago Tribune. The interaction between Adam and Sydney shows how cutthroat and passive aggressive the food world is: they’re definitely not besties.

The ugly to Sydney/Emmanuel’s good and Carmy/Claire’s bad is the most awkward conversation of all time held between Richie and his ex-wife’s fiance Frank. (Josh Hartnett sexy as ever) Frank knows he has it good: he’s there for Tiff and Richie’s daughter Eva, who is still confused about there relationship plus he has a house that he paid for himself. Hartnett’s leading man presence versus Ebon Bachrach Moss’ character actor energy creates a bundle of nerves out of what should be a basic interaction with Frank telling Richie that he should have told him that he was going to propose to Tiff. This is kind of ridiculous, and Richie is happy to be back at The Bear cracking jokes about how he doesn’t care about Michelin stars because he was always a Pirelli tire man. (Or Goodyear in the Chicago winter.) However, the insecurities about being single and his relationship with his daughter are always at the back of his mind as Storer shoots a powerful scene of him taking of his wedding band for the first time before service. He’s chaotic, but is definitely a yearner and lover.

“Violet” gets off to a dimly lit, weirdly paced start (I guess Carmy and Claire cleared the air offscreen.), but there are little (literal) blossoms along the way with Sydney’s newfound independence, Tina feeling herself at the farmer’s market and realizing the effects of climate change on The Bear’s produce supply, and Marcus turned a gorgeous violet among some weeds into a yummy dessert. Also, the introduction of food critics and rival restaurants to The Bear’s insular ecosystem adds some classic suspense, and my God, I need this restaurant to get a decent review, but mentioning Carmy and Richie yelling is never a good side.

Overall Verdict: 7.6