Scallop (The Bear)
3rd episode of the 4th season of The Bear
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"Scallop" is the third episode of the fourth season of the American comedy-drama television series The Bear. It is the 31st overall episode of the series and was written by executive producer Rene Gube and directed by series creator Christopher Storer. It was released on Hulu on June 25, 2025, along with the rest of the season.
Episode 3
- "Slow Disco" by St. Vincent
- "Only You Know" by Dion
| "Scallop" | |
|---|---|
| The Bear episode | |
Long exposure, Chicago "L" train tracks | |
| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 3 |
| Directed by | Christopher Storer |
| Written by | Rene Gube |
| Featured music |
|
| Cinematography by | Andrew Wehde |
| Editing by | Joanna Naugle |
| Production code | XCBV4002 |
| Original air date | June 25, 2025 |
| Running time | 38 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
The series follows Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), 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. With the financial backing of his uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) and help from his cousin Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), sister Sugar (Abby Elliott), and chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Carmy attempts to remodel the dingy Beef into a warm and hospitable fine-dining destination called the Bear.
"Scallop" is generally considered one of the high points of season four, a largely charming and warm installment in which changed behaviors and new outlooks begin to benefit the restaurant staff.
Plot
Sydney creates an updated, less costly version of the Bear's scallop dish, involving fewer ingredients; Carmy praises it and has it added to the menu that same day. Richie continues putting off the decision on whether to attend his ex-wife Tiff's wedding. Donna helps Cicero's efforts to sell his house. Ebraheim hires a business consultant named Albert Schnur to mentor him on how to expand the Beef window, which is currently the only part of the restaurant making profit. Marcus asks Carmy for more "firepower" with desserts. Richie arranges a surprise for a family dining at the restaurant for the first time with a snow-themed final course, delighting them. Carmy says goodnight to Marcus, who is working late making éclairs, and then rather than get on his train home, Carmy runs to visits Claire at her home. He apologizes for his outburst in the refrigerator during the Bear's soft opening and opens up to her about his anxieties about their relationship. After leaving, Carmy calls Pete asking to update the terms of the restaurant's partnership agreement.
Timeline
- Albert Schnur tells Ebra he will be there for three weeks.
- The countdown clock has jumped forward to 527 hours remaining, or a little over 21 days left on the shutdown clock. Roughly 38 days have passed since the review was published, and the end of the preceding episode, "Soubise," was two weeks prior. It is mid-September 2023.
- Jessica's expo tickets on the night of the "snow day" show the date September 13, 2023.
Context
- The Bear crew deploy a known technique involving a pressure washer to make fake snow for a faux winter wonderland experience for a guest.[1]
- Ted Fak (Ricky Staffieri) mentions the 2001 Disney Channel movie Motocrossed when describing his feeling of being in love with Kelly (Mitra Jouhari).[2] Loosely based on the Shakespeare play Twelfth Night, the lead character of Motocrossed cuts off her long hair and crossdresses to impersonate her brother so she can compete for their family team in motocross races.[3]
- It has been 111 days since Claire cried because she heard Carmy make the following statement from inside a locked refrigerator, an attestation that he thought he was confiding in Tina, specifically "What the fuck was I thinking? Like I was gonna be in a relationship? I'm a fuckin...I'm a fuckin psycho. That's why. That's why I'm good at what I do. That's how I operate. I am the best because I didn't have any of this fuckin' bullshit, right? I could, I could focus and I could concentrate and I had a routine and and I had fuckin cell reception and...I don't need to provide amusement or enjoyment. I don't need to receive any amusement or enjoyment. I'm completely fine with that. Because no amount of good is worth how terrible this feels. It's just a complete waste of fuckin time."
Production
Writing
Casting
- "Scallop" introduces the character of business consultant Albert Schnur (played by "borderline overqualified" guest star Rob Reiner), who begins collaborating with Ebra (Edwin Lee Gibson) to "create opportunity" for the family business.[5] The Ballbreaker video game in the old Beef once yelled "Oh! I'll having what she's having!" which is a line from the Reiner-directed film When Harry Met Sally....[6]
- TV writer and essayist Gary Janetti plays a restaurant customer named Mr. Clark, who may or may not be a restaurant investor or a reviewer or a Michelin Guide inspector.[7][8]
Costuming
Sydney wears the "Double RL" indigo scarf sold by MyTheresa.[9]
Filming
The scenes at Uncle Jimmy's house were reportedly filmed in Glenview, Illinois.[10]
Lighting and cinematography
Sydney's scallop cook is lit quite specifically: "Instead of the kitchen's usual cool tones, Sydney is colorfully illuminated by a shifting array of vibrant blues, pinks, and purples, a combination sometimes dubbed 'bisexual lighting.' (In this case, I suspect the lighting was purely an aesthetic choice, because while it could be hinting at something for Sydney's love life, we just don't have enough indicators from The Bear to definitively classify Sydney's sexuality.)"[11] Another writer suggested that the unique lighting is a function of point of view: "Syd's movements are meticulous, delicate, and fluid. The lighting shifts between hues of purples, pinks, and blues, suggesting the vibrancy Syd brings to the kitchen...When the dish is plated, the shot shifts to a first-person point of view as Carmy goes to grab the plate. It illustrates how Carmy perceives Syd in an otherworldly manner when she's in the kitchen doing what she loves."[12]
Music
The soundtrack songs in this episode were "Slow Disco" by St. Vincent, "(The Best Part of) Breakin' Up" by the Ronettes, "Slim Slow Slider/I Start Breaking Down (Live)" by Van Morrison, "Only You Know" by Dion, "Haunted When the Minutes Drag" by Love and Rockets, and "Finest Worksong" by R.E.M.[13][14][15] Consequence commented, "This episode is another classic example of the show really letting a track play out over the course of a scene, with Van Morrison and Dion really lingering in the mix."[16]
- "Slow Disco" by St. Vincent from the 2017 Masseduction album (co-written by Annie Clark and Joy Williams) plays over Sydney's kaleidoscopic scallop cook; the lyrics speak of "parallel lives...the path taken and the one you should or wish to have taken. Each life haunts the other as Clark acknowledges she can't wait to leave the current party."[17]
- The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the use of Dion's "Only You Know" over the family gathering to enjoy the snow felt like "a collective reward."[18] The Dion song carries a lot of sentiment, wrote another music critic, arguing that it "feels like that 70s song that gets played as the bar is closing, or the baseball game is over, your team lost, but you still believe in the next time. The episode features the restaurant team making wishes come true for both their customers and themselves. The staff gets to witness the rewards of their hard work through the eyes of a cancer-free patron and a potential restaurant critic who enjoys everything the team has to offer. It's a corny, sweet, and emotional moment that highlights, despite how tired the characters may be this season, the musical narrative is working hard. Serving up all the feels."[19]
- As Carmy runs to Claire's apartment for a late-night apology "Haunted When the Minutes Drag" by Love and Rockets is used to convey a "dreamlike and dreary" atmosphere that "paces the scene like a ghost."[20] Another music columnist wrote, "If The Bear has a single 'Carmy staring into the abyss' anthem, this is it. Love and Rockets were already one of my favourite 80s alt-rock bands (Bauhaus offshoots, hello?), but hearing this track in that quiet, gut-punch of a moment hit differently. It's moody, sprawling, and exactly the kind of song you'd play at 2 a.m. while overthinking life choices—so, basically, The Bear distilled into four and a half minutes."[21]
- "Finest Worksong" by R.E.M. plays over the closing credits; American Songwriter magazine wrote that "Finest Worksong" is "a working-class anthem, and its propulsive groove gives some kind of hope and momentum to the hard lives of restaurant workers trying to survive the cold, harsh winds of Chicago and feeling like a win is just making rent each month. This track isn't explicitly about restaurant workers, but the beauty of Michael Stipe's abstract lyrics is how pliable they remain to anyone facing an unrelenting uphill struggle."[22]
Food (and wine)
- The episode opens with a kaleidoscopic montage of Sydney preparing lightly seared scallops with an orange ginger compound butter, a prospective dish for the restaurant's more economical, reduced-components menu. She presents the dish to executive chef Carmen for review; after one bite, he declares it "perfect" and "better than perfect," and tells her to "put it up."[23][24] One recipe developer attempting to recreate Sydney's reduced-component scallop dish theorized that the ingredients in the orange ginger compound butter could have been marmalade, minced orange zest, and minced fresh ginger, combined with either Kerrygold or Animal Farm Creamery butter (the "Orwellian butter" from season three).[23][25] Another recipe involved creating basil oil, and the ingredients for the compound butter were orange zest, orange juice, ginger paste, garlic paste, and heavy cream.[26] Tasting Table noted that "Sydney talks about an orange and ginger compound butter, but the final dish she delivers is largely obscured by some kind of pale foam."[26] One television critic described the production value of Syd's cook as "certainly lovely. But the scene doesn't feel as tactile or emotionally potent as when, say, she whipped up an omelette for a pregnant, tired Nat," arguing that the show had silenced the emotional voice of food, which had once been "a unique gateway into understanding these characters' mindsets and passions," replacing it with a less-satisfying predominantly-aesthetic approach to cooking.[27]
- Sweeps suggested a Chenin blanc to pair with Marcus' strawberry panna cotta.[28] Panna cotta, which means "cooked cream" in Italian, is a light custard, typically served cold.[29] Chenin blanc grapes, which are grown in California and France's Loire Valley, produce a "intense, spicy, slightly sweet wine."[30] It has been described as a "shapeshifter" or "chameleon" grape that produces an array of wines but a sweet chenin blanc wine is considered an excellent match to a fruit-centric dish.[31]
- The Chicago snow experience is served with Swiss Miss instant hot chocolate with marshmallows.[32]
Critical reviews
The San Francisco Chronicle reviewer commended the episode's "extended, beautifully choreographed sequence" of Sydney cooking as a highlight of season four.[33]
"Scallop" is the first of a run of more cathartic episodes after the emotional doldrums of season three. The Ringer reviewer argues this is because of Carmy's new willingness to relinquish control: "consciously or not, he opts to let his employees come into their own. And for once, the Bear operates...efficiently?"[34] The A.V. Club reviewer commented "It's been hard, even punishing, to have watched The Bear fail for so long, so it's a true release to see the gang have a genuinely great night. There are finally more green Post-its on the order cards than red, Sweeps has found his stride as a somm, and Syd's scallop dish is a huge hit. Hell, Richie even trusts Carm to amp up the presentation on an Italian beef he's bringing to the VIP table."[24]
Lady Geeks Media commended Edebiri's performance, writing about Sydney's reaction to Carmy's declaration that her scallop was "more than perfect": "This unprecedented declaration has a profound effect on Sydney, particularly in light of the past three seasons. In the span of 14 seconds, thanks to an acting masterclass by Ayo Edebiri, we see the weight of Carmy's words wash over her. The moment demonstrates how, even though she is far beyond relying on Carmy's approval, Sydney still very much respects his opinion."[11]
Substream magazine's Murjani Rawls observed, "Carmy is becoming more of a point guard who's setting his teammates up for assists, rather than him going for 30 points a game." Meanwhile, as Syd and Marcus manage their relationships with their dads, and Carmy reflects briefly on his absentee father, the restaurant staff "is a big, dysfunctional, and emotional family where people can retreat from the craziness of regular life into the unpredictability of the kitchen. The real question is, can you have a foot in both worlds?"[35]
Rolling Stone Philippines declared Carmy's apology one of the top six freakouts in the freakout-rich history of the show: "What starts as a tense but calm confrontation turns into a loud, angry fight, with both parties venting out their months-long frustrations at each other. Claire is quick to point out how hurt she felt when Carmy put his walls up against her when they were dating, and Carmy in turn can't quite figure out how to properly tell her he loves her without sounding like an asshole. The night ends with Claire in tears and closing the door on Carmy, who is left standing alone on the sidewalk. Did we hope that Carmy wouldn’t mess up his big apology? Yes. Unfortunately, him fumbling the bag with Claire is very on brand for him, and their sidewalk fight provides a sad, but realistic, second act to their last heated argument."[36]
Retrospective reviews
In 2025, Vulture ranked "Scallop" as 19th-best out of 38 episodes of The Bear, describing it as "Another pretty damn solid episode, 'Scallop' falters only because it maybe leans a little too far into the 'dream weaving' category."[37]
Collider placed "Scallop" at number 6 on its 2025 list of top 10 episodes of The Bear, commenting "Season four of The Bear has two episodes that are true bangers all the way through, and the first of these is its third episode, 'Scallop'. After the initial fallout of the Chicago Tribune's negative review, the staff of The Bear bounce...and it's really incredible to watch. The best part of the episode is the service that night, which sees all of The Bear's new changes finally pay off."[38]
See also
- List of The Bear episodes
- The Bear season four
- Previous episode: "Soubise"
- Next episode: "Worms"