What are the best eulogy scenes in TV and movies? There is the "Free Churro," episode of Bojack Horseman, which is an episode-length monologue. There's Connor's noncommittal eulogy for "Uncle Mo" Lester in Succession. Does Martin Sheen yelling at God in Latin from The West Wing count?
In any case, Marcus's eulogy for his mother immediately goes in the hall of fame. Lionel Boyce has always been so good on this show—the quiet MVP of season 1. Boyce had previously just done like, Loiter Squad on Adult Swim, I think? It’s amazing what we can do in this life.
The Bear is, famously, a great music show, but this episode starts with an extended silence. We don't hear anything other than the shuffling of feet until Marcus stands at the front of the church.
As a writerly flourish and a genuine expression of feeling, I'm dazzled by the way he opens -- "She never let me feel afraid." Starting with “she” gives it this jarring but warm in media res feel, like a song that starts with “and.”
He never says her name, maybe never even "Mom." He doesn't need to. Another memorable line: “I don't know what it's like to be a parent but I know what it's like to be a kid.” This is just after we cut to Nat holding her stomach. Great moment.
Speaking of knowing what it’s like to be a kid—random endorsement here but I just watched Rick Linklater’s Apollo 10 1/2, a rotoscoped movie ostensibly about a boy sent on a space mission, which is actually just a solid 90 minutes of recalling what it was like to grow up in Texas in the 1960s, lovingly acted and animated. I am sort of in awe of Linklater’s memory—the depth and detail of it. It makes me want to write down everything that ever happened to me.
Anyway, The Bear. After that beautiful and quiet intro we're immediately going 200 m.p.h. for the rest of the episode--an endless succession of service. Pots boil over, dishes break, hands get cut (the close up cuts were VERY upsetting), and Carmy and Richie shout at each other. "Don't talk to me until you're fully integrated, jagoff." I love this show.
We have already established that I'd be elated if The Bear was just 30 minutes of relentless stress (I'm built different) but it's not, and this episode is balanced like any good dish with various comedic palate cleansers. The way Matty Matheson Amelia Bedelias Carmy's mirepoix had me rolling off the couch.*
(*Not actually a couch. I watch most TV on a laptop on a bed in the dark, otherwise known as the Millennial Screening Room.)
I love that I never know what’s going to happen when I press play on a new episode.