Relationships are what make The Bear great. While viewers are sometimes torn about whether the show is truly a comedy, there’s no doubt that it’s an ensemble piece. Sydney “Syd” Adamu (Ayo Edibiri), enters the dysfunctional but ultimately loving dynamic at The Beef with stars in her eyes. Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) is something of a muse for her, having made the best meal she ever had. Together, they become the creative captains for Carmy’s ambition and vision.
The dynamic between Syd and Carmy is central to The Bear. But while their creative pull towards one another is fascinating, the show does significantly more with the yin and yang of Syd and Richie Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). The two start out as opposition to one another – Syd fully believes in the vision of The Bear and Carmy, where Richie is protective of The Beef and reasonably suspicious of how Carmy’s lofty goals might hurt the people who work there. Even so, they share a personal drive and a tenacity that is arguably the heart of the show in its latest season.
Syd and Richie Have Always Shared Common Ground on ‘The Bear’
Syd presents herself as the consummate professional. She is imaginative and capable, and this grinds against Richie in Season 1. Richie is in something of a midlife crisis. His grief over Mike (Jon Bernthal) exacerbates his existing struggles with his divorce and the realization that he hasn’t made very much of his life. He’s as wounded as he is crass. This naturally winds up Syd and the pair come to blows, escalating in intensity enough that Syd accidentally stabs Richie in “Review.” Outside a comedy, that’s pretty horrifying. On The Bear, however, it demonstrates that Syd and Richie have a similar internal world under pressure, and are both sensitive when Carmy’s inward struggles start to be felt outwardly.
That’s not all they have in common. Their first real moment together is in “Hands,” when Syd gives Richie a ride. Syd tells him, “You know the restaurant could be good. I know that you know that.” Their conversation is interrupted by a phone call from Richie’s daughter after a scary day at her new school. They don’t finish the conversation, but Richie’s vulnerability reflects Syd’s candor. Richie sadly says he grabbed the wrong caulk on their errand run. “You did,” Syd replies, “but I didn’t.” She reveals she let Richie do his thing and sneakily bought the right stuff anyway. What Richie and Syd share at their core is a genuine love for the people around them.
Throughout the show’s four seasons, Sydney has been key to Richie holding himself to a higher standard. She meets his gripes about neighborhood changes with hope, pushes him to be more on top of his role, and tells Carmy to keep Richie in the loop on multiple occasions. Syd is one of the first people to see his merit and value, to recognize that Richie is a hard worker and a good teammate when he can get out of his head. On the flip side, Richie did the most to help Sydney see that she belonged and could lean on people. When Sydney returns after quitting, it’s Richie who tells her to grab a can opener and jump in, solidifying that Syd is family.
Carmy’s Shortcomings Bring Syd and Richie Closer on ‘The Bear’
When Carmy falls apart, Syd and Richie find ways to hold each other accountable, as well as lean on each other. Before Richie and Carmy come to blows while he’s locked in the freezer, Richie has one of his finest moments. The Bear’s front of house is struggling to maintain a great experience for their guests, as the back of house finds themselves increasingly in the weeds. Syd, knowing they have no choice and knowing that Richie is ready, tells Richie, “Drive.” Richie takes his place at the expedite station and calls the shots to get food and ambiance back on track. Syd trusts him entirely and guides the other chefs accordingly. It’s their closest proximity since the knife incident, but now they know how to communicate. They’re undeniably in sync and the kitchen is an equal place of command for the pair.
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We’re hoping this partnership turns into something more now that the show is coming back.
Carmy is closed off and absent during the closing of the fine-dining establishment, Ever. Syd and Richie quietly stand together as the “Make Every Second Count” sign is taken down. Later, at a little party at Syd’s house, Richie gets Syd to dance, so it feels right that in Season 4, Syd is Richie’s date to his ex-wife’s wedding. It’s a stressful day for Richie – and for his daughter – but he still checks in with Syd during a dance. Syd can’t tell Richie that she’s nervous about potentially leaving The Bear, but she does tell him she’s nervous about a decision. It speaks volumes that it’s this moment with Richie that makes Syd realize that she has everything she wants at The Bear, even with its financial doom drawing ever closer. In the haze of her own anxiety-driven spirals about Carmy’s increasingly erratic behavior and how unattainable restaurant success feels, Richie is something of a lighthouse. He keeps Syd’s spirits up, believes in her, and keeps her on track.
Sydney and Richie’s Parallel Character Arcs Are the Best Writing on ‘The Bear’
Season 4’s bold move to have Carmy step back solidifies Sydney and Richie’s relationship as a load-bearing dynamic in the show. Richie interrupts the heated exchange between them, just as Syd tells Carmy, “I know I don’t need you, but that’s not the f*cking point. You’re supposed to be here. […] You’re my partner!”
Richie enters with no judgment, showing that he’s the partner Syd has been able to rely on this entire time. Things then heat up between Richie and Carmy, and Richie asks Syd to stay. He doesn’t want privacy. He wants Syd’s support as he navigates this moment with Carmy. The scene cuts back to Syd, and Ayo Edibiri processes Richie’s moments of vulnerability expertly, her eyes flitting sincerely between panic, amusement, and affection for Richie. Viewers get to see something happening beneath the surface for Syd. When Richie says that The Bear will be okay as long as Syd stays, that’s when she asks that Carmy make Richie an official partner.
Richie tells Sydney this is his home, he isn’t leaving, and she demands the partnership anyway. It’s the biggest acknowledgment of Richie’s value to the place in the show, and it’s the moment Syd is clearest about her wants and needs. It solidifies The Bear as an equally personal and professional gem for both of them. The culmination of Richie and Syd’s dynamic – completely meeting in the middle – is the show’s best writing.
