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RACHEL WEISZ as EVELYN CARNAHAN in THE MUMMY (1999) dir. Stephen Sommers

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I am going to kiss you… Mr. O'Connell.

Rick O'Connell & Evelyn Carnahan THE MUMMY│1999

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Rick O'Connell & Evelyn Carnahan THE MUMMY│1999

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The Addams Family (1991) dir. Barry Sonnenfeld

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I'm still counting down all of the days 'Til you're just another girl on the subway ★

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The Restaurant as a Window into Chef Carmy's Mind

When Neil serves for the first time he tells the guests, "Mirepoix broth...this is a broth from Chef Carmy's mind." It's a joke but like all great jokes, there is something true wrapped up inside it. Even though the restaurant is a place and an idea that is occupied by other characters, as viewers we are tethered to Carmy and how he sees the world. So, the restaurant and its various spaces and lighting conditions reflect his innermost feelings.

That's why when the desire for Syd manifests in a failed attempt to ask her out by the lockers (after picking imaginary lint off his jacket and wearing it in slowest motion to wait out his sister's departure), there is a pink light at the top right, see:

We don't see that pink light again for most of the season and well into the next (Season 3 but for the most part he is in his blue fridge mode). Hints of that pink light reappear when Carmy notices Syd dressed up in the bottom image top right corner:

It's subtle. You would not notice it. But repressing that attraction means it returns with renewed vigor in Season 4 after Carmy observes Syd's athletic cavatelli plating time (btw, in some parts of Italy a bride's skills at cooking cavatelli were associated with her suitability for marriage).

So that, before he even tastes her scallop, she is depicted in some lurid 1980s music video colours of pink, purple and blue while cooking it:

This sexual repression is delicious to watch.

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*please listen with headphones* I’ve been wanting to make a dream sequence to this song for soooo long!! I remember the first time I saw the first clip (the s3 teaser) and how much I loved it, how weird it was. It was dreamlike.. so I’m really happy I found a way to include it in an edit.

song: nude by radiohead

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A quick revision on the smoking element

Many people have commented on the subtext of Sydney and Carmen smoking together, and the fact that Sydney is taking on this unhealthy coping mechanism (for the anguish of both Richie and Carmen), but there is something else I have been thinking on.

Sydney knew Carmen was trying to stop smoking, so why did she offer him a cigar?

Since the moment Carmy quit cigarettes in S3, I didn't think for a second he was doing it for health reasons, because that shit didn't matter to him before. It could be because he wanted to take his new job as EC seriously (ECs take care that nobody sees them smoke, even if most of them are smokers, because it's their palate that guarantees the quality of the food more than anybody else). But more than anything, I thought he was using this as another way to punish himself. Smoking is a coping mechanism at the end of the day; he learned to smoke with his siblings, it's a relief, it's familiarity, it's confidentiality.

Not to mention, there have been instances of Carmen positively sharing tobacco with Syd. Someone else brought up this parallel, but after dropping Claire off at the hospital, he is smoking (maybe to calm himself from the fire feeling she gave him) and looks kinda annoyed when Claire comes back to take a hint of his cigarette. In contrast, when Sydney takes a bite of his nicotine gum without permission, Carmy smiles and they have a very comfortable exchange about it.

It's funny how she doesn't like the taste of nicotine, but she likes cigarettes later. Most people learn to smoke in social situations, so was Sydney ever part of a club enough to take part in this vice that is very common in the culinary world? It's not a coincidence she started smoking when she was totally relaxed at the party af her house, surrounded by her friends and her hero Chef Terry. Another instance of the show using smoking to show relaxation and confidentiality.

Is this also another way for her to distance herself from her father, "I'm not alone in your house" (anymore)? For Sydney, smoking was likely forbidden fruit. Her father has a machine to help him breathe while he sleeps, which was seen in their house. So, he has both respiratory and heart issues.

This show is never black and white with its symbols; smoking may not necessarily be the equivalent of any vice. I think it's mostly there to represent things that are only viable in the short term but that are understandable (and preferable) as coping mechanisms in the environment they work in.

Health implications aside, I think it's kinda beautiful that they now have a shared coping mechanism. Not to mention, if Carmen was indeed punishing himself by not having the relief of smoking, it wouldn't make sense for Sydney (his actual peace) to be the one who lets him know that it is okay to give himself space to decompress?

Another symbol here is that Sydney smokes for the first time in front of Carmen in the same scene he "crowns her" as the bear. So Sydney has become entirely the uncaged beast, the altruistic chef with unhealthy coping mechanisms he used to be (and still is, as she remembers who he is). Both Sydney and Carmen eat poorly, barely exercise, and have sleep issues. Now they are both completely the same, the only difference between them is "the good" in Sydney that Carmy keeps referencing, which he is actually terrified of. But they are now very comfortable inhabiting each other's skin, which I think helps reduce the resistance they both have towards each other. Carmy cannot see it yet, but that goodness is still in him, and it's one of the reasons the show creates so many parallels between Syd and Carmen. Twin flames.

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for me, THE main reason I think the show is gonna go with the romantic route, is the hamachi dish.

in s1, we get to know that Sydney's best meal was what Carmy made in New York

in s3, we get to know how much abuse he took in new york, how with the fennel it wasn't his dish anymore, but was forced to make that way, and that one day, after Mikey died, he said fuck it, this plate, this one plate is gonna be mine, he rebelled against the abuse, and that one plate was the one Sydney got. The one that was life-changing, and probably was a big part of why she took the job at the Beef. (And also, it looked like a bleeding heart.) She had a taste of the best of him, that spark that was there despite all the abuse, the anxiety, the sudden grief and guilt, that spark that in s4, we know he can't draw from anymore. and that best part was the best she ever had.

in s4, Sydney tells Donna that she flew to new york, becuse she wanted to taste his food so badly, and hands down that was the best meal of her life, and that "i don't even know if he knows this"

They keep bringing this up, telling us that he doesn't even know this. Why is it important? It could be professional reasons. That they are really platonic soulmates in the kitchen, that she's gonna be his legacy - he made her best meal, now she's gonna do the same to someone else.

And it would make sense, because season 4 was all about that:

in s3, they have a talk about legacy, and if he's gonna leave something behind, he wants it to be panicless, anxiety-free, he has to filter out the bad to make it good

and in s4, we see the absolute calmest, almost sensual sequence with Sydney making the scallop dish, then he sees her plate the cavatelli under 3 minutes, without even really trying, when that's something even he couldn't do, and realizes, that this is it. Syd is the panicless, anxiety-free version of the restaurant, that he can leave behind. And to make it good, he has to filter out the bad, aka himself, and he has to leave to change, it's the best for the restaurant and him (and he believes for everyone, including Sydney).

him realizing that she's just plain better than him, and more, she's better without all that extra trauma he had to endure to get to that level

and that, well, is painful for him, and is jealous a bit (as Sydney tells TJ, he acts weird and funky with her when she's better), but the season shows us that he ends up accepting it, embracing it, welcoming it (he fully expects her to get that best chef title, with a gentle smile on his lips, absolutely no jealousy or hurt there anymore) (also, there's a big visual emphasis on when he gives her his signature spoon, like it's her turn, she's his legacy)

And the revelation of the hamachi dish would fit in this so well. It could have been like: all the best that he still had in himself, he gave it to her, only her, and she ate it, she internalized it, and now it's hers, and he doesn't have it anymore. It would fit the legacy theme so well.

But they didn't do that. Instead, the crescendo of the theme is their arguing in the finale: "Syd, you're everything I'm never gonna be. I believe in you more than I believed in myself. You're The Bear."

And it feels final. Syd accepts it. She has self-doubt, of course, but she doesn't say "You're wrong." She says "And what if you're wrong." Because she knows it's true. "I know I don't need you." Their argument isn't about the restaurant. That's done. He knows it, she knows it.

So what else is there? What else could they use that reveal of the hamachi dish?

back to the legacy conversation, he says in order to leave something anxiety-free behind, he's gonna have to be square with everyone, and that's what we're seeing he's doing

he apologizes to Claire, calls her and tells her what he should've told her many-many times before, he finds her sweatshirt to give it back to her, to open up a way to see her again

he visits Donna, he lets her apologize, cooks for her, maybe it's a start to be in each other's life

I didn't put a picture, but he calls Cicero to thank him and telling him how much he appreciates him

at the news of him leaving, Nat is just plain happy for him, she hugs him, that's all she wanted for him, to get better, to find peace and joy

even with Richie, their argument came to an end, it was the revelation that he did in fact came to the funeral, he did resent Richie because he was more a part of his family than he was, and that he was blind to the fact the Richie lost someone, too. Then Richie confessed he feels the guilt, too, because he couldn't help Mikey, and he though that's why Carmy didn't go to there funeral. Richie tells him he resented him, too, and missed him. Carmy tells him they're more than cousins. They cleared the air.

However, Sydney and Carmy's argument wasn't over, it was interrupted by Richie. By then, it was already established that she's The Bear, she's everything he's never gonna be, and that she doesn't need him.

"but that's not the point" - Syd tells him, and it tells that it's not about the restaurant and whether or not she could do this without him

"you're my partner" "i'm your friend" "you're not acting like it" "i'm your fucking friend" - they are literally arguing about what they are to each other when Richie stops them

and it's not resolved

when Richie and Carmy fights, at the end of the scene, she already accepted that Carmy leaves - the reality of it at least, and now they have a new plan. So the emotional side of the restaurant's future - it's resolved.

more than that, when Nat asks Carmy "Bear?", like "tell me, is this true?", it's cut to Sydney and Carmy having a silent conversation, nodding to each other, as if Sydney is giving him some kind of "permission" to tell Nat, making it final, making it reality, and just after that he turns to Nat.

but the thing they last argued about, what they are to each other - it's not resolved in the slightest, not like with the other characters.

Carmy said in order to leave, he's gonna have to be square with everyone - and that leaves Syd in S5. It has to be some kind of change in their dynamic, some kind of turnover, and I think that the reveal of the hamachi dish will be the catalyst, like, the realization of love. (He literally gave her his one and only bleeding heart.)

Because they shouted "partner" and "friend" at each other - it would be really disappointing if the resolution of their conflict would be - yeah, we ARE partners and friends. I think it should be a third thing, one that they are both blind to at this point. Like, from a storytelling perspective.

So how I think will turn out? Well, we were given:

we were shown Sydney taking a picture of the hamachi dish

in s4, we were shown Sydney taking a picture of the lamb dish, inspired by her dress she wore at the wedding, where

Sydney's and Donna's conversation took place - Donna now knows how inspired Sydney is by her son, and that he cooked the best meal of her life, she says "wow", because yeah, that's a wild little coincident, and a good story

Carmy mentions the photos at his place, then Donna eventually got him to bring them to her, which leads to this:

"when I saw you at the wedding, and you're all grown, and you're this guy and so handsome, and I'm happy for you" and "people say such nice things about you and tell me how wonderful you are, and I hear about what you do" (that was all Sydney btw) "I hear about your life from other people, I don't know you and you don't know me and i did that, and I know that me saying this doesn't mean anything except that i'm trying, i'm trying to be responsible and accountable and apologize and trying to make things better" "and i'm here asking if i can be part of your life again"

she wants to know her son, because he lived a whole life she wasn't part of

So I can see her trying gather as much knowledge as she can about her kids, Carmy, looking and collecting articles, photos, then maybe reaching out to Sydney (maybe through Nat), asking if she has a photo of his dish, because it was so good to hear how her son did that, inspired someone so much. So maybe Sydney gives her a photo, and maybe Donna one day shows him an album she made about her kids, to show him that she's trying to get to know him. And he's turning the pages, smiling, then bam. He's facing a photo of the blood orange hamachi, and it's like he's hit by a train. It shouldn't be possible. How the fuck is this possible? So he asks Donna, and she tells him this cute story that his coworker told her at the wedding, and that she just had to ask for a photo... and the world is upside down, things clicking into place.

I think it would be such a satisfying revelation, and such a strong resolution to Carmy's and Sydney's interpersonal conflict of "what are we?", and I think with this route, it has to be romantic, bc what other resolution is there? "omg, she's INDEED my friend?" come on.

(btw, I'm literally writing a novel-length fic with this theory right now, bc i'm feeling feral about this idea)

what do you guys think?

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i'm thinking a lot about the foil (?) between marcus and carmy. i think marcus embodies who carmy could have been if he grew up in a much healthier and safer environment, had the opportunity to nurture his community before pursuing fine dining, and was able to directly communicate his feelings in a healthier way.

marcus got to work with mikey where carmy did not. though marcus/mikey isn't explored much, marcus talks about how grateful he is that he started working at the beef, and how that helped him get out of groundhog day. because marcus is so receptive to the help others give him (and subsequently having many, many mentors), i think he chose to nurture the community curated by mikey at the beef and allowed himself to become an integral part of it, instead of feeling guilty that he could not create one entirely on his own.

i think marcus takes a lot of pride in doing things, like, not on his own at all. he embraces being a mosaic of everyone he loves, while carmy, for a long time, was obsessed with being The Best and forgot to say thank you to people like chef terry in the process. (that's so white of him but that's not the point right now.)

marcus (healthily) uses food to cope with his grief, and just like carmy did for mikey's death, he learned about his mom's death while he was at work. he is just as driven, determined, and curious, but because marcus' mom was so loving, he never did anything to prove himself to anyone. his worth was never a question to himself or his mom, so his relationship with being a pastry chef is fueled by love only, really.

marcus adores sydney, so instead of plotting and beating around the bush and all that madness, he literally just asks her. "hey, what are you doing later?" he directly tells her that he misses her, too, when he's in copenhangen. he literally names a donut after her. just straight up. meanwhile carmy is literally getting lost in the sauce.

while rejection is carmy's mother wound inhibiting him from seeing how much sydney loves him, marcus is romantically rejected by the very person carmy is most afraid of after doing what carmy just cannot do. they tussle during service (it's spooky, guys please stop yelling at my babygirl!), he says sorry out loud multiple times over, never does that shit again, and later, they connect over their own mother wounds.

because of how similar marcus and carmy are in a lot of ways, down to their earnesty and big eyed stare, i think marcus' healthier disposition makes it so much easier for him to do all the things carmy spends the show trying to do. no wonder why their relationship flips from carmy being marcus' mentor to marcus being carmy's.

not to mention the whole, like, marcus cooking up the key to sydcarmy canon thing. idk guys. i love marcus...

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The Addams Family (1991) dir. Barry Sonnenfeld

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NEW GIRL 1.17 – Fancyman Part 1

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I THINK LOVE IS SOMETHING / THAT HAPPENS TO OTHER PEOPLE - Michael Gray Bulla

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Carmy dreamed of Sydney the day he met her, as if he had a vision.

He dreams of her on the bridge where Mikey took his own life, a message from the universe or Mikey himself, that there is good after this, he just has to unlock it so it can consume him, no matter the fear.

If we analyze this dream, he’s walking on a bridge that carries the weight of loss. He should be focused on this bridge and what it symbolizes, but instead, he’s focused on this creature being here where his brother died. He’s drawn to setting it free. It’s as if he understands that he has locked the bear away for some time, and now he has no choice but to set it free into his life and psyche.

He has another dream about her, when Sydney walks away after the Review, and Carmy is performing in this dream, feeling overwhelmed. Suddenly, he freezes in fear, unable to perform once the bear is watching him from behind the script.

He can no longer hide behind his cooking career or Mikey to avoid the bear, Sydney, the good..

She's so great it scares the shit out of me. This is the biggest show, don't tell that Syd is the one he's been scared of all along.

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OK OK

somebody's been watching the same show as the rest of us, and they cooked with this edit

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