The Bear season 5 episode 2, "Lamb," begins shortly after the epic sh*tshow at the end of the season 5 premiere.
The backroom has been flooded by the burst pipe. Everything is covered in disgusting water, including the uniforms, all the equipment, and everything. It's a disaster of a situation. The only way it could be worse is if the whole building burned to the ground.
The Bear can't even close for one day
Because all the money is gone and there's no more investment coming, The Bear can't even close for one day to cover their expenses. They can't lose the food or labor from that day, so they need to have service. They need customers to come and spend their money so they can open again the next day.
This is not good, not good at all.
Sydney is running the show, and she starts instructing the crew on what to do to make service happen. As they all prepare for service that night, there are a few important things happening in the background. Sugar is calling all the vendors trying to make the magic happen. Marcus also asks Richie for a spot for his dad. He wants his dad to see what he can do before the restaurant closes for good.
Carmy tries to clear the drain, which causes more flooding in the restaurant. Sydney tells him to stop before Tina comes out and runs through the lineup. Apparently, their wagyu order hasn't been delivered yet, which is definitely a problem, but it's unclear if it's just related to the weather or if it's related to the business issues.
Richie has a plan
Richie has been doing some research, and he has some plans for when the tax man comes. He found a program that gets them a tax credit by donating the oils and fats to a company that turns them into candles. While this seems like a great program for sustainability, it's not a great time when the restaurant is literally flooded.
Right then, Uncle Jimmy and Cheese, Computer's niece, enter and want to see the damage. Remember, they're trying to flip the building as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the pipes appear to have some rotting, which is causing more problems.
Then, Tina learns that Uncle Jimmy canceled the wagyu order. He doesn't see the problem; it's just "$400 of hamburger." So, they're down about half the wagyu they need for service. The slippery slope continues.
Meanwhile, they are running way behind for service. Tina is freaking out because Sydney and Carmy aren't doing their jobs. Well, they kind of are, but they aren't doing the prep work to make the food part of the restaurant happen. Luckily, Luca steps in and does all the prep work on the lamb.
The building has bad bones, but they're going to push forward
Cheese breaks the news that, basically, the building is in bad shape. No one is going to buy it. There are a bunch of code violations, probably, and the building is maybe sitting on a sinkhole.
Tina hears Sugar crying, and she goes to her. Sugar opens up about how she's scared this was all for nothing and that she's missed out on so much time with her daughter. Tina has excellent advice for her and tells her that her baby just wants Sugar to be smiling and happy when they're together. So, if Sugar is happy at work, her baby is going to be happy.
Sydney steps up
While the team meets before service, they get into a major argument. Everyone, including Uncle Jimmy, Richie, and Computer, are shouting at each other, but Sydney keeps her calm. She tells them to stand down, and she shares how she has a plan for everything, including the dishes and service, no matter how it goes with fixing the pipes.
Finally, the reservation app starts working again, so they know how many tables they're going to have to start the night.
At the end of the episode, Tina, who has been doing a good job holding things together, starts to break down.
That's where the episode ends. We're a quarter of the way through the final season, and we're still five hours away from the final service, potentially, at the restaurant. Things are not looking good, but I am enjoying the season so far, even if it's just one chaotic mess.
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