Note: This story contains spoilers from “The Bear” Season 3.
“The Bear” fans know Taylor Swift plays a pivotal role in Cousin Richie’s (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) life, thanks to his daughter Eva (Annabelle Toomey). But Season 3 of the critically acclaimed FX comedy series used another hit from the pop icon to score an awkward conversation between The Bear’s manager and his ex-wife’s new fiance.
Episode 4, titled “Violet,” follows as Syd (Ayo Edebiri) finds a new apartment so she can move out of the place she shares with her dad, while Marcus (Lionel Boyce) looks for inspiration for his latest dessert. The episode also sees Richie talking with Eva about the new man in her mom’s life. While getting ready one more morning, she asks Richie what she should call Frank, and he tells her she can choose the name.
Later in the episode, Richie drops Eva at her house and instead of Tiffany (Gillian Jacobs), Frank (Josh Hartnett) answers the door. Eva calls him “Waldo.” He tells her to go inside and asks Richie to stay, so they can have a conversation, as Swift’s “Long Live (Taylor’s Version)” plays in the background.
As the Swift track plays in the background, a nervous Frank asks Richie for an apology for not reaching out to him before proposing to Tiff. Richie tells him that he’s not Tiff’s father so there was no need for that. But Frank notes that as Eva’s father and Tiff’s ex, he “should’ve been a gentleman.”
He then compliments how Richie looks, and notes how “weird” the situation could become if there was animosity between them.
“I want things to be good, and you and I are going to probably going to spend a lot of time together, which I like… whatever I’m talking way too much,” he adds, before asking Richie when he will let Tiff and Frank visit The Bear finally. Richie simply says, “”when it’s perfect” and walks away.
Later in the episode, Richie asks Nat (Abby Elliott) if it’s weird for him to be such a presence in his daughter’s life after the end of his marriage, but she assures him he’s doing the right thing by sticking around.
While the Episode 4 scene can’t compare to Richie’s epic rendition of “Love Story” in Season 2’s “Forks,” this marks the second big moment for Richie to feature a Swift song. The actor previously talked to TheWrap about meticulously preparing to nail “Love Story” during the filming of Season 2.
“I had to memorize that before,” the actor said at the Emmys red carpet. “Between takes, I would look at the lyrics just to make sure that I was doing the song justice.”
“The Bear” Season 3 is now streaming on Hulu.
