In an interview with The New York Times, Ebon Moss-Bachrach defends his character, Richie Jerimovich, saying to go easy on him and not call the brash character a dirt bag because he’s sensitive. If you got a chance to watch season two of The Bear, you know that Richie has shed that dirtbag layer throughout the 10 episodes of the sophomore season and has become the new and improved Richie Jerimovich that we can now proudly say that we support. Season two of this extremely successful Hulu show did a great job of giving the spotlight to side characters and developing their stories more in order for the audience to become more attached.
Characters such as Marcus and Tina really got to have the spotlight, and in return, we cared more about them and could appreciate their development more. That being said, the best character arc to come from season two was Richie’s. There’s no doubt about it. From him being problematic, deep in his grief, and scared of change in season one to fully developing into a better version of himself in season two, no one has had a better redemption arc than Richie has.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach speaks of Richie like an old friend when he talks about the character in interviews, and you can tell that Moss-Bachrach takes a lot of pride in portraying someone who’s redeemable and likable. Let’s take a look at how Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Richie Jerimovich was the highlight of season two.
10 Works to Better Himself
In the very first episode of season two, the first we see of Richie is him in the basement of The Bear, going through old photos and being reminiscent while also being just slightly concerning as he talks about how he doesn’t have a purpose at the restaurant anymore. Carmy, his "cousin", assures Richie that he does, in fact, have a spot at The Bear still and that they’re not just going to drop him when the time comes. With a show like this, it’s hard to tell if characters are going to get a happy ending, but luckily, we see Richie start to work on himself for the better as each episode ticks past.
Something to note is how he changes his language, because in season one, he was often berated for using homophobic and other slurs that are rude and just not needed. He also works on his anger issues, counting out loud to calm himself down when he gets mad at Sydney or Natalie, and you can’t fault a guy for actively trying to become a better person—and he does! Albeit a fictional character, Richie Jerimovich is proof that being educated and less ignorant does, in fact, make you a better person in every aspect.
9 Still Keeps Mikey's Legacy Alive
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It’s almost very easy to say that no one loved Mikey, the owner of the bear and Carmy’s older brother, more than Richie did and does. In the first episode of the second season, Sydney tries to lean against the wall in Carmy’s office, and her entire hand goes through it, accidentally ruining a poster of Fenway Park that Mikey had taped up for over five years.
Richie freaks, and you quickly come to realize that it’s not just about the Fenway Park picture, but more so that more and more of Mikey’s restaurant is being changed and thrown away. It’s clear that Richie fears that Mikey’s legacy is going to be forgotten about, but throughout the season it’s obvious that he fights to keep his memory there, such as by putting his note to Carmy on the line where everyone can see it.
8 Tries to be a Better Dad
In episode three of this new season, we finally get to meet Richie’s daughter, Eva. It’s a very real scene that any parent can relate to: fighting with your child’s car seat as they impatiently wait to be let out. He’s very soft and gentle with her, which of course is a sharp contrast to who he is with everyone else, helping her with her backpack and then almost shyly asking about her mom, his ex-wife.
Further along in the episodes, the audience comes to learn that he’s desperately trying to get Taylor Swift tickets for Eva, even going so far as to ask Cicero for help. Ebon-Moss Bachrach commented about how real that scene was, especially when Eva’s walking away and Richie says, "I love you... and I love Taylor Swift too; I just needed a break." It’ll be interesting to see if and, hopefully, when season 3 is announced, if they explore that father-daughter relationship more.
7 Secret Taylor Swift Fan
Speaking of Taylor Swift, the singer was mentioned quite a few times this season, and the way the writers really tie it all in is fantastic. When we meet Tiff, Richie’s ex-wife, in episode 6, she’s wearing a Taylor Swift shirt. Then, jumping back to episode 3, we see how Richie was essentially tired of listening to the singer with Eva and needed a break, as any parent would understand. Then we see Richie actively trying to get concert tickets, which we can assume are for the Era’s Tour since The Bear is set in the modern day, and if you’ve heard anything about this mega-tour, you know exactly how hard it is to get tickets. And he manages to get three!
One of the best needle drops in this season of The Bear comes from Richie’s focused episode entitled "Forks". Richie’s feeling pretty great after a successful day of training, and many people on Twitter admitted that they were crying and cheering him on as he raced home singing along to "Love Story (Taylor’s Version)". He’s incredibly off-key; he gets some of the words wrong; he swears at the people driving in front of him; but it’s such a great scene because, deep down, he really does love Taylor Swift; there’s no denying it.
6 Flashback with Trish
In the Christmas episode, "Fishes", amidst all the fighting, the chaos, the screaming and delicious food being cooked, we get to see a slightly younger Richie and his then wife, Tiff. She’s pregnant in this flashback with Eva and seems to be in the beginning stages of feeling sick, and Donna, Carmy’s mother, tells her to go lay up in her bed until she’s feeling better. Richie checks on her after a bit, and they share a very soft and intimate moment together as they talk about their baby, voice hushed, and Richie leans his head into Tiff’s chest.
It’s there that you realize that Richie wasn’t always so mad and angry; Mikey’s death hardened him, and then obviously the divorce from Tiff affected him. You can’t help but wonder why the two split up since they seemed so good together on that very messed-up Christmas, but it’s a different side of Richie and one to appreciate as you see his growth throughout the season.
5 His Episode
After the mess that is "Fishes," you might be surprised by the next episode focusing solely on Richie. Carmy sends him to America’s best restaurant located in Chicago to train on how to become a stage, and at first, Richie sees it as the ultimate punishment. He doesn’t treat the staff with respect; he does his job at half energy, and it’s not until he’s put in his place that he realizes how great his potential can become with hospitality. You watch in amazement as he seemingly transforms into a far better version of himself the moment he puts on a suit.
He’s into it and very quickly becomes a favorite of the staff that works there because, deep down, he is a people person and is very likable. You’ll be cheering for him through your screen as he runs to pick up a deep-dish pizza, fingers crossed that he doesn't drop it as he delivers the deconstructed version to the table. It’s such a great and beautiful episode, highlighting that when someone is given the proper tools to learn, they can really achieve greatness.
4 Takes Over for Sydney
In the finale, it gets crazy and out of hand very fast once Carmy gets locked into the walk-in on their friends and family night at The Bear. Richie, in the right headspace, doesn’t freak out as Sydney tells him where Carmy is, instead letting her work through it as she comes to a decision. You can’t help but feel very proud as Richie suggests he take over the firing of the orders, calling out what the chefs need to cook and the quantity. He absolutely crushes it as he reads out the orders at a fast but reasonable pace, taking control of the mess that Carmy essentially caused by not calling the fridge guy.
3 Richie and Carmy's Fight in the Finale
Following the very hectic first night of The Bear being open, Carmy messes up his relationship with Claire, and Richie, being Richie, rags on him about making the girl Richie grew up with walk away in tears. Carmy’s freaking out because he's still trapped in the fridge, and Richie retaliates by calling him Donna, Carmy’s mother, who has a busload of problems. When Carmy hears that, he snaps and starts to tear Richie down, calling him a leech and telling him he’s obsessed with Michael and their family.
It's a painful and hard scene to watch because you just watched Richie become such a better version of himself, just to see Carmy try to tear it all down and get him all riled up. However, as Carmy says that Richie needs him, Richie responds by telling Carmy over and over again that he loves him. He knows Carmy doesn’t mean it when he berates Richie, so he tries to remind his good friend that he loves him. That, folks, is what we call character development.
2 New Suit New Him
Following his episode, "Forks", Richie is seen exclusively wearing a suit every episode after that. He says it feels like he’s wearing armor the first time he puts it on, and when he gets back to The Bear, he pulls Carmy aside and tells him that he understands the art and appeal of hospitality now. He also states that he wears suits now because it makes him feel better about himself, and we love to see it.
Every member of the crew is stunned at his change, especially Natalie and the genuine apology she receives from Richie. It could be considered a minor detail that Richie is wearing suits now, but it’s a big change to his character.
1 Fixes Things with Sydney
In season one, a constant conflict that was shown between two characters was between Richie and Sydney. They didn’t gel well together and often got into little fights and arguments that weren’t entirely serious until Sydney accidentally stabbed Richie in the buttocks with her knife. It’s tense in the first few episodes of season two, and things don’t become steady between them until episode eight, "Bolognese". Sydney compliments Richie’s suit, and he’s taken off guard by it, before the two have a casual conversation that seems to fix whatever was wrong in the last season.
It goes beyond that, though, as Richie takes care of Sydney’s father throughout the night of the opening, making sure that he was constantly good throughout the hectic night. The relationship between Richie and Sydney is something we definitely want to see more of in the coming seasons, especially since things are finally starting to mend between them.