This is one of the most brutal & realistic depictions of the modern American job market. It’s almost impossible to get any job nowadays, especially if you’re someone like Tina. I’ve had so many days in my life (even as just a 21 year old) of truly struggling to find absolutely anything at all to pay the bills and survive only to be denied left & right no matter how qualified or experienced you are. Losing a routine, taking horrible public transport, being filled with anxiety, and ultimately feeling hopeless. I used to cry about it exactly like Tina did. Thing is, I feel so much relatability towards Mikey as well. I feel like my people skills are extremely similar to his. His upbeat attitude, mannerisms, & calming presence when he sees someone in distress is so identical to how I behave whenever I have a heartfelt human to human conversation with someone. It’s moments like this that are some of my favorite to see on screen. Two people sitting down & just talking about how harsh life can be sometimes. It doesn’t sound fun, but they’re some of the most important interactions I’ve ever had in my life. It’s also extremely tragic to see how subtly depressed Mikey actually is here & it’s kinda easy to miss, but it’s also not. The way it’s portrayed is so stunning. “I don’t like having to make enough money today just to pay for yesterday.” This line is also so telling of Mikey’s perception of not only the restaurant, but also about life in general: “this place, like this fucking place, it sucks. Like, you go home and you fucking smell it. But, I swear to you, there are days where it is so much fun.” It’s a perfect analogy of how depression feels. Everything absolutely fucking sucks, but some days, life is a lot of fun and you can enjoy moments that really stick with you forever. Mikey spoke about how he feels it too, there’s small moments in his life too that mean so much to him no matter how tiny it may seem to others. It really helps me feel so much more connected to his character as someone who has battled diagnosed depression & understands exactly what he’s trying to say, but can’t articulate it more boldly. I’ve had moments in my life where I had to be Tina, and I’ve also had moments where I had to be Mikey in this situation for someone else in distress. I swear, this is the stuff that reminds me exactly why I fell in love with The Bear. It’s such a deeply emotional and humanizing show that performs at its best when giving us unique character spotlights such as this