Caution: Spoilers ahead for Season 4, Episode 7 of The Bear.
Among the many ambitious episodes of The Bear, “Fishes” stands out as particularly unforgettable. This hour-long Christmas episode, if it can be called that, from Season 2—taking place five years prior to Carmen’s plan to launch his renovated restaurant—depicts a large, noisy, and unruly family get-together. Given the attendees, it was inevitable: the Berzattos, the Fak brothers, Uncle Jimmy, Uncle Lee (Donna’s recurring boyfriend), Cousins Michelle and Steve, friends and Tiffany, and Natalie’s husband Pete—a volatile combination of individuals destined for conflict.
The situation rapidly ignites. During dinner, a discussion about the Seven Fishes custom quickly devolves from lively to disorderly. Mikey initiates an intense argument with Lee, resulting in forks being thrown. asks her mother Donna if she is “alright,” which sparks an altercation. Amidst this upheaval, Donna then drives her car through the dining room wall. This serves as a drunken punctuation mark on a turbulent, aggressive evening. For Carmen, it represents another pivotal, traumatic event that compels him to relocate to New York and distance himself from the detrimental individuals in his life.
A detail frequently overlooked in that intense episode is the brief reference to Neil and Ted’s sister, Francie Fak. Earlier on that night, when Michelle asks why she isn’t attending the party, the brothers reveal that Francie is barred from the gathering because Natalie declines to be in her presence.
“She’s furious. She’s enraged,” Neil comments about Natalie. “‘Because of what happened…”
“Still, really?” Michelle responds, taken aback.
Despite being only 30 seconds of conversation, the absence of an explanation for their estrangement captivated avid fans of The Bear. When did this occur? What transpired between them? How severe was it? And most importantly: Would Francie ever appear? If so, who would portray her? These inquiries, particularly among dedicated Reddit users, persisted throughout but the series’ contemplative, dominant, Carmen-centric narrative largely overshadowed most secondary backstories. When would the truth be revealed?
One year subsequent, the anticipation concludes. In the seventh episode, Francie, embodied by Oscar laureate Brie Larson, makes her significant debut on the series. Throughout this hour-long installment, set at the wedding reception for Tiffany and Frank, Natalie and Francie engage in verbal confrontations, share a moment of fragility, and ultimately reconcile, resolving their longstanding animosity. Yet, do we fully uncover the roots of their conflict? To some extent, yes.
Upon Francie’s initial arrival, she embraces Uncle Jimmy, to Natalie’s clear displeasure. Subsequently, the two initiate the first of several verbal altercations. “You’re free to apologize whenever you’re ready, you know?” Natalie hisses at Francie. “You damn b-tch!” The verbal jabs quickly descend into a sarcastic imitation of each other’s words, much like children. “No! Yeah? Well…” It appears they are nearing another “Fishes”-like situation.
The reality then begins to surface. While challenging to discern amidst the overlapping arguments, fragments of the pivotal night that transformed these two into bitter adversaries become clearer. Natalie laments about what seems to have been a house party, grumbling that “whipped cream was all over,” and that Francie was intoxicated, and “I couldn’t figure out how to start the car…”
Francie retorts: “It was pouring, the bus was about to depart,” before providing an additional detail. “Mobile phones didn’t exist back then!”
At this juncture, as they commence yelling a fresh barrage of obscenities, Pete intervenes to part the two women and de-escalate the situation. Subsequently, Ted reveals a minor shocker. “Pete’s refusing to acknowledge these two had a fling,” he states. Pete dismisses this with a scoff. “You two absolutely did not hook up,” he declares, gazing at his wife in incredulity. Amidst the uncomfortable quiet, Natalie and Francie exchange glances. “Well….” Natalie utters.
This is an amusing and revealing segment, though it doesn’t provide every specific. Nevertheless, as the episode unfolds, showrunners Christopher Storer and Joanna Calo supply additional understanding of Francie—and the reasons behind Natalie’s intense animosity. When she encounters Neil and Ted near the restroom, the brothers challenge her, questioning her unkindness toward their girlfriends. “It’s my duty; that’s what I do,” she asserts, prior to criticizing Ted’s girlfriend’s footwear. “Those shoes are truly awful, and they speak volumes about someone,” she remarks, essentially recommending he end their relationship. “Focus on what matters.”
This depiction renders Larson’s casting an ingenious decision. Far from the typical appearance one might anticipate for a Fak sister, she defies her past roles of gentler, more compassionate characters, employing her attractiveness akin to a malevolent monarch, concealing her vulnerabilities by disparaging others. This selection also aligns with a series that frequently —whether through , UK actors, or ex-wrestling champions (e.g., ).
Ultimately, she and Natalie convene to resolve their issues. They articulate their genuine emotions. They frequently consider each other. Each wishes happiness for the other. They hope the other is achieving something significant. “Francie, would you consider attempting to be friends?” Natalie inquires. When Francie reacts favorably, Natalie poses a final query. “You won’t betray me, will you?”
The resolution—and Francie’s very presence—fits logically within the series’ framework. This episode essentially functions as a spiritual continuation of “Fishes,” bringing the entire family together once more for a celebration. However, this time, the utensils remain in place. After all, compared to earlier ones—it centers on Carmen’s core objective (“filtering out the bad, to make it good”), a purpose he articulates at the conclusion of Season 3. It explores processing past trauma, cultivating forgiveness and recovery, and progressing. And what more fitting backdrop to commemorate the rekindling of a friendship than at the marital ceremony of two other companions?
It remains uncertain if the precise details of what transpired between Natalie and Francie will ever be disclosed. Nevertheless, we can be confident that the two will avoid whipped cream for the foreseeable future.