‘The Bear’: Every Taylor Swift Reference From Season 2
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 2 of FX’s The Bear.]
When it comes to The Bear, one may not automatically associate the fast-paced kitchen dramedy with pop star Taylor Swift, but Season 2 proved that wrong with several references and Easter Eggs to the singing sensation.
Whether it was mention of tour tickets, the use of Swift’s music, or donning the singer’s merch, The Bear did it all in its latest chapter. Amid the release of Swift’s Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) on July 7, we can’t help but look back on all of the times the series referenced the performer in Season 2.
Scroll down for a peek at the five major moments highlighting Swift and her role in the lives of The Bear‘s characters, mainly Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and let us know your favorite reference in the comments section.
FX’s The Bear, Season 2, Streaming now, Hulu
Richie Needs a Break
In a sweet scene from Episode 3, “Sundae,” Richie drops off his daughter Eva (Annabelle Toomey) at her mother’s, and they have a heart-to-heart conversation before the girl heads inside. Just as she turns to leave, he says, “And Eva? I love Taylor Swift, too. I just needed a break, you know.” The line implies that Eva’s a fan of the singer and must make him listen to her non-stop, forcing Richie to impose a little break. It’s a sweet layer to their father-daughter dynamic, which up until Season 2, had only been through the phone onscreen.
Richie Looks for a Ticket Connect
It seems that Richie was on the hunt, like many other Americans, to snag tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Seeking assistance from Oliver Platt‘s Jimmy, he can hardly wait to address the matter in Episode 5, “Pop.” During a group meeting with Jimmy, Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), and the rest of the team, Richie interrupts to ask, “Is now a good time to talk about those Taylor Swift tickets?” Needless to say, it’s not a good time, but the singer made her way into the conversation still.
Tiffany's T-shirt
During Season 2’s memorable sixth episode, “Fishes,” viewers are introduced to Richie’s then-wife in the flashback installment set on Christmas Eve about five years prior to the present timeline. Tiffany (Gillian Jacobs) clearly passed on her love of Taylor Swift to Eva as she dons a T-shirt featuring Swift’s 1989 album cover. The revelation also makes a little more sense as Richie attempts to connect with his daughter in the present.
Richie's Tickets Come Through
In the Richie-centric episode “Forks,” Tiffany calls Richie, and during their conversation, he informs her that Jimmy’s ticket connection came through, leaving him with three to Swift’s tour. When he invites her to join himself and Eva though, she reveals she’s become engaged to someone named Frank. There’s a bittersweetness to it all as it seems Richie may have seen the tickets as a way to share a family moment together.
Richie's 'Love Story'
Also in the season’s seventh installment, Richie goes through the process of working in a Michelin-star restaurant, for a taste of what employment at The Bear may look like once it’s open. At first, he’s resistant to the practices and rules implemented, but when he sees the joy that the staff brings to guests, he’s transformed and essentially falls in love with the process. What follows is an epic needle-drop moment during which Richie speeds through the streets of Chicago belting Swift’s well-known tune, “Love Story.”
