Performer Of The Week: Ayo Edebiri

THE PERFORMER | Ayo Edebiri 

THE SHOW | The Bear

THE EPISODE | "Sundae" (June 22, 2023) 

THE PERFORMANCE | On Hulu's kitchen dramedy, Edebiri's sous chef Sydney typically serves as a loyal lieutenant to head chef Carmy. But Season 2 took the time to delve deep into the show's rich supporting cast, and Edebiri got a sumptuously shot showcase of her own in Episode 3 as Sydney wandered the streets of Chicago searching for culinary inspiration.   

Edebiri charmingly captured Sydney's creative joy as she and Carmy experimented with new recipes ahead of their big opening, but she also conveyed Sydney's crushing disappointment when Carmy stood her up at a meet-up they had planned. So Sydney struck out on her own, and it was intoxicating to watch her eyes light up as she explored the city's best restaurants and tried new foods. The beautifully filmed sequence was nearly dialogue-free, but Edebiri managed to tell us so much about what Sydney was thinking and feeling without saying a word. (We could practically see her brain filling up with exciting new recipe ideas.) When a fellow chef warned her that she needs a business partner she trusts, though, a dark cloud passed over Edebiri's eyes as Sydney considered whether Carmy is reliable enough to trust with her career. Edebiri also pierced our hearts with a simple look as Sydney enjoyed an ice cream sundae... and then glanced over to see a Black mother and daughter enjoying their own sundae, right after we learned that her own mother had passed years ago.

Sydney took all that inspiration and poured it into an elaborate ravioli recipe... but it fell flat, and Edebiri hung her head and slumped her shoulders to portray Sydney's sense of defeat. We know she'll be back in the kitchen trying again soon, though, and we're thankful that Edebiri's subtly moving work allowed us to get to know Sydney a little bit better.   

Scroll down to see who scored Honorable Mention shout-outs this week...

This week's Star Trek: Strange New Worlds — which found Una Chin-Riley on trial for concealing her Illyrian heritage — paid stunning homage to Star Trek: The Next Generation's "The Measure of a Man," with series regular Rebecca Romijn and guest star Yetide Badaki delivering standout performances in their impassioned pleas to end the Federation's discriminatory laws. Romijn was subtle yet powerful during Una's moving testimony, capturing the Starfleet commander's anguish and heartbreak over the violent persecution she experienced with remarkable clarity. And Badaki reminded us why we loved her so much in American Gods, bringing that otherworldly charm in her compelling arguments as Una's defense attorney Neera. The trial may have ended with a small victory for the Enterprise's second-in-command, but Romijn and Badaki's stellar performances were a huge win for the series.

As the host of Bravo's Watch What Happens Live, Andy Cohen has convinced countless A-listers to debase themselves on national television over the years, but never before have his shenanigans made us think, "Wait, this deserves an Emmy!" until now. Cranston's appearance on Tuesday's episode found the Breaking Bad actor reenacting a dramatic moment from Vanderpump Rules in which Ariana Madix famously tells her philandering boyfriend that she regrets ever loving him — and he sold the heck out of it. Full price. No discount. Who else but Cranston could effortlessly spin a condemnation of cheating and skinny jeans into a powerful, nuanced monologue worthy of critical praise?

We're not saying that Cranston's performance needs to take home Emmy gold at next year's ceremony. But if the voters don't at least consider it, well, that would be the true #Scandoval. (Hit PLAY on the video above to enjoy the performance for yourself.)

Ferguson has been on quite as journey thus far on Silo, but this week's penultimate Season 1 episode stood out for us as an amalgamation of all that Juliette is and was. As a desperate Juliette held Sims' wife at gunpoint and commandeered their home, Ferguson delivered the measured intensity that is her character's hallmark. Camille, with her son nearby, had to think the fugitive sheriff was capable of anything, while we had to know that Juliette had a plan. Speaking of said plan: When Jules fired up the hard drive and unexpectedly found herself watching a "video" of her late lover... just wow. Ferguson's face, in that scene and also later, when Juliette got to watch George's message/goodbye in full, threw us back to the sweet flashbacks from early in the season. So much emotion (well, for her) washed over Jules' face, as it also became clear her resolve is stronger than ever heading into the finale.

Outlander's Tom Christie is one of those flowering cacti-types of characters: unpleasantly prickly right up until the moment of bloom. It's a testament to Mark Lewis Jones' immense talent that for months we believed Tom was dour, impenetrable and hardened in his ways... and that we bought every moment of this week's episode, in which he admitted that he loved Claire, moments before falsely confessing to the murder she was accused of committing. The pinnacle of his performance in the hour came when Tom found Claire on the ship and laid out his plan, Jones tempering Tom's gruff demeanor with a shining admiration for a woman he could never hope would care for him in the same way. Jones radiated love and peace, a stark contrast to everything we'd known from his Tom before, and the contrast was stunning — truly fine work. 

Which performance(s) knocked your socks off this week? Tell us in Comments!