“Long Live” Taylor Swift in ‘The Bear’: Season 3 Gets Another Richie-Related Needle Drop (Feat. Josh Hartnett)

Order up! We’ve got another delicious Taylor Swift needle drop in The Bear Season 3, and just like her memorable music moment in Season 2’s “Forks,” the song is related to our good man, girl dad, and proud Swiftie, Richie Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach).

Season after season The Bear cooks up a soundtrack that slaps, but Season 2’s use of “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” as a means to emphasize Richie’s newly-realized purpose and self-love admittedly took things to the next level. A year later, The Bear is back with another fan-favorite Swift song that not only sets the mood, but helps introduce Tiffany’s (Gillian Jacobs) fiancé Frank to viewers.

Spoilers for The Bear Season 3 ahead.

Early in Season 3, Episode 4, “Violet,” Richie and his daughter Eva share a sweet heart-to-heart in which she expresses some confusion over what her mom’s recent engagement means for her dad. Regardless of what Richie feels on the inside, he’s supportive of Tiffany and Frank in front of his girl and gives her the green light to call her soon-to-be-stepdad whatever she pleases. When the two arrive at Frank’s house later in the episode, Eva greets Frank with her chosen name — Waldo, as in “where’s” — and we learn that the mystery man is played by another delightful Season 3 guest star, Josh Hartnett. (A known fan of The Bear!) Not only that, but when Frank opens the door to his house to let Eva inside, Taylor Swift’s “Long Live (Taylor’s Version)” is playing in the background in another perfect reveal.

For those who need a refresher on Taylor Swift (The Bear‘s Version), in Season 2, Episode 3, we witnessed a tender moment between Richie and Eva ended with a hug and him saying, “I love you. And I love Taylor Swift, too. I just needed a break.” In Episode 6, which rewound five years to a time when Richie and Tiffany — also a Swiftie — were together, Tiff wore a 1989 shirt to Christmas dinner. Throughout the second season, Richie attempted to secure three tickets to the Eras Tour for his family, and in Episode 7 he succeeded. Instead of agreeing to go to the concert with him, however, Tiff broke the news that she was engaged to Frank, which means the choice to set Frank and Richie’s scene to a Swift song is brilliantly full circle.

Swifties know that the Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) track has a lengthy 5:17 run time, and The Bear sets an impressive 3:41 of the song as the soundtrack to Frank and Richie’s bro talk. As Swift sings about a magical moment for the history books, a once-in-a-lifetime feeling, crashing through walls, and moving mountains with loved onea, Frank awkwardly tells Richie he’s “feeling really shitty” about not giving him a heads up before he asked Tiff to marry him.

The topic is a clear source of discomfort for Richie, but he’s been trying his best to stay strong and motivated since the engagement. His initial snappy, seemingly unbothered “I’m not her father” response to Frank’s admission of guilt feels like self-preservation. But by the time he makes it to “you don’t need my permission,” his words sound softer and more genuine.

“I also know that like, this can be a little weird. And I don’t want to add to the weirdness. I want things to be good. And you and I are probably gonna spend a lot of time together. So just — and I like that,” Frank frantically continues in another show of solid casting from The Bear. “Whatever. I’m talking way too much.”

As Taylor continues to belt impassioned lyrics — because as a reminder, “Long Live (TV)” is still playing in the background! — Tiff’s new man directly asks if Richie is sure “it’s” OK — “it” being the engagement, the wedding, the baggage of it all, and his new role as Waldo. Richie, a class act who wears suits and processes his emotions, says, “I’m sure.” And instead of taking the win, Frank not only asks if he’s coming to the wedding, but asks when he and Tiff can come to The Bear. My guy! Come on! “LONG LIVE (TAYLOR’S VERSION)” is playing, and this man is probably feeling all the emotions! Thankfully for Richie’s sake, the conversation cuts off, as does the Taylor track. And in the moments that follow the scene, viewers are simply left to think: “What an absolute flex.”

Narratively, the song inclusion is incredibly layered, serving as a callback to Richie’s personal journey as well as a sweet show of Frank’s interest in Eva’s favorite artist. Though Swift has said she’s written the song as a love letter to her fans and her team, the lyrics could easily apply to Richie’s feelings for Tiff and Eva, his memories of the good times, and his regrets that their family couldn’t stay together for the long haul. The fact that the song plays as he tells Josh he’s fine with the engagement could also signify a crucial step towards saying goodbye and accepting that although the time he and Tiff shared was beautiful, it’s passed.

Don’t worry, Richie! “It was the end of a decade, but the start of an age.”

The Bear‘s decision to play the track softly to coincide with Richie’s emotions — just as “Love Story (Taylor’s Version) blasted when his spirits were high in Season 2 — may have been thoughtful. But can we talk about the fact that The Bear is now so big that the show can afford not one, but two, Taylor Swift needle drops and play the second one so low that it becomes background noise!?

Congrats to Taylor Swift for securing another standout musical moment on the show of the summer. Congrats to Chris Storer for securing another Taylor Swift song. Congrats to Ebon Moss-Bachrach for bringing warmth and depth to another Richie Swift scene. And congrats to Josh Hartnett for manifesting his dream role on The Bear just like Travis Kelce manifested his dream girlfriend.

The Bear Season 3 ends with the promise of more episodes to come, so “Long Live” Taylor Swift needle drops in Season 4.

The Bear Season 3 is now streaming on Hulu.