gifted us one of the best episodes of television in recent memory: the special standalone edition "Forks," which saw rough-around-the-edges Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) stage at "the best restaurant in the world" and get the personal enlightenment he needed to become the high-minded maître d' that he is now. wonderfully continues that tradition of spotlighting one of the show's colorful supporting characters in their own solo installment, this time focused on veteran line cook Tina Marrero, played by Liza Colón-Zayas. and directed by our very own Ayo Edebiri in her directorial debut.
Like the past few episodes of , "Napkins" finds us waking up in the wee hours with our main character, but there's no time for Tina to lie in with her anxieties: as Kool & the Gang's "Get Down on It" grooves on, she's leaving sweet notes in her son's lunchbox, getting the crockpot simmering for dinner later and preparing for another day at the office. (At the time of the episode, which is set in 2018, Tina had been working at a desk job at a local confectioners' company for the past 15 years.) The landlord is majorly raising their rent, which concerns her, but her husband David — a building doorman who's long overdue for a promotion — assures her that they'll be fine.
(If you caught that natural warmth between the couple, it's because David is played by Colón-Zayas's real-life spouse, actor David Zayas, who TV fans will remember from and .) However, Tina has reason to be worried. As truf.
