Episode 4 of HBO Max’s “Julia” is Light on Dishes, But Offers So Much to Dish About

If you’ve been watching Julia on HBO Max, you probably have feelings about how the series focuses more on Child herself than the recipes that made her famous. While some people wish the show was more about the actual food, I personally love the way it captures the time period and shows just how revolutionary Child actually was. 

To me, what makes Julia so universal is that you can substitute any other passion — music, art, sports, science — for cooking, and still be inspired by Child’s pioneering spirit and determination. There is so much to learn from her, and the fact that the lessons come via scrumptious-looking dishes is just, well, icing on the Queen of Sheba cake.

A lot happens in episode 4, which is entitled “Petit Fours” — although, unfortunately, we never actually get to see Julia make them. (I found a link to the original episode of The French Chef for those of you who do want to see that. You can watch it here, and then you’ll realize how brilliant Sarah Lancashire is in the role.) If you haven’t quite seen this episode yet, however, please be advised that there are spoilers ahead.

In this episode, The French Chef receives a rave review from The Boston Globe. This causes some male jealousy, and Julia somehow ends up having to apologize for the review. As she experiences greater success, she finds it hard to deal with her newfound fame. All she really wants to do is cook and show other home cooks how to elevate their own skills.

What I learned from Julia: Sometimes you just have to play the game in order to get what you want. Also, as Harry Belafonte’s song playing over the credits makes clear, “That’s right, the woman is smarter.”

The first four episodes of Julia are now available on HBO Max with new episodes airing every Thursday through May 5.