I've always loved Richie, so to watch an entire episode devoted to him was easy. I've heard a lot of people praise this episode because it made them see the character in a new light, but I feel as though Richie's vulnerabilities have always been one of the strongest aspects of the show in regards to its emotional core. Even if they've never been addressed as explicitly as within this episode.
The episode is great because of the setting, too. The restaurant is so much fun to watch in action; you can't help but share the radical excitement of Richie as he and you realise just how much the service industry can make people's days, if the workers are willing to go that extra mile.
And in many ways, maybe this is something that Richie has never been fully willing to do before. He tries to take on tasks that don't fit him, and he doesn't want to stand around and take the time to learn before he dives right in. His heart is in the right place, he wants to go the extra mile, but he's never truly receptive to the exact course of action it would take for him to get there. It was great to see this episode change that, and I think Ebon Moss-Bachrach could have a career-altering awards season, if the Emmys and Golden Globes know what's right for them.
Fun, hilarious, thought-provoking and a deeply emotional look into one of this show's best characters.