Legacy (The Bear)

The Bear
Industry	Television series
Founded	2022; 4 years ago
Founder	Christopher Storer
Headquarters	Chicago, United States
Products	Television episodes
Website	www.hulu.com/series/the-bear

Legacy constitutes the seventh installment in the third season of the American comedy-drama series The Bear. This episode, the 25th in the series overall, was penned by series creator Christopher Storer and directed by executive producer Joanna Calo. It debuted on Hulu on June 26, 2024, simultaneously with the release of the entire season.

The narrative follows Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto, an acclaimed chef from New York City who returns to Chicago to oversee the struggling Italian beef sandwich shop left behind by his late brother Michael. In this chapter, Sydney receives a job proposition from Adam Shapiro, while the kitchen brings back Mikey's former team members to bolster operations.

Plot

During an Al-Anon session, Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) contemplates how postponed apologies can influence relationships, reflecting particularly on his dynamic with Claire (Molly Gordon).

Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) encounters Adam (Adam Shapiro), who is preparing to open a new restaurant designed to set itself apart from Ever. He offers Sydney a position as CDC with a salary exceeding her current earnings at The Bear. She deliberates over this opportunity amid Carmy's tendency to undermine her leadership in the kitchen. Marcus (Lionel Boyce) stumbles upon a photograph showing Carmy alongside renowned chefs; Carmy explains that fostering collaborations among chefs creates a lasting "legacy" through mentorship and shared culinary traditions, a legacy he aspires to pass on to his successor.

Rehiring Mikey’s previous staff revitalizes Ebra's (Edwin Lee Gibson) enthusiasm for working the sandwich window. Though delivery is imminent, Natalie (Abby Elliott) volunteers to fetch vital supplies from Restaurant Depot. Meanwhile, Sugar, heavily pregnant, experiences labor pains while loading her vehicle.

Context

While examining Carmy's old restaurant journals, Marcus uncovers the term legerdemain, which translates from French as "sleight of hand." Originally derived from Middle French meaning "light of hand" or manual dexterity, it has evolved to signify skillful trickery or deception used to accomplish objectives. Marcus integrates this concept into his culinary practice in the episode "Apologies."

Wine Spectator critiqued a scene featuring Sweeps and Ted Fak discussing sobriety, pointing out that wine bottles were incorrectly stored upright rather than horizontally.

Sugar goes into labor while loading boxes of C-fold paper towels—pre-folded towels crucial for kitchen use—into her car.

Development

In May 2024, Hulu revealed details about episode seven, titled "Legacy," written by series creator Christopher Storer and directed by executive producer Joanna Calo. This episode marked Storer's 13th writing contribution and Calo's sixth time directing an installment.

Art direction

The illustrations of legerdemain ("sleight of hand") found in Carmy's food journal were likely crafted by Abacuc Rodriguez, one of the in-house artists for The Bear.

Costuming

Sydney’s attire for the meeting with Shapiro included a sailor jacket from the Comme des Garçons Girl SS24 collection, complemented by flowing shorts from Alice + Olivia and loafers. Her look was finished with a distinctive bow hair barrette that kept her hair neatly pulled back.

Filming

Cinematographer Andrew Wehde crafted the initial kitchen and dining room scenes to mirror Carmy's psychological state and emphasize the shared leadership between Carmy and Richie: "Jeremy has consistently been filmed with close-focus lenses... Within the first minute, there’s a close-up of Jeremy’s eye seamlessly paired with Ebon’s in the dining area. This matched shot positions them as equals and establishes the intense responsibility resting on their shoulders."

The scene featuring Syd's discussion with Shapiro was shot on the rear patio of Doma Café in River North, a spot celebrated for its Croatian-American breakfast sandwiches. Wehde described the approach: "For Sydney’s visit to Doma, we aimed to convey a sense of secrecy, as if she wanted to keep her meeting with another chef under wraps. Utilizing 11:1 lenses and two cameras stationed on the back patio, we filmed from a considerable distance—between 300 and 400mm—to evoke a voyeuristic atmosphere. Ayo even mentioned she was unaware of the cameras’ exact locations during filming."

Music

This episode's soundtrack included tracks such as "No Machine" by Adrianne Lenker, "Save It for Later" by The Beat, "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" by Beastie Boys, "Stephanie" by Lindsey Buckingham, and "Up on the Roof" performed by Carole King.

Critical reviews

Jenna Scherer from The A.V. Club assigned the episode a "B–" rating, commenting that even expertly produced shows like The Bear can encounter a midseason lull. She noted that season three lacks the urgency present in earlier episodes, resulting in a somewhat fragmented and subdued installment.

Marah Eakin of Vulture gave it 3 out of 5 stars, likening the pacing to a brief moment following anticipation, implying that the concluding three episodes need to pick up momentum.

A.J. Daulerio from Decider described the episode as "well put together yet somewhat lethargic," emphasizing the contrast between fond recollections and their painful consequences.

Brady Langmann of Esquire highlighted a significant plot point: Sugar going into labor alone in a Restaurant Depot parking lot, foreshadowing changes in family dynamics.

Retrospective reviews

In 2024, The Hollywood Reporter ranked "Legacy" 21st out of 28 episodes, emphasizing "Richie's legacy as an integral element of the series' storyline." ScreenRant placed it last (28th) among all episodes through season three, describing it as "predictable" despite not being poor in quality.

By 2025, Vulture positioned "Legacy" 34th out of 38 episodes across The Bear.

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