FX and Hulu surprised fans this week with an unexpected standalone episode of The Bear, releasing a flashback titled Gary just weeks before the show’s fifth and reportedly final season arrives June 25.
The hour long episode focuses on Michael “Mikey” Berzatto, played by Jon Bernthal, and Richie Jerimovich, played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach, during a road trip from Chicago to Gary, Indiana. Set years before the events of the series, the episode digs deeper into Mikey’s declining mental health while offering new insight into Richie’s complicated relationship with the Berzatto family.
The surprise release was co-written by Bernthal and Moss-Bachrach and directed by series creator Christopher Storer. According to FX, the episode was designed to uncover “new layers” of Mikey’s state of mind while reframing Richie’s emotional arc from the beginning of the series.
Chicago remains central to the world of The Bear, which has continued to showcase local neighborhoods, restaurants, and production crews throughout its run. The series has become one of the city’s most recognizable television productions since debuting in 2022, earning multiple Emmy Awards while spotlighting Chicago’s restaurant culture and film community.
The episode’s release also reignited conversation around the show’s final chapter. Season five will reportedly pick up after Carmy’s departure from the restaurant, leaving Sydney, Richie, and Sugar attempting to keep The Bear operating while chasing a Michelin star. All eight episodes are expected to debut June 25 on Hulu, with FX airing episodes weekly afterward.
Fans quickly noticed that Gary was released separately from the show’s standard episode lineup, adding to the surprise rollout.
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