6 Biggest Reveals From The Bear Prequel, “Gary” (And What It Teases About Season 5)

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FX and Hulu unexpectedly released a prequel to the hit show The Bear today, keeping production under wraps and announcing it with no prior warning. While fans eagerly await season five this summer – and wonder if it will be the show’s last – this surprise installment has been a pleasant one. The episode, titled “Gary,” stars Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richie and Jon Bernthal as Mikey Berzatto, and explores a surprising journey from their past.

As you’d expect from a prequel, The Bear doesn’t hesitate to reveal backstory – like past episodes that explored the Berzatto family Christmas (“Fishes”) or Tina’s early days (“Napkins”). The episode “Gary” confirms details about the characters’ lives and feelings, even hinting at things to come in Season 5. Be warned: spoilers for “Gary” are ahead.

6) Fills in a Gap in the Story

The season finale of The Bear features a powerful moment where Carmy tells Richie he went to Mikey’s funeral – something he’d kept hidden. This revelation deeply affects Richie, who opens up about his attempts to help Mikey and his feelings of failure. He shares a memory of a road trip with Mikey, recalling a half-hour where everything felt truly perfect – a feeling Richie had always believed Carmy experienced regularly. The episode essentially embodies that poignant road trip memory, capturing the bittersweet beauty of their connection.

5) Who Named Richie and Tiffany’s Baby

The episode titled “Gary” focuses entirely on Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Mikey (Jon Bernthal). Uncle Jimmy sends them on a delivery to Gary, Indiana, with a mysterious taped-up box. The episode opens by showing us where this fits into the timeline of The Bear: Richie is still married to Tiffany (Gillian Jacobs), and she’s pregnant with their daughter.

This naturally leads Mikey and Richie to talk about Richie’s upcoming baby, and Richie starts asking for name suggestions. Mikey initially dismisses the name “Annie,” then proposes “Althea,” but Richie worries it could lead to teasing. Mikey quickly suggests “Eva,” and seems to immediately text the name to Tiffany. Fans of The Bear will recognize this as the name Richie’s daughter ultimately receives.

4) Richie and Mikey’s Fraught Relationship

Mikey’s presence is felt throughout The Bear, particularly impacting Richie because of their close friendship and shared work history. As revealed in the episode “Gary,” their bond was complex and faced challenges. By the episode’s end, Mikey, while intoxicated with both alcohol and drugs, gives a lengthy speech to a crowded bar, initially filled with praise for Richie.

Mikey’s comments about Richie started as seemingly positive, but quickly turned harsh. He told Richie to leave town and stay away from their child, convinced Richie would inevitably mess things up – a sentiment Mikey claimed was widely shared. This led to a physical fight, with Richie hitting Mikey several times before both men left the bar without resolving their issues.

3) Mikey’s Feelings About His Mom

There’s this really beautiful scene where Mikey, while stuck in a bathroom with a woman named Sarah, starts to reveal a lot about himself. He talks about how people see him – how they think he never follows through with things – and then gets into his relationship with his mom, Donna, played by Jamie Lee Curtis. He describes how, when he was little, his mom would come into his room and scratch his back while laying out the entire next day for him, detail by detail. It’s heartbreaking because he admits how much that comforted him, how it made him feel safe knowing his mom had everything planned out for him.

Mikey remembers that Donna became upset when he asked her to predict the next day, and this sudden change deeply affected him. It highlighted the underlying issues within the Berzatto family, impacting everyone. He also reflects on his struggles with sadness and depression, feelings he couldn’t quite express, which ultimately foreshadowed his eventual suicide.

2) Why Richie and Tiffany Got Divorced

Throughout the story, there’s a sense of urgency because Richie needs to get home by 5:15 PM. His wife, Tiffany, believes she’ll go into labor at that specific time, as her own mother did. Richie is constantly worried about making it back in time, but he’s also warned that if a train comes through town, he’ll be delayed and stuck in Gary.

Throughout his conversations with Tiffany, she repeatedly asks Richie to stay away from cigarettes and avoid getting into trouble, but he ignores her requests. As a result, by the end of the episode “Gary,” Richie and Mikey are still on the road, and it’s 5:15 PM – he’s missed the deadline. The episode strongly suggests that Tiffany went into labor while he was away, and his repeated disregard for her wishes ultimately contributes to their eventual breakup.

1) The Final Scene Teases The Bear Season 5

The episode concludes with a flash forward, showing Richie driving alone and remembering his friend Gary as he glances at the empty passenger seat. While it’s raining, another car honks, and Richie merges into traffic, only to be suddenly struck by another vehicle. The screen then cuts to black, ending the episode abruptly.

It’s currently unknown when the scene with Richie takes place in relation to Season 5 of The Bear. It could be happening before the season begins, suggesting he’s injured at the start, or it might be a future event hinted at in the episode “Gary.” We’ll find out eventually, but with Season 5 not arriving until summer, we’re left to speculate for now.

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2026-05-06 01:41