“The Bear”’s Surprise 'Gary'“ ”Episode Explained: Is Richie Alive?

Emily BlackwoodWed, May 6, 2026 at 5:01 PM UTC

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Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach in 'Gary.'Credit: FX -

On May 5, FX and Hulu surprise-released a standalone prequel episode of The Bear, exploring Richie and Mikey's complex friendship

The episode provides emotional context to Mikey's mental health struggles before The Bear's first season

Season 5, the show's final chapter, is set to premiere on June 25

Fans of The Bear got an unexpected deep dive into the relationship of two pivotal characters.

On May 5, FX and Hulu surprise-released a standalone episode that followed Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Mikey (Jon Bernthal) on a road trip to Gary, Ind.

The hour-long prequel, titled "Gary," explored the men's complicated friendship by "uncovering new layers of Mikey's mental state while offering crucial insight into the man Richie is when audiences first meet him in season 1 — adding emotional context that reframes their story from the very beginning," per the logline.

Moss-Bachrach, who co-wrote the episode with Bernthal, wrote in a May 2026 Instagram post that it "was a dream come true" to further explore their friendship before Mikey's death by suicide ahead of the series' start.

"Gary" not only sheds new light on the events leading up to Mikey's death but also sets up a major storyline heading into season 5 — which will be the show's final chapter, per The Hollywood Reporter.

So, what happened in The Bear's surprise "Gary" episode? Here's everything to know about the standalone prequel and what it means for the future of the series.

Warning: The Bear season 4 and "Gary" spoilers ahead!

When does "Gary" take place in The Bear universe?

Jon Bernthal in 'Gary.'Credit: FX

"Gary" is set roughly five years before the events of The Bear's first season.

At that point in the timeline, Richie and Tiffany (Gillian Jacobs) are still together and expecting their daughter, Eva. Mikey is alive and running The Original Beef of Chicagoland, though he's already showing signs of his declining mental health.

Fans know that he died shortly before the events of season 1, as his younger brother, chef Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), returns home to take over his sandwich shop and turn it into a fine-dining restaurant.

The season 4 finale revealed lingering tension between Carmy and Richie, as Carmy admitted that he didn't skip Mikey's funeral and he resented Richie for the close bond they shared.

What do Mikey and Richie do?

Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Jon Bernthal in 'Gary.'Credit: FX

In the special episode, Mikey and Richie embark on a road trip to Gary to go on a "mission" for Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt). Tiffany tells Richie to be home by 5:15 p.m. because she's superstitious that she'll go into labor at the same time her mother did with her.

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In the car, it's clear Mikey is in a negative headspace. He tells Richie they have to wait around for Jimmy's contact, and insults Tiffany's superstition about her labor.

The two spontaneously butt into a pickup basketball game — at which Mikey insults the teens they play against — and end up eating at a restaurant. It's there that Mikey suggests the name Eva for Richie's unborn daughter.

While waiting around for Jimmy's contact, Mikey and Richie hang out at a neighborhood bar where they drink and do cocaine. Mikey connects with barfly Sherri (Marin Ireland) and the two bond over their trauma, with Mikey sharing that he feels abandoned by his mother and “nothing f---ing matters” and life is “meaningless.”

Why do Mikey and Richie get in a fight?

Jon Bernthal in 'Gary.'Credit: FX

Eventually, Richie becomes suspicious that Mikey never called Uncle Jimmy and that they've been wasting the day. He confronts Mikey, interrupting a kiss his "cousin" was about to share with Sherri, and the two explode on each other.

During their heated argument, Mikey tells Richie that his unborn daughter would be better off if he abandoned her, delivering the heartbreaking line, "Kid's gonna hate you, Rich."

Viewers then learn that the two men were, in fact, on a trip at Uncle Jimmy's behest, but not for anything important. They're just delivering a box of plastic pump impellers because FedEx was on strike and Jimmy didn't want to pay a carrier fee.

And, to no one's surprise, the camera turns to a clock reading 4:10, meaning Richie would not make it back by Tiffany's requested 5:15.

Is Richie dead?

Ebon Moss-Bachrach in 'Gary.'Credit: FX

The final minutes of Gary flash forward to what seems to be after the end of The Bear season 4. Fans see Richie waiting at a red light while on his way to work, seemingly painfully reminiscing about that trip he took with Mikey.

Then, as the light turns green and he drives through the intersection, he is T-boned by another car that ran through the red light — leaving Richie's fate up in the air until season 5 of The Bear returns.

When will season 5 of The Bear be released?

Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach in 'Gary.'Credit: FX

Season 5 of The Bear will be released on June 25.

While Hulu will drop all eight episodes at 9 p.m. ET that day, FX will air two episodes on June 25 and release the rest via weekly airings through August.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”