FX and Hulu Drop Surprise Prequel Episode of 'The Bear' Starring Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Co-written by the two actors, the standalone flashback episode “Gary” explores the complicated, early relationship between Richie and Mikey.
Summary
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FX and Hulu surprised fans by dropping a standalone prequel episode of The Bear titled “Gary” on Tuesday, May 5, 2026
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The 59-minute episode follows Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Mikey Berzatto (Jon Bernthal) on a road trip from Chicago to Gary, Indiana
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Set before the events of Season 1, the flashback provides crucial emotional context regarding Mikey’s mental state and Richie’s early characterization
Just when fans thought they had to wait until the summer to return to the kitchen, FX and Hulu served up an unexpected treat. On Tuesday, a surprise standalone episode of the Emmy-winning series The Bear was quietly released to the public. Titled “Gary,” the nearly hour-long installment acts as a prequel to the hit series, pulling focus away from the chaotic restaurant floor and placing it squarely on the deeply complicated brotherhood between Richard “Richie” Jerimovich and the late Michael “Mikey” Berzatto.
The special episode winds the clock back to early 2019—well before the events of Season 1 and Mikey’s tragic death by suicide. The plot centers on a work trip that takes Richie and Mikey from Chicago to Gary, Indiana. According to the official synopsis provided by FX, the adventure uncovers “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.”
Adding a deeply personal touch to the surprise release, the script for “Gary” was co-written by stars Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Jon Bernthal. The two actors—who recently starred together on Broadway in Dog Day Afternoon and share a long collaborative history—brought their natural chemistry to the writing room, while series creator Christopher Storer stepped in to direct and ensure the episode matched the show’s distinct visual and tonal style.
Moss-Bachrach celebrated the surprise release on social media, writing: “COUSINS! PRIMOS! CUGINI!!! Get ready for GARY!!!! We are so excited to finally share this little adventure with Richie and Mikey. Written by me and [Bernthal]… Making this was a dream come true.” Unlike a standard season premiere, the episode requires a bit of hunting. “Gary” currently exists outside of Hulu’s main The Bear hub, meaning viewers have to manually search the title on the streaming platform to watch it. The stealthy rollout, heavily teased by Bernthal on Instagram just days prior, gives the installment the distinct feel of a special event rather than a traditional series episode.
Releasing “Gary” right now is a masterful stroke of table-setting by FX. By adding new emotional weight to the foundational tragedy of the series, the surprise prequel serves as the perfect, devastating appetizer for The Bear‘s upcoming fifth—and potentially final—season, which is expected to premiere later this summer.
