THE STORY – Richard “Richie” Jerimovich and Michael “Mikey” Berzatto go on a work trip to Gary, Indiana
THE CAST – Jon Bernthal, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Gillian Jacobs & Marin Ireland
THE TEAM – Christopher Storer (Director), Jon Bernthal & Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Writers)
It appears Christopher Storer and company are letting it rip once more in the lead-up to the release of the fifth and final season of “The Bear” with a surprise drop of an hour-long special titled “Gary.” The Mikey-and-Richie-focused episode has long been rumored to exist, with a brief snippet teased in the previous season as Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s Richie recounts the trip to fellow front-of-house leader Jessica, played by Sarah Ramos. This unceremonious release feels perfectly in line with the series, which over the last few years has largely abandoned the traditional promotional cycle of most television releases. It also reflects not only how sections of the audience have shifted in their perception of the series, but how Christopher Storer has intentionally evolved “The Bear” since its universally celebrated first two seasons. The show remains one of the best on television, and “Gary” serves as a potent reminder of what it looks like when “The Bear” is operating at its absolute peak while further proving why Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach are such formidable scene partners.
Bernthal and Moss-Bachrach’s professional and personal relationship stretches back years, from Netflix’s “The Punisher” to their current Broadway run of “Dog Day Afternoon.” Here, the pair are not only starring in the episode but are also credited as co-writers. Storer returns to direct a prequel episode that fills audiences in on an occasionally referenced trip to Gary, Indiana, a day Richie still looks back on with a strange sense of fondness, as the two childhood friends find themselves tasked with delivering a package for their Uncle Jimmy. Richie’s excitement over the possibility of making memories is immediately undercut by Mikey’s sour mood, irritated by having to act as Cicero’s errand boy. What Storer, Bernthal, and Moss-Bachrach create is essentially “The Bear’s” version of a hangout episode, one where Mikey and Richie’s downtime while waiting for a phone call about the delivery is filled with hilariously mundane conversations, encounters with the locals of Gary, and indulgence in their usual delinquent tendencies as they fuel the afternoon with coke and malt liquor.
One of the greatest strengths of “The Bear” has always been its ability to convey the impact Mikey had on everyone around him. How could one person leave such a lasting impression on nearly every life he touched, elevating him to this almost mythic level of reverence? And while glimpses of Mikey occasionally complicate that reverence at his worst, no actor embodies the character’s magnetic pull better than Bernthal. His first appearance in the episode “Ceres” immediately establishes the larger-than-life personality everyone has spent the series mourning. In “Gary,” Bernthal is operating at the height of his powers, leaning into all the familiar Bernthalisms that have become ingrained in the character while balancing rugged charisma, deep interior pain, and the ugliness constantly threatening to surface from within him. His chemistry with Moss-Bachrach remains unparalleled, and both actors relish the messy complications of Mikey and Richie’s friendship during this particular chapter of their lives. It’s especially fascinating watching Moss-Bachrach tap into a version of Richie that predates the transformation audiences have watched unfold over four seasons. Through a single lingering glance, he conveys a level of devastation that only further sharpens the tragedy and inevitability hanging over these two characters’ relationship from the very beginning.
It’s also a testament to Bernthal and Moss-Bachrach’s work as writers that “Gary” possesses such an effortless naturalism. Nearly every line sounds as though the actors are riffing in real time. If the sequence of Mikey and Richie drunkenly playing basketball with local teenagers were revealed to have been largely improvised, it would not be remotely surprising. The scene carries exactly the kind of loose, chaotic energy the two actors seem capable of generating naturally together. In the span of a single hour, the episode deepens not only the baggage embedded in Mikey and Richie’s shared history but also Richie’s present-day struggles with grief and fatherhood. “Gary” becomes even more rewarding by recontextualizing stories Richie has previously told throughout the series, adding another layer to Moss-Bachrach’s already richly detailed performance.
Storer confidently directs the special, once again demonstrating his gift for seamlessly integrating new actors into the world of the series. This time it comes through the understated addition of Marin Ireland as Sherri, a Gary local who functions less as a romantic interest and more as an emotional refuge for Mikey in one of the strongest dramatic scenes Bernthal has been given as the character. Ireland’s presence is immediate and deeply felt, blending naturally into the atmosphere Storer creates. It’s subtle work, but she quietly elevates every scene she’s in.
“Gary” also looks gorgeous, with Storer allowing cinematographer Andrew Wehde to fully embrace the grainy intimacy of shooting predominantly handheld on film. Even if the ending leaves lingering questions about how this story will connect to the upcoming final season, “Gary” stands as far more than a worthwhile addition to the mythology of “The Bear.” It also serves as a reminder that Bernthal and Moss-Bachrach are performers cut from the same cloth. When two actors understand their characters this deeply and clearly love showing up to work alongside one another, it radiates off the screen. “Gary” is all the evidence needed.
THE GOOD – Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach are sensational, delivering exceptional performances off their writing and Christopher Storer’s direction.
THE BAD – The ending may underwhelm some, especially with how it will tie into the final season.
THE EMMY PROSPECTS – Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series &Â Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
THE FINAL SCORE – 8/10
