CHICAGO — Ahead of its fifth and final season, “The Bear” dropped a surprise new prequel episode Tuesday featuring Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Jon Bernthal.
Titled “Gary,” the flashback episode takes viewers back several years as Mikey Berzatto (Bernthal) and Richie Jerimovich (Moss-Bachrach) go on a work trip to Gary, Indiana.
In the series, Jeremy Allen White plays chef Carmy “The Bear” Berzatto, who turns his family’s Italian beef business into a gourmet restaurant, aided by his “Cousin” Richie, played by Moss-Bachrach. When the series debuted, Carmy’s brother Mikey, played by Bernthal, had previously died by suicide, but the character has appeared in flashback episodes like the second season’s monumental “Fishes.”
White, Moss-Bachrach and Bernthal, among other “Bear” actors, have all won Emmys for their roles in the series. “The Bear” was inspired by River North’s Mr. Beef, where series creator Christopher Storer once worked.
Per the episode’s name, the show famously set in Chicago takes a mini-vacation to the neighboring state, where Mikey and Richie explore while completing a job for Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt).
According to the episode description, the road trip saga is “intimate and revealing,” uncovering “new layers of Mikey’s mental state while offering crucial insight into the man Richie is when audiences first meet him in season one — adding emotional context that reframes their story from the very beginning.”
“We are so excited to finally share this little adventure with Richie and Mikey,” Moss-Bachrach wrote in an Instagram announcement. “Making this was a dream come true. Thank you to the beautiful people of Gary, Indiana and as always Chicago, Illinois.”
Moss-Bachrach and Bernthal wrote the script and Chris Storer directed the episode.
Members of “The Bear” cast had been spotted around the area in recent months, enjoying Chicago while filming the show’s final season.
Since debuting in June 2022, “The Bear” has released a new season annually — but its upcoming season is reportedly the show’s final. While a fifth season of “The Bear” has been confirmed, there is no official release date. However, it’s expected to drop in June, which was the timeline for the previous four seasons.
From left: Sarah Ramos as Jessica, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richard “Richie” Jerimovich, Andrew Lopez as Garret and Rene Gube as Ever GM in “Forks,” a season two episode of “The Bear.” Credit: Chuck Hodes/FX
The show has racked up 21 Emmy Award wins so far, the most of any show this decade. It’s also tied with Seth Rogan’s Apple series “The Studio” for the most Emmy nominations for a comedy series, with 23 for its second season.
All four seasons of “The Bear” and the new episode “Gary” — which is listed as its own separate title — are available to watch on Hulu and Disney+.
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