Surprise, cousin! Ahead of the fifth (and final) season of The Bear this summer, FX just dropped a secret bonus episode of the culinary FX drama featuring Mikey (Jon Bernthal) and Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). The two stars—who are currently acting on stage together in Broadway’s Dog Day Afternoon—announced the surprise episode via Instagram with a very excited caption.
“COUSINS! PRIMOS! CUGINI!!! Get ready for GARY!!!!” Moss-Bachrach wrote. “We are so excited to finally share this little adventure with Richie and Mikey. Written by me and Jon Bernthal. Directed by the one Christopher Storer. Making this was a dream come true. Thanks to the beautiful people of Gary, Indiana and as always Chicago, Illinois.”
The hour-long episode, titled “Gary,” showcases the close friendship between Mikey Berzatto and his “cousin” Richie. The story takes place during a road trip to Gary, Indiana, around the time of the “Fishes” episode in season 2. The two stars play three-on-three basketball with some local children, and Mikey has a seemingly magical experience with a woman at a bar. But if fans remember their previous heartfelt Christmas disaster in “Fishes,” then viewers should prepare themselves for another tear-jerking flashback from The Bear crew.
“When we started to shoot that scene, the temperature in the room changed,” Moss-Bachrach said about shooting “Fishes” last year in an interview alongside Matty Matheson. “It was intense,” his costar agreed. “When there’s that many people caring about their craft, and trying to deliver a scene that was a massive moment in time… but all said and done, I think everyone was really happy with what they put into it.”
The FX series has backtracked to spend more time with Mikey on a few occasions now. Bernthal’s first appearance in season 1 highlighted his character’s relationship with his brother Carmy (Jeremy Allen White). Then, audiences saw the award-winning “Fishes” episode with the whole Berzatto family, followed by another guest appearance alongside Tina (Liza Colòn-Reyes) in season 3. But this latest surprise episode is the first time we really understand the connection between Mikey and cousin Richie.
“Gary” also acts as a prelude to the fifth season of The Bear, which picks back up in the present after Carmy decides to leave the restaurant in the season 4 finale. While the flashback doesn’t give out any clues as to how everyone is faring in their new post-Carmy workplace just yet, it certainly feels like material that’s setting us up for the end of the story.
We’ll find out if Carmy ever fires up a grill again when Richie returns for the final season of The Bear, which will likely debut later this June.
