The Bear's Surprise Prequel 'Gary' Signals a Return to Form for the Restaurant Drama
The new two-hander features Cousin Richie and Mikey Berzatto on a road trip, delivering a mysterious package and hinting at future plot developments.
The restaurant drama The Bear has dropped a surprise special episode titled 'Gary' without prior warning, arriving just ahead of the show's anticipated final season this summer. Written by Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Jon Bernthal, the episode serves as a flashback set in Gary, Indiana, exploring the past dynamics between their characters, Cousin Richie and Mikey Berzatto.
The narrative follows the pair on a road trip to deliver a mysterious package to an unknown customer in the hours before Richie's wife gives birth. While the story takes place in a city close enough to Chicago for a quick return trip, the episode highlights Richie's discomfort as a fish out of water, contrasting his current reformed persona with the volatile behaviour of his younger self.
Critics note that the 60-minute runtime feels elongated, with some sections described as mediocre. The episode avoids typical tropes such as showy cameos, high-end restaurant montages, or excessive flashbacks, focusing instead on a narrow road-trip narrative that keeps the story grounded.
Despite the uneven pacing, a specific scene involving a monologue by Mikey is highlighted as one of the show's greatest moments. Fuelled by booze and self-loathing, the speech is delivered like a closing time punch-up, creating a miserable yet uncomfortable atmosphere that underscores the characters' history.
The episode also appears to advance the plot, with the final scene implying that Richie will spend much of the next season injured. This development suggests a shift in the show's production style, potentially clearing the decks to regain its original focus rather than meandering through endless flashbacks.
While the specific nature of the mysterious package being delivered remains undetailed in available reports, the standalone release of 'Gary' bodes well for the upcoming season. It offers brief flashes of the magic that once made the series so brilliant, even after two subsequent seasons faced criticism for feeling disappointing.