Ronit J

Gary (2026) Synopsis:

Richard “Richie” Jerimovich and Michael “Mikey” Berzatto go a on a work trip to Gary, Indiana.

Gary (2026) Review:

I loved the first two seasons of The Bear. I had mixed feelings about the third, and really absolutely hated the fourth season. However, Riche (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is my favourite character of the cast since the episode “Spoons”, so I was curious to see how a character focused episode between Richie & Mikey (Jon Bernthal) would play out.

The plot was pretty straightforward: Mikey & Richie have to go to Gary, Indiana, to make a drop. Tiffany (Gillian Jacobs) is pregnant and believes she might deliver her baby at 5:15 pm, so she asks Richie to come back by then. Although Gary is just a 35-minute drive away, a delay in the delivery finds Richie & Mikey encountering a range of characters.

Classic Road Trip Vibes

The episode plays out like a classic road trip. Richie & Mikey bond over their shared interests. They encounter all kinds of Indiana citizens, including a group of young basketball players, a small restaurant owner, a group of women drinking at a bar, etc. Each of these interactions is a pause from the chaos or direction of plot, immersing us into the lives of these people, including out protagonists.

Richie & Mikey have their own bonding moments, acting like kids as if they’ve just transported back to years ago. While Richie keeps checking in on Tiffany, Mikey almost hooks up with Sherri (Marin Ireland), a girl he meets at the bar. As the episode rolls forward, we see many of Richie & Mikey’s personality traits shine through, especially the negative ones.

Mikey’s facade of the responsible alpha sheds away when he does cocaine with Sherri, opening up about his traumas. Meanwhile, Richie’s irresponsible personality constantly drives the ‘story’ forward as he steers the duo towards different destinations as they wait for their contact. That is, until you realise that Richie is actually the one trying to be responsible, while Mikey uses this trip as an excuse to blow off steam.

As a character study of both Richie & Mikey, this was quite a meaningful watch. As a special episode of The Bear, it’s a mixed bag.

Strictly For Fans

There were multiple moments throughout the episode where I felt like why am I even watching this episode. I love Richie because of his character arc, but here we have a version of him that I really hate. The juvenile, irresponsible loud-mouth that we saw in the beginning of Season 1. Mikey, on the other hand, felt more nuanced, but we don’t really learn or see anything that we haven’t already in the previous seasons. What I’m trying to say is… I didn’t see the point of this episode.

The performances are brilliant, no doubt about it. But performances can’t salvage a non-existent story. If you watch this episode between Seasons 1 & 2, or even between Seasons 2 & 3, it’ll make for a good watch. But after the horrendous last two seasons, I have no patience left for either of their antics. It’s not like what they do here is any better or worse than what we’ve already seen.

If you love the show, you’ll find ample to appreciate. But if Seasons 3 & 4 have made you feel like I feel, you’re going to left with mixed feelings. As much as I loved many of the character moments in the episode, I found several others just frustratingly boring. Gary is strictly for fans only.

Gary (2026) Ending Explained (SPOILERS)

While drinking at the bar, Richie gets a call from their contact, Jimmy. He tells Richie that Mikey never called him, and he’s been waiting for hours. Mikey is about to hookup with Sherri, when Richie comes to the bathroom searching for him. Mikey says he’ll be out in a minute. At the bar, Richie confronts Mikey, whose phone is switched off. They’re running late, and he insists they go meet Jimmy. Before they leave, a drunk Mikey begins to give a toast to Richie, celebrating his fatherhood. However, the toast soon turns into a degrading tirade, mocking Richie for being a ‘fuck up’. Richie almost begins a fight, but lets it go.

The two meet Jimmy, and Richie sees that Mikey was buying plastic pump impellers. He doesn’t understand why Mikey needed a box full of them, or why they needed to drive all the way for them. It is implied that Mikey used this as an excuse, dragging Richie along because he might be jealous of Richie doing better in life, or because he felt lonely and needed a friend. Either way, the episode has caused friction between the two. On the drive back, Mikey even puts in the CD that Richie made for the drive. On the dashboard, the clock says 5:15, meaning Richie is late. Richie takes out the CD and tosses it out of the window.

In present day, Richie is sitting alone in his car on a rainy day, reminiscing that trip. As he drives forward at an intersection, a car slams into his car, and we cut to black. The implication is that this accident will serve as a backstory for Season 5. An injured Richie will be dealing with recovery and making amends, having regretted his deteriorating friendship with Mikey. On the other hand, Carmy (Jeremy Allen-White), who quit the Bear, will return to be there for his friend.

Honestly, I don’t care. If anything, this episode is another conformation for me that I don’t have the patience for these characters and won’t be watching Season 5.

Is Gary (2026) worth watching?

Depends. If you’re a fan, you’ll find a lot to appreciate. So, yes.

If you’re like me, you’re going to be left with mixed feelings. So, go in with caution. We don’t really learn a lot of new things about any of the characters, so I don’t see why we needed an hour-long episode for this. The performances are great, but apart from a few character moments, the episode was mostly a meh.

In Conclusion:

Gary (2026), a surprise special episode of The Bear, is strictly for fans only. As someone who hated Season 4, I was left with mixed feelings, and another confirmation that I won’t be watching Season 5.

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