Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Intimate prequel has drugs, smoking, innuendo, love.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Gary
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
GARY is a one-episode prequel to the award-winning series The Bear; it explores the complex relationship between Richard "Richie" Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and his late best friend Michael "Mikey" Berzatto (Jon Bernthal). It's January 2019, and the two men leave for Gary, Indiana to deliver a package with undisclosed contents on behalf of their "Uncle" Jimmy (Oliver Platt). They're treating it like a roadtrip despite the fact that their destination is only 37 miles away and Richie's pregnant wife Tiffany (Gillian Jacobs) wants him home by 5:15 p.m. When they arrive and try to make the delivery the recipient is temporarily unavailable, so the two roam around the city hanging out with locals, ultimately ending up at a bar before heading back to Chicago. Throughout it all, the two men laugh, argue, and sometimes hurt each other as they negotiate their complicated bond.
Is It Any Good?
The single episode prequel, which is mostly told as a flashback, offers an intimate backstory to the relationship between The Bear's Richie Jerimovich and Mikey Berzatto a few years before Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) takes over his late brother's failing restaurant. It captures a moment in time that reveals how the bond between the two men (who are so close they consider themselves cousins) is being strained by Richie's juvenile antics as he prepares for fatherhood and Mikey's declining mental health. The choice to focus on this period in their relationship offers important context that gives viewers a better understanding of the ongoing impact Mikey's death has on Richie, especially since The Bear's intense and emotional overall narrative is fueled by memories of him. Granted, Gary's post-flashback ending is designed to retain audiences for its parent series' fifth and final season. But this doesn't take away from the fact that it's a well-written, well-performed emotional piece of The Bear's evolving story world.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way male friendships are portrayed on TV and movies. Is it different from the way female friendships are represented? How?
How does Gary foreshadow events in The Bear? Are some of these moments more subtle than others?
TV Details
- Premiere date : May 5, 2026
- Cast : Ebon Moss-Bachrach , Jon Bernthal , Gillian Jacobs
- Network : FX
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Family Stories , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Communication
- TV rating :
- Last updated : May 13, 2026
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