Looks like we’re heading on a roadtrip out of Chicago, Illinois to Gary, Indiana. The Bear just dropped a surprise episode that follows Richie and Mikey in a special flashback as they head to the small town that MJ is from for a special job from Jimmy. What kind of unexpected secrets will they find? Well, we’re about to tell you everything that went down in the surprise episode, including how that wild ending fits into season 5. Oh, and did we mention that it was co-written by Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Jon Bernthal?
Here’s the ultimate breakdown of what happened in ‘Gary,’ the surprise episode of The Bear.
So, wait, they’re in Gary, Indiana?!
Looks like we’re not in Chicago anymore, cousin! Mikey and Richie end up traveling over to Gary to complete a drop for Jimmy. What exactly are they dropping off? They don’t even know. Either way, this is a big deal especially for Richie who wants to prove himself to both Jimmy and Tiffany, who is about to go into labor.
As they wait to hear back from the other person involved in the transaction, Mikey and Richie decide to take in the sights of the town, grabbing some hot dogs at a nearby spot that reminds them of The Beef and playing some basketball with some ruthless teens who aren’t afraid of trash talking them back.
After a few hours, they hit up a corner store where they split a 40 and snort some cocaine. While driving around town, Richie notices a bar they didn’t see before, saying that it’s a sign that they should walk inside. Mikey decides to stay in the car until Richie sends over a mysterious woman who asks him if he plays for the Blackhawks. Mikey lies to her and says that he is and they proceed to walk into the bar.
Over the next few hours, the two drink and get closer with the bar patrons, with Mikey staying close to the mystery woman who reveals her name to be Sherri from Portland, Maine.
Wait, what about the drop?
As they all tell stories, Mikey gets very close to Sherri and the two get real about their lives and what they’ve gone through while smoking and doing drugs in the bathroom. Mikey notes that people don’t ever believe him to be someone who finishes things. He also talks about his relationship with his mother and how it changed over the years. Mikey opens up about his depression and feels a deep connection to Sherri.
Meanwhile, Richie gets even drunker as the day goes on and lies to Tiffany over the phone, telling him that he’s still meeting up with some “clients” which she quickly doesn’t buy.
The other patrons try to warn Richie about the train, which they could get stuck behind on their way back to Chicago and could keep him from getting back in time to Tiffany who believes she will give birth at a specific time just like her mother. After several attempts of trying to reach Jimmy and many shots, Richie finds out that Mikey’s phone lost battery and that their drop is actually supposed to happen shortly.
Richie pushes Mikey to complete their job and Mikey starts on a speech, noting the earlier magic that Richie mentioned when he first spotted the bar.
“Any second now he’s gonna be a dad. Not only that, but he’s happy. He’s happy. Rich, you’re happy. Right now, I swear this is…this is the most… It’s, like, the most healthy and, like, you’re-you’re…you’re full,” Mikey says. “You’re full and I love it. He’s in love, you know? Fucker can’t wait to be a father either.”
However, after a few more moments, Mikey switches things up and says, “Kid’s gonna end up abandoned and alone just like he was.” Sherri tries to stop him from going further, but Mikey continues on with his speech saying, “The one thing that you can absolutely fucking depend on with this fucking guy is that if he is involved, he’s going to fuck it up.”
Well, that’s messed up…
Oh, absolutely! Thankfully, Sherri is there to stop them from actually fighting, as Mikey continues to try to rile up Richie. The two leave the bar to make it to their drop, where they not only discover that they actually delivered plastic pump impellers, but that the FedEx strike is now over which means Jimmy won’t need them to do another run.
The guys head back to Chicago and Mikey tries to change the mood again by playing Richie’s special mix CD, but Richie takes it from the player and throws it out the window. The two get stuck behind the train, keeping them from moving forward back home.
But, wait, there’s more!
We then flash forward back to the present, where Richie is sitting by himself in a car on a super rainy day. He seems to be thinking about his time with Michael when the car behind him honks to move forward. As he stops a little bit further, he realizes that a car is coming straight at him and he yells, “Stop!” as the incoming car crashes into him and the screen fades to black.
Wait, that’s seriously where it ends?!
Yep, we have no idea how bad Richie got hurt, but at least we know his car got hit on the passenger side, so hopefully it’s only some minor scratches. Still, we won’t know the truth until season 5 premieres, so we’re gonna have to wait until then to see what happens to Cousin.
