One of Hulu and FX‘s biggest shows, The Bear, is set to come to an end this year when it airs its fifth and final season. Ahead of that, the series released a surprise standalone episode featuring two of its most popular characters, and may have found a way to keep the show going should they choose.

The Bear’s standalone prequel episode might be a backseat pilot

For those unaware, Hulu and FX surprised fans of The Bear this past week when they announced that a standalone prequel episode of the hit series, titled Gary, was out on the streaming service. The episode follows the characters of Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Mikey (Jon Bernthal), Carmie’s late older brother, as they head off on a work trip to Gary, Indiana.

In typical The Bear fashion, the episode is about a lot more, and without spoiling things, explores the complicated relationship that Richie and Mikey had, as well as giving us a bit more insight into Mikey’s depressive state of mind, as well as Richie’s overall character, who has changed quite a bit since we first met him in Season 1. The episode has been received well too, with mostly positive reviews from critics. While acting well as a standalone episode of the show, though, the new episode could also serve as a backdoor pilot should those involve want it to.

Ever since The Bear’s debut, fans have loved Bernthal’s portrayal of Mikey, Carmie’s older brother who is dead by the time the show starts. We’ve seen a few glimpses of Mikey throughout the series, and every time Bernthal draws praise when appearing. Likewise, Moss-Bachrach’s Richie has become a fan-favorite of the show, and his and Mikey’s relationship is something fans have been hoping got explored more by the show.

With The Bear set to come to an end with its fifth season in June, Hulu could be looking at ways to keep the hit show going in different ways. A prequel series focused on Mikey and involving Richie and others from the show could be the perfect method to doing so, although there are some hurdles, namely, Bernthal and Moss-Bachrach’s fame. Both stars have become extremely more in-demand than when The Bear started, with both stars also now appearing in several MCU projects. It’s unclear if either would want to continue working in The Bear’s universe, but should they, a series all about Richie and Mikey in their day-to-day lives would be something we’re all here for.