yikes

It already feels like 2023 is going to be a tough year for TV. Not in the sense that there's a lot of bad TV, but because a lot of my favorites are ending. Having already lost "Atlanta" and "Better Call Saul" last year, I'm gearing up for the finale of "Succession," which is sure to be a real doozy; however, I'm also slowly getting ready for the finale of "Barry," which has just premiered it's fourth and final season, and I'm definitely not ready. If the premiere is showing anything about this season, it's that there's no stopping this from being an explosive finale.

A lot has changed since the finale of the third season. Seeing Barry in prison definitely feels weird, but considering everything that he has done throughout the show to this point, there's a nice sense of justice to it, despite the sense that it's not going to be there for long. He's certainly a great character, but not even the best of us can escape our demons. However, Barry doesn't necessarily show signs of slowing down his criminal ways, although it seems like he's slowly trying to mend his own wounds by allowing himself to be punished in the most gruesome of ways. At the same time, Gene is living the good life at the moment, but may also be walking a tightrope over a very interesting moral question that he'll have to ask himself in the coming weeks. The episode doesn't lack it's setups and there's a lot of different arcs to keep track of now that none of them are essentially linked to Barry, with the exception of Fuches. It'll be interesting to see where they all go, especially NoHo Hank's storyline which seems to set up a return to the criminal world in a very unique way. The only storyline that's raising a few questions is Sally's. Not a lot of time was dedicated to her in this episode and the direction of that storyline seems to be very much focused on her grieving. She's a great character, so here's hoping that it'll lead to great things for her to do eventually.

"yikes" is a great start to this new season of "Barry," which feels like it's starting off again with a slate that's been wiped clean. A lot of arcs to follow, but the characters still feel as rich as they did when the show started and I'm so excited to see where this all leads.

Barry returns for Season 4.

Barry's in jail. Fuches is in jail. Gene is the prosecution's star witness. Cristobal and NoHo are living blissfully in Santa Fe.

So far, so good.

Problem is Sally is still a character. I was kinda hoping that her flight out of L. A. at the end of Season 3 meant the end of her in the show. Alas, Season 4 has her returning home to her parents. And right on queue she's throwing a fit in her mom's car as mom is trying to order fries and a Coke at a drive-through.

Does Sarah Goldberg's contract include a bonus for winning an Emmy? All she does is scream and cry.

Indeed, Sally's dad - in dialogue that is more on-the-nose than viewers probably realize - tries to comfort Sally by saying to her, "How's our little Meryl Streep doing?"

Bingo.

The whole episode was so dark I was tempted to stop it halfway through and go back Season 1, Episode 1 when the show took itself less seriously.

I enjoyed the season opening and am excited for where the show is headed, it feels a bit like a slow burn but into episode 2 the story really starts speeding up.

I just can't ignore that it feels much more serious and almost bleak in tone compared with previous seasons, hopefully we will get some more tonally balanced episodes later down the line, but I can see the show taking this tone for the remainder too - which might not be a bad thing as it feels more artistic, and surreal, but looses its comedic timing for me in this opening.

The performances, writing, cinematography, music and especially some of the incredible transitions really stand out to me as high points, however the bleak tone and dramatically toned down visual comedy- heck, it feels like they've cranked down all the comedy leave me wondering just how much I'll enjoy the rest of the season.

After season 3's explosive finish, season 4 starts off slower, electing to tie up loose ends and make sure they lead cleanly into the new plot lines and story arcs. I had high expectations that were met, as every lingering question after s3 was followed with not only an answer, but another question that keeps you in your seat and excited for more. Bill Hader does fantastic work as the titular Barry, as the atmosphere is utterly palpable whenever they're onscreen. While I was worried about the team fumbling the series at the finish line, as some phenomenal series have before, if this episode is anything to go by, Barry Season 4 is heading in the right direction.

Bill Hader said that season 4 was going to lean more into the dramatic aspects of Barry this season, and I am here for it.

The comedy is still there. I can't help but chuckle when whenever Hank is on screen.

But the performances from the whole cast this episode was nothing short of remarkable. Bill Hader doesn't skip a beat from his stellar performance in season 3's finale, showing Barry going on an ever steeper decline. Sarah Goldberg gives an equally amazing performance with Sally dealing with the aftermath of Barry's arrest.

This is shaping up to me one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite shows of all time!