Chapter Eight: Know Your Truth

Though "Barry" has been on my radar for a while, it wasn't until the third season came on up the Guardian's Top TV of 2022 that I was inspired to actually start it. Naturally, we went and began with the first season, which actually aired all the way back in 2018.

Formerly a US Marine, but now working as contract killer, Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) arrives in Los Angeles to execute a job for the Chechen mob. He follows his target to his acting class, and inadvertently becomes involved. Despite his poor performance, he finds in acting a satisfaction that isn't coming from other areas of his life and is smitten with fellow student Sally (Sarah Goldberg). He stays in L. A, and begins to attend the class, but his ties to the local gangsters and the bodycount from his real profession constantly threaten to expose him.

I really liked this first season of "Barry". It helps that I like shows and films about filmmaking and those, even tangential, links to other movies and TV productions is a factor I enjoyed here. They're not essential elements, though as "Barry" was, for me, a very funny black comedy, that married its great performances and occasional grim moments with some absolute belly laughs. Hader and Goldberg are both great and I really like that the show is not about a bad, or clumsy, hitman, like it might have been in lesser hands. Barry is reasonably proficient at this job, but it's his desperation to get out and make some proper connections that cause him to make several tactical errors.

The best humour comes from a triumvirate of co-stars though, I really liked Anthony Carrigan in "Gotham" where he was often sardonically funny and given the opportunity to be more traditionally funny here, he's great. Stephen Root, a comedic actor whose never got the recognition he deserves despite the career of brilliance is again...well... brilliant as Barry's handler Fuches. One perhaps stands above all though, Henry Winkler has proved a versatile comedic actor since his days on "Happy Days", but I don't think he's ever been better than he is in this as Gene Cousineau, who runs the acting class that Barry joins. So much great character work, and delivery of excellent lines ("Equal parts loud and wrong"), it very much deserved the Emmy he won.

I understand that I've timed this pretty well, as there are two more seasons to watch before the fourth and final begins this month. Can't wait.

This was such a great finale that both wraps up the arcs and storylines of the season while also promising more by working as a setup for whats to come!

I honestly think Barry and his character-arc was the highlight of the season! Very satisfying to see him go from a guy who didn't know what he wanted or who he was, to realising you have a choice to live the oife you want to live! The previous episode was a turning point for him! He has been killing people for so long and now he rxperiences consequences! He wants to change even if it is difficult!

The show once again balances light stuff with dark stuff very well! You get all kinds of emotions! I am very excited to see where we go from here!

I realize that many Barry fans went goo-goo over Chapter 7, where Barry delivers his single line as Seyton in "Macbeth" with such emotion that Gene and Emily think he's made a breakthrough as an actor.

Bill Hader won an Emmy for that episode, in fact. However, not to take anything away from Hader's performance in that episode, which was fine, but a lot of the impact in Chapter 7 was due to the editing, inter-mingled with Hader's acting. And overall, it was all-drama and no comedy.

Now we come to the Chapter 8 finale of Season 1. The first half is almost all comedy. Very funny lines but frankly the writers made the right decision with Goran. A little shtick goes a long way.

Then fade-to-black for a few seconds. And a FFW to an idyllic day at Gene's cottage. Is this a dream sequence? I dunno, since I haven't watched Season 2 yet. But the fact Barry goes from lying on his back in bed next to Emily, and the final scene has Barry in exactly the same position makes me believe that may be the case.

Nevertheless, there is heart-stopping drama in those final few minutes of the episode. If that scene is on the level, kudos to the writers for making such a bold choice.

Which brings me to Paula Newsome. Is this woman magical, or what? I am in love with her as Henry Winkler's character.

I can hardly wait to start binge-watching Season 2.

I am quite surprised that a show such as this has as good a story as it does. From its premise and comedic presentation, I didn't expect such a deep character study of Barry the reluctant hitman, and certainly not to have my emotions wrenched in this rather spectacular finale. Yet, I am more than happy with the outcome, brought to fruition by Bill Hader's excellent performance and the vision of Alec Berg. I definitely think this is the best role that Hader has ever played, though granted I have only seen him in his big screen work and comedies with Seth Rogen etc. The supporting cast are fine, especially Stephen Root and Henry Winkler, but this is unquestionably Hader's show and he drives it well.

After the dramatic climax of Barry's last mission, he obviously reached a point where he had to take serious action to ensure his own peace of mind and even his life. I find the trope of the 'unkillable hitman' who is the master of any situation quite trite usually, it's my main problem with the John Wick franchise, but Barry subverts this by including it as a gag initially and as a curse for Barry towards the end of the season. It's not that he can't get out of a fight, it's that he mustn't get into a fight, for fear of destroying the new life and passions that he has found, and really, that's what the show is about. It's a great balance of comedy from, at first, stereotype characters who you do grow attached to throughout the season, and the drama of Barry's character and the duality of his life. As the story has been leading up to this, the finale shows us the aftermath of Barry severing his ties to his old job (I know we've been shown glimpses of a 'future' where Barry has a child, but I think we still need confirmation on whether all that was a dream or not). Everything seems to be going perfectly, capitalized upon with a hilarious scene with Winkler's Gene Cousineau singing, but the writers cleverly factor in a subtle mention of an earlier scene in the presence of Gene's new police girlfriend that threatens everything Barry has worked for.

I thoroughly enjoyed this finale, and I will soon be delving into the second season. It's clear to see there's a lot more to be said with the story and the new dynamics of the characters, and I have no doubt that that will produce some quality developments. Looking forward to seeing new characters added to the mix, also. Besides that, there's not really all that much to be said without spoiling the finale, which you should watch if you haven't already. I'll see you at the end of Season 2.

What a season finale wow. Looking forward for season 2