Half hitman and half actor, Barry appeared on HBO, March 25, 2018. This show was created by Alec Berg and Bill Hader. They tell a compelling story on the life of a hitman, who wants to be an actor. This dark comedy shows how Barry (Bill Hader) controls a double life of a hitman and an actor who is trying to find his place in the world. Does Barry succeed as a comedy or is it worthy of a straight face? Let’s find out.
The main character of the story has the name of the title. Barry is an ex-special op for the military, who after his service lost his purpose in life. He met a man, named Fuchs (Stephen Root) who gave him a purpose in life and that was to be a hitman. Fuchs set up a hit for Barry in Los Angeles. Barry tailed his target and was ready to kill him. Barry followed him into an acting class, where he had to perform to not blow his cover. After performing he went out to drinks with the class and started to befriend his target. Barry found out that acting was the thing he needed to fill the void in himself and not be a hitman. After weeks of going to the acting class, the employers that wanted the target dead (which was the mob) did the job their selves. Now, they are coming after Barry for not completing the job. Barry has found his purpose in life to be an actor. He is trying his best to stay alive and become a full-time actor rather than a hitman.
Barry is a man who is extremely good at killing people but is an awful actor. He has this knack for killing people, which is useful for Fuchs to get his hitman business going since the pay is wonderful. Fuchs only wants to exploit Barry for his talents and doesn’t care about what Barry thinks or what he wants. Even after telling Fuchs that he is going to quit the killing business, Fuchs plays it off like nothing ever happened. When he realizes that Barry is serious, he tries his hardest to get Barry to stay. He is so desperate that he tries to sabotage Barry’s relationship with his acting coach Gene Cousins (Henry Winkler).
The show, Barry, is certainly a weird one with a strange premise, but it works for the show. This comedy is not afraid to really show the dark sides of humor with violence and killing. The show is funny, but it does a great job of putting drama in from the depression that comes with being a hitman to a tragic love life with Sally (Sarah Goldberg). Throughout the show, Barry has these dreams of what his life could have been if he never been a hitman. All Barry wants to do is live a normal life like his classmates at the acting class. The writing is strong, with even stronger actors really make these characters loveable. For example, NoHo Hank (Anthony Carrigan) is absolute comic gold, being a polite mobster hilarious in its own right. Your heart starts to melt when all he wants is friends and he keeps on getting pushed away.
Barry is not for the squeamish with its violence and language, overall, the show is a good watch overall. It is not the funniest show you would ever watch. Don’t get me wrong its funny but the humor gets the job done. I feel that the drama in the show is more interesting and enticing than humor. I could have gone without it and might have enjoyed the show about the same. Each season only has eight episodes each, which can be binged in a matter of a week. Barry uses ideas that shouldn’t work for good television but ends up working in all the right ways. Fans should be eager for a season three whenever that comes out. With its dark comedy and cliff hanger to keep the story moving along, season three will be welcomed with open arms.
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