After wrapping up his four-season run on HBO’s acclaimed dark comedy Barry, Henry Winkler has been set to receive USC Comedy’s prestigious Oakie Award for Exceptional Achievements in Film and Television Comedy.
Part of the Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne Oakie Masters of Comedy Lecture Series, the award presentation will take place on Tuesday, March 5 at 7:00 pm and will include an in-depth conversation with Winkler, moderated by Barry‘s co-creator and star, Bill Hader. In addition to Hader, past recipients of the Oakie Award include Catherine O’Hara, Nancy Meyers, Kenya Barris, Steve Carell, James Burrows, Paul Feig, Mel Brooks, James L. Brooks, Judd Apatow, Lisa Kudrow, Barnet Kellman, David Isaacs, Phil Rosenthal, and Tim Story.
In a statement on Winkler’s forthcoming recognition, David Isaacs, Co-Chair of USC Comedy and Chair of the John Wells Division of Writing for Screen & Television, said: “Henry Winkler’s indelible mark...
Part of the Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne Oakie Masters of Comedy Lecture Series, the award presentation will take place on Tuesday, March 5 at 7:00 pm and will include an in-depth conversation with Winkler, moderated by Barry‘s co-creator and star, Bill Hader. In addition to Hader, past recipients of the Oakie Award include Catherine O’Hara, Nancy Meyers, Kenya Barris, Steve Carell, James Burrows, Paul Feig, Mel Brooks, James L. Brooks, Judd Apatow, Lisa Kudrow, Barnet Kellman, David Isaacs, Phil Rosenthal, and Tim Story.
In a statement on Winkler’s forthcoming recognition, David Isaacs, Co-Chair of USC Comedy and Chair of the John Wells Division of Writing for Screen & Television, said: “Henry Winkler’s indelible mark...
- 2/21/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Anthony Carrigan was supposed to die in the first episode of Barry. And yet, his cheerful Chechen mobster in the crime-comedy series managed to survive for four seasons.
“I was really rewarded with the opportunity to have this arc with Hank in which he starts off as this lovable goofball who’s continuously failing upward and his naivete gets him through these experiences unscathed,” Carrigan tells Rolling Stone.
Barry, which has nearly a dozen Emmy nods this year, follows war veteran turned hitman Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) who, searching for a new calling,...
“I was really rewarded with the opportunity to have this arc with Hank in which he starts off as this lovable goofball who’s continuously failing upward and his naivete gets him through these experiences unscathed,” Carrigan tells Rolling Stone.
Barry, which has nearly a dozen Emmy nods this year, follows war veteran turned hitman Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) who, searching for a new calling,...
- 1/14/2024
- by Kalia Richardson
- Rollingstone.com
Whether it’s the conclusion of juggernaut hits or new shows that sparked conversation, the television medium delivered in 2023.
The anticipated adaptation of “Daisy Jones & the Six” kept us dancing (and crying) in the spring, while the brilliantly devastating conclusion of “Succession” left us catching our breath in May. “The Last of Us” reminded us of the real emotional stakes of a zombie apocalypse, and Netflix’s “Beef” showed us the depths a person can go to when seeking retribution.
The historic Hollywood double strikes delayed the returns of our favorite broadcast series in the fall, but streaming series like “The Buccaneers” and “The Curse,” and linear hits like “The Golden Bachelor” and “Fargo” kept us glued to our screens this year.
Check out TheWrap’s staff picks for the best TV shows of 2023 below.
The cast of “Abbott Elementary.” (ABC)
“Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
The second season of “Abbott Elementary...
The anticipated adaptation of “Daisy Jones & the Six” kept us dancing (and crying) in the spring, while the brilliantly devastating conclusion of “Succession” left us catching our breath in May. “The Last of Us” reminded us of the real emotional stakes of a zombie apocalypse, and Netflix’s “Beef” showed us the depths a person can go to when seeking retribution.
The historic Hollywood double strikes delayed the returns of our favorite broadcast series in the fall, but streaming series like “The Buccaneers” and “The Curse,” and linear hits like “The Golden Bachelor” and “Fargo” kept us glued to our screens this year.
Check out TheWrap’s staff picks for the best TV shows of 2023 below.
The cast of “Abbott Elementary.” (ABC)
“Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
The second season of “Abbott Elementary...
- 12/19/2023
- by Jose Alejandro Bastidas, Dessi Gomez, Sharon Knolle, Kayla Cobb, Lucas Manfredi, Drew Taylor, Loree Seitz, Adam Chitwood, Raquel 'Rocky' Harris, Andi Ortiz, Haleigh Foutch
- The Wrap
Henry Winkler was an acclaimed television actor well before “Barry,” but his performance as Gene Cousineau, the acting coach who became something of a paternal role model to Bill Hader’s hitman Barry Berkman, brought him to all new creative heights.
In an interview with “Today” on NBC, the actor admitted that he wouldn’t have been able to take on the role in all its “texture” and complexity without first working with a therapist.
The actor has been open about the emotional toll performing the character took on him, and admitted to Willie Geist that he “could not have done ‘Barry’ without having met” a therapist who helped him unlock the emotions needed to pull off the part.
Winkler’s Cousineau is a challenging figure. Self-absorbed and even narcissistic, the character has managed to cut off industry friends and is teaching a group of acting students who worship him when he and Barry meet.
In an interview with “Today” on NBC, the actor admitted that he wouldn’t have been able to take on the role in all its “texture” and complexity without first working with a therapist.
The actor has been open about the emotional toll performing the character took on him, and admitted to Willie Geist that he “could not have done ‘Barry’ without having met” a therapist who helped him unlock the emotions needed to pull off the part.
Winkler’s Cousineau is a challenging figure. Self-absorbed and even narcissistic, the character has managed to cut off industry friends and is teaching a group of acting students who worship him when he and Barry meet.
- 11/12/2023
- by Stephanie Kaloi
- The Wrap
Upon winning his first Emmy for “Ted Lasso” in 2021, Jason Sudeikis followed Donald Glover as only the second 21st century Best Comedy Actor victor to be honored for a pilot episode performance. After taking the gold for appearing in 20 minutes of his show’s debut installment, he was lauded for a second season submission in which his screen time fell just under 10 minutes. Now, on his third and seemingly final bid for the Apple TV+ series, he is looking to be rewarded for a performance that is nearly the combined size of his former two.
In terms of screen time in each of their single chosen episodes, Sudeikis outpaces all four of his 2023 competitors by at least 94 seconds. On average, this group of leading men’s submitted performances are 19 minutes and 21 seconds long and take up 43.31% of their episodes. This data was calculated using a basic definition of stand-alone screen time,...
In terms of screen time in each of their single chosen episodes, Sudeikis outpaces all four of his 2023 competitors by at least 94 seconds. On average, this group of leading men’s submitted performances are 19 minutes and 21 seconds long and take up 43.31% of their episodes. This data was calculated using a basic definition of stand-alone screen time,...
- 9/7/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Barry Season 4, Episode 5 Zachary Golinger, Bill Hader Credit: Merrick Morton/HBO
Weekly Commentary: Jason Sudeikis from “Ted Lasso” and Jeremy Allen White from “The Bear” have never lost a televised award. They will face off for the first time at the Emmys in January.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Barry Season 4, Episode 5 Zachary Golinger, Bill Hader Credit: Merrick Morton/HBO
Weekly Commentary: Jason Sudeikis from “Ted Lasso” and Jeremy Allen White from “The Bear” have never lost a televised award. They will face off for the first time at the Emmys in January.
- 8/17/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
“Barry” will compete for the fourth and final time at the 2023 Emmys with its last season. The HBO tragicomedy has had a successful awards showing throughout its entire run, with star and co-showrunner Bill Hader nabbing two Emmys for acting (2018 and ’19) and Henry Winkler finally claiming his first Primetime trophy (2018). Even though Season 4 nabbed “Barry’s” lowest nomination tally at the Emmys, it still sustained double digits with 11 bids, including Best Comedy Series, as part of HBO’s total of the most noms for a network at 123. Read on for a closer look at Barry’s 11 Emmy nominations for Season 4.
In the comedy series race, “Barry” is the only HBO program competing. With 11 nominations, it is tied with Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” and is surpassed in sequence by Netflix’s “Wednesday” at 12, FX’s “The Bear” at 13, Amazon Prime Video’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” at 14 and...
In the comedy series race, “Barry” is the only HBO program competing. With 11 nominations, it is tied with Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” and is surpassed in sequence by Netflix’s “Wednesday” at 12, FX’s “The Bear” at 13, Amazon Prime Video’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” at 14 and...
- 8/13/2023
- by Christopher Tsang
- Gold Derby
The fourth and final season of Barry was unlike its previous three, with the HBO comedy becoming darker and deadlier as hitman Barry Berkman (co-creator Bill Hader) reaches his endgame. Yet the Television Academy’s love for the show didn’t waver; after winning nine Emmys in its first three seasons — including lead actor wins for Bill Hader and a supporting actor trophy for Henry Winkler — Barry returns to competition with 11 nominations, including four for Hader (for acting, directing, writing and producing the series) and individual nods for supporting actors Winkler and Anthony Carrigan.
Bill Hader
Speaking with THR the day of the nominations announcement, Hader details how the writing team figured out that a midseason eight-year time jump was the best way to tackle the end of Barry’s story, telegraphs his disappointment that co-stars Sarah Goldberg and Stephen Root were passed over for Emmy noms, and reiterates that...
Bill Hader
Speaking with THR the day of the nominations announcement, Hader details how the writing team figured out that a midseason eight-year time jump was the best way to tackle the end of Barry’s story, telegraphs his disappointment that co-stars Sarah Goldberg and Stephen Root were passed over for Emmy noms, and reiterates that...
- 8/10/2023
- by Tyler Coates
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Less than an hour after now three-time Emmy-nominated Barry star Anthony Carrigan was unveiled as one of the stars of DC’s forthcoming Superman: Legacy, the actor got on the phone with Deadline to talk about his excitement regarding the role, the resonance it had for him, his preparation for the audition and more.
“I’m gobsmacked,” Carrigan admitted when it comes to the Superman news. “I think it’s just such an exciting new chapter, and such an exciting new chapter for DC. I think this movie has the potential to just really knock everyone’s socks off, and with James Gun at the helm, I think it’s just going to be so much fun.”
Continued the actor, “I’m thrilled to be a part of it. I’m honored to be playing this part, and I’m playing a hero. So, on top of everything, that’s pretty rad.
“I’m gobsmacked,” Carrigan admitted when it comes to the Superman news. “I think it’s just such an exciting new chapter, and such an exciting new chapter for DC. I think this movie has the potential to just really knock everyone’s socks off, and with James Gun at the helm, I think it’s just going to be so much fun.”
Continued the actor, “I’m thrilled to be a part of it. I’m honored to be playing this part, and I’m playing a hero. So, on top of everything, that’s pretty rad.
- 7/12/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Barry‘s Anthony Carrigan is having a top-notch day, having been announced as part of the cast of James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy just after landing his third Emmy nomination for his work on the HBO dark comedy.
Carrigan has been tapped for the role of superhero Metamorpho, whose alter ego is the archaeologist Rex Mason. David Corenswet is Clark Kent aka Superman, as previously announced, with Rachel Brosnahan as his love interest Lois Lane, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner aka Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific.
DC co-chief Gunn is directing the film, discussed as the first in a DC franchise reset, from his own script. Studio co-boss Peter Safran is producing the pic, drawing on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
Carrigan has done stand-out work across four seasons of HBO’s Barry, finding himself at the center of many...
Carrigan has been tapped for the role of superhero Metamorpho, whose alter ego is the archaeologist Rex Mason. David Corenswet is Clark Kent aka Superman, as previously announced, with Rachel Brosnahan as his love interest Lois Lane, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner aka Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific.
DC co-chief Gunn is directing the film, discussed as the first in a DC franchise reset, from his own script. Studio co-boss Peter Safran is producing the pic, drawing on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
Carrigan has done stand-out work across four seasons of HBO’s Barry, finding himself at the center of many...
- 7/12/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
During a recent Gold Derby video interview, contributing editor Tony Ruiz spoke in-depth with Henry Winkler (“Barry”) about Season 4 of his HBO dark comedy, which is eligible at the 2023 Emmys. Watch the full video above and read the complete interview transcript below.
Spoiler Alert! The show’s final episodes find former acting coach Gene Cousineau (Winkler) suddenly accused of all of Barry Berkman’s (Bill Hader) crimes, to the point that even Gene’s own son believes in his father’s guilt. The series ends rather tragically for Gene, as he kills Barry in cold blood and then gets sent to prison.
When Winkler first learned about his character’s ultimate fate, “I went and had an avocado toast because I started to shake,” he confessed in our webchat. “I’m a pretty verbal guy. I had nothing to say.” The actor later added, “I think that in his mind,...
Spoiler Alert! The show’s final episodes find former acting coach Gene Cousineau (Winkler) suddenly accused of all of Barry Berkman’s (Bill Hader) crimes, to the point that even Gene’s own son believes in his father’s guilt. The series ends rather tragically for Gene, as he kills Barry in cold blood and then gets sent to prison.
When Winkler first learned about his character’s ultimate fate, “I went and had an avocado toast because I started to shake,” he confessed in our webchat. “I’m a pretty verbal guy. I had nothing to say.” The actor later added, “I think that in his mind,...
- 6/27/2023
- by Latasha Ford and Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Last month, HBO said goodbye to two of its signature series: “Succession,” a tale of three born billionaires vying to replace their aging patriarch; and “Barry,” an action comedy that unlocked new levels of ambition in its star-auteur, Bill Hader. Fans — and, one presumes, the network — were left with a vacuum the next seasons of “The White Lotus” and “House of the Dragon” are too far off to fill. Fortunately, a show that combines the best of both its erstwhile peers returns June 18 for a third season. “The Righteous Gemstones” remains consistent in its outrageous opulence and crude humor, but its latest chapter is unusually well timed.
Like “Succession,” “The Righteous Gemstones” follows a family poisoned by wealth and power at a crucial inflection point; like “Barry,” the show has a visual panache that defies our expectations for a half-hour comedy. But unlike either show, “The Righteous Gemstones” resists the...
Like “Succession,” “The Righteous Gemstones” follows a family poisoned by wealth and power at a crucial inflection point; like “Barry,” the show has a visual panache that defies our expectations for a half-hour comedy. But unlike either show, “The Righteous Gemstones” resists the...
- 6/16/2023
- by Alison Herman
- Variety Film + TV
Please note, the following interview was done outside of the FYC event series as there was no cast panel or screening.
Talk about going out with a bang.
After a four-season run that saw him claim an Emmy and three nominations, among numerous other major accolades, Henry Winkler’s time with HBO’s Barry has finally come to a close.
It was on May 28th that he took his final bow as Gene Cousineau, the acting teacher of Bill Hader’s hitman Barry Berkman, who sought, but never made the effort to earn, redemption for his crimes. Barry managed in the end to escape all responsibility, leaving Gene to take the fall for his many misdeeds after he was shot and killed by his one-time mentor.
Henry Winkler on Barry
But even if Cousineau is now serving life in prison, Winkler on Saturday took full advantage of his freedom by...
Talk about going out with a bang.
After a four-season run that saw him claim an Emmy and three nominations, among numerous other major accolades, Henry Winkler’s time with HBO’s Barry has finally come to a close.
It was on May 28th that he took his final bow as Gene Cousineau, the acting teacher of Bill Hader’s hitman Barry Berkman, who sought, but never made the effort to earn, redemption for his crimes. Barry managed in the end to escape all responsibility, leaving Gene to take the fall for his many misdeeds after he was shot and killed by his one-time mentor.
Henry Winkler on Barry
But even if Cousineau is now serving life in prison, Winkler on Saturday took full advantage of his freedom by...
- 6/12/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
This article contains spoilers for the "Barry" series finale.
Hollywood and the truth aren't on speaking terms; it's a business founded on make-believe, after all. That's why it's the perfect setting for "Barry." I've written before that the series questions whether people can truly change, and its answer is that most settle for just pretending to be somebody else. Reckoning with the truth can be hard, and the series' epilogue shows how yet another comforting lie won out over reality.
The last scene of the series is John Berkman (Jaeden Martell), the teenage son of Barry (Bill Hader) and Sally (Sarah Goldberg), watching "The Mask Collector" — a highly inaccurate, sensationalized version of his father's life and how it intertwined with the life of acting teacher Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler). "Barry" has always had a satirical outlook on the entertainment industry, and "The Mask Collector" — an overt critique of the true-crime...
Hollywood and the truth aren't on speaking terms; it's a business founded on make-believe, after all. That's why it's the perfect setting for "Barry." I've written before that the series questions whether people can truly change, and its answer is that most settle for just pretending to be somebody else. Reckoning with the truth can be hard, and the series' epilogue shows how yet another comforting lie won out over reality.
The last scene of the series is John Berkman (Jaeden Martell), the teenage son of Barry (Bill Hader) and Sally (Sarah Goldberg), watching "The Mask Collector" — a highly inaccurate, sensationalized version of his father's life and how it intertwined with the life of acting teacher Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler). "Barry" has always had a satirical outlook on the entertainment industry, and "The Mask Collector" — an overt critique of the true-crime...
- 6/5/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
The eligibility window for this year’s Emmys cycle closed May 31. The hanging episode rule has gone the way of Barry Berkman, which means this week’s TV awards contenders to watch are kind of an odd bunch: mostly episodes that aired earlier in the week or currently airing shows whose full seasons won’t be eligible. But you don’t care about that — you just want to know what shows are worth watching.
A nominee in 2022 for Best Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series, the extremely memeable sketch comedy “I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson” returned to Netflix for its highly anticipated third season on May 30, making its six episodes eligible for this year’s awards cycle. The unpredictable series from Robinson and Zach Kanin earned the former the award for Best Short Form Actor in 2022 (the show lost to “Carpool Karaoke: The Series”). There is...
A nominee in 2022 for Best Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series, the extremely memeable sketch comedy “I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson” returned to Netflix for its highly anticipated third season on May 30, making its six episodes eligible for this year’s awards cycle. The unpredictable series from Robinson and Zach Kanin earned the former the award for Best Short Form Actor in 2022 (the show lost to “Carpool Karaoke: The Series”). There is...
- 6/3/2023
- by Kaitlin Thomas
- Gold Derby
In the HBO series Barry, some of the nuanced characters present in the narrative had a big impact on both the plot and Barry’s personal life. Gene Cousineau and Barry’s girlfriend Sally were two of the most important characters on the show since their presence in this entertaining dark comedy raised the bar and added complexity to the show. Gene Cousineau was one of the most complex characters, with a contradictory nature and a hilarious comic approach. Every time he appeared on screen, he had the ability to change the mood of the story. Viewers could go from hating him to sympathizing with him, finding his character engaging and very human. In fact, all the characters in Barry were portrayed as very human, highlighting the basic nature of humanity and our propensity to make mistakes. However, Gene Cousineau excelled at creating perilous situations for himself, making him one...
- 5/30/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
Over the course of the past five years, the critically acclaimed series Barry displayed the journey of Barry Berkman, a former marine seeking a fresh start in life. However, his path took an unexpected turn when he was manipulated and recruited by his father’s friend, Fuches, to become a contract killer. Initially, Barry found himself conflicted with his newfound profession. He discovered that his targets were not always the “bad guys,” as he had been led to believe. Nevertheless, he felt compelled to carry out his assignments. In an attempt to break free from the cycle of violence, Barry turned to acting and found solace in the company of Sally, an aspiring actress with whom he fell in love. Barry saw acting as a means to bring about a significant change in his life. However, circumstances constantly pulled him back into the world of killing. Throughout the four seasons,...
- 5/30/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
This article contains spoilers for the "Barry" finale as well as "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang."
Satire is one of the oldest artistic impulses; to mock and examine whatever systems, order, or supposed truths exist in any given era. Although cinema is a relatively young medium, it's no surprise that an enormous number of satires of the film and television industries have been made nearly since movies began.
HBO's "Barry," which concluded its four-season run this past Sunday night, proudly belongs to this long-standing tradition of biting the hand that feeds it, seeing as "Barry" is a highly cinematic TV series set in and around Hollywood. The grand satiric irony baked into the show's premise is the idea of a professional assassin, Barry Berkman, arriving in L.A. and deciding to try and have an acting career. The latent joke is, of course, that the showbiz world is just as morally...
Satire is one of the oldest artistic impulses; to mock and examine whatever systems, order, or supposed truths exist in any given era. Although cinema is a relatively young medium, it's no surprise that an enormous number of satires of the film and television industries have been made nearly since movies began.
HBO's "Barry," which concluded its four-season run this past Sunday night, proudly belongs to this long-standing tradition of biting the hand that feeds it, seeing as "Barry" is a highly cinematic TV series set in and around Hollywood. The grand satiric irony baked into the show's premise is the idea of a professional assassin, Barry Berkman, arriving in L.A. and deciding to try and have an acting career. The latent joke is, of course, that the showbiz world is just as morally...
- 5/29/2023
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
[This story contains major spoilers from the series finale of Barry, “Wow.”]
It’d be understandable if you expected things not to work out for Sarah Goldberg’s Sally Reed in the series finale of HBO’s Barry.
After all, things hadn’t been going her way for a while. In season three, just as she finally achieved the success she’d yearned for, the rug was pulled out from under her when her show is canceled (and so is she, after a career-ending outburst and her association with her hitman ex-boyfriend Barry Berkman, played by writer-director-star Bill Hader). In season four, Sally is a shell of herself — or at least she thinks so. Viewers saw her find her way back to Los Angeles and follow Gene Cousineau’s (Henry Winkler) path, pivoting from acting to teaching acting. And while it’s something she’s good at, it’s not the thing she wants. Her ego, eventually, gets in her way once again.
It’d be understandable if you expected things not to work out for Sarah Goldberg’s Sally Reed in the series finale of HBO’s Barry.
After all, things hadn’t been going her way for a while. In season three, just as she finally achieved the success she’d yearned for, the rug was pulled out from under her when her show is canceled (and so is she, after a career-ending outburst and her association with her hitman ex-boyfriend Barry Berkman, played by writer-director-star Bill Hader). In season four, Sally is a shell of herself — or at least she thinks so. Viewers saw her find her way back to Los Angeles and follow Gene Cousineau’s (Henry Winkler) path, pivoting from acting to teaching acting. And while it’s something she’s good at, it’s not the thing she wants. Her ego, eventually, gets in her way once again.
- 5/29/2023
- by Tyler Coates
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Just before he confronts the gangsters who’ve abducted his family, Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) takes a moment in the parking lot. “Lord, I’m gonna die tonight. Please give me the strength to sacrifice myself so that my son can live a long and pious life,” he prays. “And that by doing this, all my sins will be washed and I will be redeemed in your eyes, and I will be able to sit next to you in my rightful place in the kingdom of heaven for all eternity. Amen.”
As it turns out, the encounter never actually comes to that. Barry’s barely out of the car when Fuches (Stephen Root) ushers Barry’s unharmed son John (Zachary Golinger) straight to him, then disappears into the night without a word. Hader‘s face registers less relief than disappointment. Dying for John would’ve been hard, but it would’ve been straightforward.
As it turns out, the encounter never actually comes to that. Barry’s barely out of the car when Fuches (Stephen Root) ushers Barry’s unharmed son John (Zachary Golinger) straight to him, then disappears into the night without a word. Hader‘s face registers less relief than disappointment. Dying for John would’ve been hard, but it would’ve been straightforward.
- 5/29/2023
- by Angie Han
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This article contains spoilers for the "Barry" series finale.
Looking back, the relatively innocent first few episodes of "Barry" back in season 1 seem like they belong to an entirely different show compared to where the dark final season and the crushing series finale, "wow," winds up by the time the credits roll for the last time. From the very beginning, the show has played with the difference between the make believe drama on the theater stage and the high stakes consequences of the real world. Originally, the character of Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) chose Gene Cousineau's (Henry Winkler) acting class as a respite from moonlighting as a murderous hitman. However, as the series went on, the line between Barry's stage life and real life started to blur, causing every major character to become caught up in the wake of Barry's narcissism and delusions of grandeur.
Transitioning from more of an action comedy at its inception,...
Looking back, the relatively innocent first few episodes of "Barry" back in season 1 seem like they belong to an entirely different show compared to where the dark final season and the crushing series finale, "wow," winds up by the time the credits roll for the last time. From the very beginning, the show has played with the difference between the make believe drama on the theater stage and the high stakes consequences of the real world. Originally, the character of Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) chose Gene Cousineau's (Henry Winkler) acting class as a respite from moonlighting as a murderous hitman. However, as the series went on, the line between Barry's stage life and real life started to blur, causing every major character to become caught up in the wake of Barry's narcissism and delusions of grandeur.
Transitioning from more of an action comedy at its inception,...
- 5/29/2023
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
Warning: contains spoilers for Barry Season 4 and the series finale
It’s a balmy evening in Los Angeles and Barry Berkman is screaming. Sat next to him in a parked car, his mentor Monroe Fuches, and an offscreen massacre sequence involving what was possibly a lion and a handful of unfortunate Bolivian gangsters.
Over the ten episodes Hader had directed ahead of the fourth season he’d turned in a stunning showcase of ambitiously choreographed action and a strong intuition when filming his beloved characters. In the final eight he let rip via slow, dread-inducing scenes of violence and moments of understated cinematic splendour. It’s hugely exciting to think where his filmmaking career might take him next.
In comparison to its peers, the fourth season was positively glacial. Which is not to be mistaken for uneventful – there were still exploding fingers, ruthless beatings and a cameo from an Oscar-winning...
It’s a balmy evening in Los Angeles and Barry Berkman is screaming. Sat next to him in a parked car, his mentor Monroe Fuches, and an offscreen massacre sequence involving what was possibly a lion and a handful of unfortunate Bolivian gangsters.
Over the ten episodes Hader had directed ahead of the fourth season he’d turned in a stunning showcase of ambitiously choreographed action and a strong intuition when filming his beloved characters. In the final eight he let rip via slow, dread-inducing scenes of violence and moments of understated cinematic splendour. It’s hugely exciting to think where his filmmaking career might take him next.
In comparison to its peers, the fourth season was positively glacial. Which is not to be mistaken for uneventful – there were still exploding fingers, ruthless beatings and a cameo from an Oscar-winning...
- 5/29/2023
- by Beth Webb
- Empire - TV
This post contains spoilers for the series finale of "Barry." If you haven't watched yet, consider yourself warned.
If you haven't recognized Stephen Root throughout his illustrious career as a character actor, then you haven't been paying attention. From his iconic role as the put-upon office worker Milton in "Office Space" and appearing in Coen films like "No Country for Old Men" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" to playing the blustery owner of a radio station on the cult NBC comedy "NewsRadio," Root's career not only spans decades and genres, but he's worked with some of the finest filmmakers around. And he's just now fresh off wrapping his role as Monroe Fuches on the remarkable HBO comedy/thriller "Barry," which concluded its fourth and final season tonight with an episode simply entitled "wow." Fuches' arc wraps up here as well, in ways that are both surprising and inevitable for...
If you haven't recognized Stephen Root throughout his illustrious career as a character actor, then you haven't been paying attention. From his iconic role as the put-upon office worker Milton in "Office Space" and appearing in Coen films like "No Country for Old Men" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" to playing the blustery owner of a radio station on the cult NBC comedy "NewsRadio," Root's career not only spans decades and genres, but he's worked with some of the finest filmmakers around. And he's just now fresh off wrapping his role as Monroe Fuches on the remarkable HBO comedy/thriller "Barry," which concluded its fourth and final season tonight with an episode simply entitled "wow." Fuches' arc wraps up here as well, in ways that are both surprising and inevitable for...
- 5/29/2023
- by Josh Spiegel
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for the "Barry" series finale.
"If I can change ... and you can change ... everybody can change!!!" Of course, those were the immortal words uttered by boxing champ Rocky Balboa in 1985 when he solved the Cold War (citation needed), yet they're also words that resonate for the characters in HBO's "Barry."
When the series (which just ended its run with the final episode of its fourth season) began in 2018, it seemed to be the tale of Barry Berkman (Bill Hader), an ex-Marine turned assassin-for-hire who was looking to escape his existence of dread and death and found a guiding light in the form of acting. Brought into the Los Angeles struggling actor fold by teacher Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler) and fellow student (and later girlfriend) Sally Reed (Sarah Goldberg), Barry believed that true change was possible via working out his deep-seated trauma and mental issues on stage.
"If I can change ... and you can change ... everybody can change!!!" Of course, those were the immortal words uttered by boxing champ Rocky Balboa in 1985 when he solved the Cold War (citation needed), yet they're also words that resonate for the characters in HBO's "Barry."
When the series (which just ended its run with the final episode of its fourth season) began in 2018, it seemed to be the tale of Barry Berkman (Bill Hader), an ex-Marine turned assassin-for-hire who was looking to escape his existence of dread and death and found a guiding light in the form of acting. Brought into the Los Angeles struggling actor fold by teacher Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler) and fellow student (and later girlfriend) Sally Reed (Sarah Goldberg), Barry believed that true change was possible via working out his deep-seated trauma and mental issues on stage.
- 5/29/2023
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
This post contains mild spoilers for the "Barry" series finale.
Over the course of his lengthy and varied career, Stephen Root has proven himself to be a consummate character actor; not just someone reliable and hard-working, but a true chameleon, darting in and out of disparate genres and roles.
As a result, it's incredibly difficult to choose a definitive Root character — there are some he's more famous for, like his creepy predator in "Get Out" or his eccentric billionaire in "Newsradio." Yet there are numerous other appearances of his that are just as beloved if not more so.
Throughout his resume, however, one doesn't see too many sexy, virile, crime lord assassin characters. That's all changed thanks to "Barry" and the series star, Bill Hader, who in this fourth and final season of the show has transformed Root's Monroe Fuches into the mysterious, intimidating, and — yes — sexy jailbird, the Raven.
Over the course of his lengthy and varied career, Stephen Root has proven himself to be a consummate character actor; not just someone reliable and hard-working, but a true chameleon, darting in and out of disparate genres and roles.
As a result, it's incredibly difficult to choose a definitive Root character — there are some he's more famous for, like his creepy predator in "Get Out" or his eccentric billionaire in "Newsradio." Yet there are numerous other appearances of his that are just as beloved if not more so.
Throughout his resume, however, one doesn't see too many sexy, virile, crime lord assassin characters. That's all changed thanks to "Barry" and the series star, Bill Hader, who in this fourth and final season of the show has transformed Root's Monroe Fuches into the mysterious, intimidating, and — yes — sexy jailbird, the Raven.
- 5/29/2023
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
[This story contains major spoilers from the series finale of Barry, “Wow.”]
In the end, it wasn’t the Chechen mob or the FBI who finally took down the outlaw assassin Barry Berkman; it was (second spoiler warning!) Henry Winkler’s Gene M. Cousineau.
Of course, Cousineau thought he had already done this when he set up Barry’s arrest in the season three finale, but NoHo Hank (Anthony Carrigan) and Cristobal’s (Michael Irby) failed assassination attempt gave Barry the opportunity to escape prison and live on the lam for eight years with Sally (Sarah Goldberg) and their eventual son, John. Cousineau also believed he’d finally taken care of his Barry Berkman problem in the final season’s fourth episode when he fired his Rip Torn-gifted “prop gun” at whom he assumed was a vengeful Barry, but instead, he shot his son, Leo (Andrew Leeds), who was delivering takeout from Gene’s beloved Coral Tree Cafe to his secluded Big Bear cabin.
In the end, it wasn’t the Chechen mob or the FBI who finally took down the outlaw assassin Barry Berkman; it was (second spoiler warning!) Henry Winkler’s Gene M. Cousineau.
Of course, Cousineau thought he had already done this when he set up Barry’s arrest in the season three finale, but NoHo Hank (Anthony Carrigan) and Cristobal’s (Michael Irby) failed assassination attempt gave Barry the opportunity to escape prison and live on the lam for eight years with Sally (Sarah Goldberg) and their eventual son, John. Cousineau also believed he’d finally taken care of his Barry Berkman problem in the final season’s fourth episode when he fired his Rip Torn-gifted “prop gun” at whom he assumed was a vengeful Barry, but instead, he shot his son, Leo (Andrew Leeds), who was delivering takeout from Gene’s beloved Coral Tree Cafe to his secluded Big Bear cabin.
- 5/29/2023
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This post contains spoilers for the Barry series finale, “Wow.”
“Denial, it’s tough.”
This line by Monroe Fuches is perhaps the most important sentiment expressed at any point during these four seasons of Barry. The series began as a Hollywood satire, illustrating the thin line that exists between killing on stage and killing in real life. Over time, though, it became about a different kind of performance: the ones we do for ourselves, rather than for each other, in an attempt to push away the truths we don’t want to have to confront.
“Denial, it’s tough.”
This line by Monroe Fuches is perhaps the most important sentiment expressed at any point during these four seasons of Barry. The series began as a Hollywood satire, illustrating the thin line that exists between killing on stage and killing in real life. Over time, though, it became about a different kind of performance: the ones we do for ourselves, rather than for each other, in an attempt to push away the truths we don’t want to have to confront.
- 5/29/2023
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
Bill Hader is opening up about what he thinks is the turning point in Barry Berkman’s life in his HBO series Barry.
Ahead of its series finale on Sunday, Hader had one specific moment that came to mind when he was asked what Barry’s point of no return was in the Emmy-winning show.
“I always felt a big turning point was when Barry killed Chris [his war buddy, an amiable family man who knew too much],” Hader told the Los Angeles Times. “That was kind of the moment.”
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter tied to that episode in Barry season one, writer Liz Sarnoff broke down the scene and explained that they wanted to ensure audiences felt like Barry didn’t have a choice. He had to kill his friend because he’d lose everything if not.
“At the same time, you see from Chris [Marquette], ‘Oh, this is how you should feel — how a normal person feels — when they kill someone,...
Ahead of its series finale on Sunday, Hader had one specific moment that came to mind when he was asked what Barry’s point of no return was in the Emmy-winning show.
“I always felt a big turning point was when Barry killed Chris [his war buddy, an amiable family man who knew too much],” Hader told the Los Angeles Times. “That was kind of the moment.”
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter tied to that episode in Barry season one, writer Liz Sarnoff broke down the scene and explained that they wanted to ensure audiences felt like Barry didn’t have a choice. He had to kill his friend because he’d lose everything if not.
“At the same time, you see from Chris [Marquette], ‘Oh, this is how you should feel — how a normal person feels — when they kill someone,...
- 5/28/2023
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bill Hader is bringing his hilarious, terrifying and haunting series “Barry” to a close. The show will air its fourth—and final—season finale on Sunday, May 28 at roughly 10:28 p.m. Et on Max. The series follows Barry Berkman, a former United States Marine who thinks his true calling might be on the stage. But until his movie career takes off, Barry makes ends meet as an assassin-for-hire. You can watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max.
How to Watch 'Barry' Series Finale When: Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 10:28 Pm Edt Where: Max Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max. 7-Day Free Trial$9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com
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About 'Barry' Series Finale
Gene Cousineau was hailed as a hero after the arrest of Barry Berkman. But Berkman’s escape from prison and Cousineau’s subsequent flight to escape...
How to Watch 'Barry' Series Finale When: Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 10:28 Pm Edt Where: Max Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max. 7-Day Free Trial$9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com
Get 20% Off Your Next Year of Max When Pre-Paid Annually
About 'Barry' Series Finale
Gene Cousineau was hailed as a hero after the arrest of Barry Berkman. But Berkman’s escape from prison and Cousineau’s subsequent flight to escape...
- 5/28/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
It’s hard to think of any television show that has over-delivered on its premise more than “Barry.” You’d be forgiven for thinking a show billed as “a hitman begins taking acting classes” sounded like the worst idea on the planet when the series was announced in 2016. But if there’s one thing the show has definitively proven (even if we arguably should have known it before), it’s that you should never bet against Bill Hader.
Hader’s “Barry,” which he co-created with “Seinfeld” and “Silicon Valley” veteran Alec Berg, is more than just the first major TV role for a “Saturday Night Live” legend. It’s been a four season rollout for one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. And it happened alongside an overdue Henry Winkler renaissance; yet another knockout from Stephen Root; and breakout performances for Anthony Carrigan and Sarah Golberg.
From its very first episode,...
Hader’s “Barry,” which he co-created with “Seinfeld” and “Silicon Valley” veteran Alec Berg, is more than just the first major TV role for a “Saturday Night Live” legend. It’s been a four season rollout for one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. And it happened alongside an overdue Henry Winkler renaissance; yet another knockout from Stephen Root; and breakout performances for Anthony Carrigan and Sarah Golberg.
From its very first episode,...
- 5/27/2023
- by Alison Foreman and Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Saying “I love you” has served a number of different purposes on “Barry.” It’s been said in moments of desperation, fear, confusion, and consolation. It’s been used to try to avert disaster and it’s been used as shorthand for reassurance.
As the series finale awaits on Sunday night and many viewers start to put together theories of what might be in store, now’s the perfect time to think about what role that same idea of love might mean for the endgame. There’s a transactional quality to a lot of the love on this show, love that comes with opportunities and escapes and material success. The strongest test will be in that last episode, as it sure seems like everyone from the inner Barry Berkman circle who’s still alive is converging on the same place to meet in one big physical, in-person test of whose love wins out.
As the series finale awaits on Sunday night and many viewers start to put together theories of what might be in store, now’s the perfect time to think about what role that same idea of love might mean for the endgame. There’s a transactional quality to a lot of the love on this show, love that comes with opportunities and escapes and material success. The strongest test will be in that last episode, as it sure seems like everyone from the inner Barry Berkman circle who’s still alive is converging on the same place to meet in one big physical, in-person test of whose love wins out.
- 5/25/2023
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
In episode 7 of Barry, the storyline takes a dark turn while still maintaining its trademark humor. In the previous episode, we saw Barry return to Los Angeles with the intention of killing Gene, and tensions rose as Sally tried to protect her son but began experiencing disturbing nightmares that suggest she may have been delusional. However, just as Barry was about to carry out his plan, he was unexpectedly captured by Jim Moss, who took him to a secure location and tied him up. In the seventh episode, the turn of events leaves viewers wondering about the fate of Barry and whether Jim Moss will be the one to end his life. The question remains: will Barry manage to escape once again, or will Jim Moss ultimately succeed in killing him? Let’s find that out.
Spoilers Ahead
Did Jim Moss kill Barry?
Episode 7 opens with Barry praying to God for mercy,...
Spoilers Ahead
Did Jim Moss kill Barry?
Episode 7 opens with Barry praying to God for mercy,...
- 5/22/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
Hard though it may be to believe, there are just two episodes left in the HBO series "Barry," which used to lean more heavily on the comic side of things even amidst its dark setup. Now, though, it's pretty much all in on darkness. And with "a nice meal," the title belies a similar sense of grimness. Last week left off on quite the cliffhanger: Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) had come very close to his mission of returning to Los Angeles and killing his old acting teacher Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler) for potentially consulting on a biopic of his life, before being captured by Jim Moss (Robert Wisdom) and brought to his garage, where we know weaker men have barely withstood the terror of this grieving father/ex-cop. Oh, and Sally (Sarah Goldberg) is being beset upon by a mix of hallucinations and angry ex-co-workers as she fails to tend...
- 5/22/2023
- by Josh Spiegel
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for this week’s episode of Barry, “A Nice Meal.”
“A Nice Meal,” the penultimate installment of Barry, opens with Barry hallucinating after an undetermined amount of time spent wearing the sensory deprivation goggles Jim Moss has placed over his eyes. There is darkness, then a glimpse of the desolate plains of the house where he and Sally have lived with John, then the beach from Hell he visited last season. The one leads into the next, then the next, then the next. To anyone less...
“A Nice Meal,” the penultimate installment of Barry, opens with Barry hallucinating after an undetermined amount of time spent wearing the sensory deprivation goggles Jim Moss has placed over his eyes. There is darkness, then a glimpse of the desolate plains of the house where he and Sally have lived with John, then the beach from Hell he visited last season. The one leads into the next, then the next, then the next. To anyone less...
- 5/22/2023
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for “Barry” Season 4, Episode 7, “A Nice Meal.”]
For all the shows that “Barry” shares DNA with — crime dramas, black comedies, metaphysical treatises on morality — as the end nears, it’s easiest to see “Barry” as basically a more dangerous version of “The Other Two.” Hollywood satire, over-confident narcissists plummeting to depths of their own digging, relationships shredded in a heartbeat. Add a few extra corpses to the Dubek family’s peaks and valleys and you get something roughly approximating where “Barry” finds itself now: desperation, death, and jokes.
Writer Liz Sarnoff has long been helping “Barry” deliver some hard truths and difficult fates in second-to-last episodes of seasons (much like George Pelecanos did for “The Wire”). Here, she returns for “A Nice Meal,” a fourth and final Episode 7 to put a bow on these time jump transformations — not to show that all these characters are necessarily right back where they started, but that each of them has...
For all the shows that “Barry” shares DNA with — crime dramas, black comedies, metaphysical treatises on morality — as the end nears, it’s easiest to see “Barry” as basically a more dangerous version of “The Other Two.” Hollywood satire, over-confident narcissists plummeting to depths of their own digging, relationships shredded in a heartbeat. Add a few extra corpses to the Dubek family’s peaks and valleys and you get something roughly approximating where “Barry” finds itself now: desperation, death, and jokes.
Writer Liz Sarnoff has long been helping “Barry” deliver some hard truths and difficult fates in second-to-last episodes of seasons (much like George Pelecanos did for “The Wire”). Here, she returns for “A Nice Meal,” a fourth and final Episode 7 to put a bow on these time jump transformations — not to show that all these characters are necessarily right back where they started, but that each of them has...
- 5/22/2023
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Season 4 of “Barry” has been a massive success, with critics raving over the shocking time jump and Bill Hader’s continued flexing of his directorial muscles. But if Larry David had gotten his way, the fourth and final season might have never happened.
In a new appearance on the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast, Hader recalled a recent encounter with his former “Curb Your Enthusiasm” collaborator. As Hader tells it, David thought that the Season 3 finale — which sees Barry Berkman arrested as part of a sting operation — was the end of the show.
“‘That’s it, right?’” Hader recalled David telling him after the end of Season 3. “I said, ‘No, we have a whole new season. And he went, ‘Why?’ I go, ‘Well, I think there’s more story to tell.’ And he’s like, ‘But it’s done.’”
While David’s proposed ending spot would likely have disappointed a lot of “Barry” fans,...
In a new appearance on the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast, Hader recalled a recent encounter with his former “Curb Your Enthusiasm” collaborator. As Hader tells it, David thought that the Season 3 finale — which sees Barry Berkman arrested as part of a sting operation — was the end of the show.
“‘That’s it, right?’” Hader recalled David telling him after the end of Season 3. “I said, ‘No, we have a whole new season. And he went, ‘Why?’ I go, ‘Well, I think there’s more story to tell.’ And he’s like, ‘But it’s done.’”
While David’s proposed ending spot would likely have disappointed a lot of “Barry” fans,...
- 5/20/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
This post contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Barry."
With just a few episodes of "Barry" left, it's safe to say the eponymous character is probably pretty much done with his soul-searching. Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) has tried to start fresh several times across the course of the stellar HBO show's four seasons, and each personal reboot has ended with more than a few dead bodies. Barry's most recent attempt to start fresh came after an eight-year time jump, after which we see that he's converted to Christianity.
While Barry's past attempts at transformation — via the military, acting, and even dating Sally — have all been enthusiastic, he seems to treat religion more as a boring yet important rulebook. When he's motivated to come out of retirement for one last job, though, Barry looks to the rulebook for the exact answer he wants and finds it amidst a sea of very funny guest stars.
With just a few episodes of "Barry" left, it's safe to say the eponymous character is probably pretty much done with his soul-searching. Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) has tried to start fresh several times across the course of the stellar HBO show's four seasons, and each personal reboot has ended with more than a few dead bodies. Barry's most recent attempt to start fresh came after an eight-year time jump, after which we see that he's converted to Christianity.
While Barry's past attempts at transformation — via the military, acting, and even dating Sally — have all been enthusiastic, he seems to treat religion more as a boring yet important rulebook. When he's motivated to come out of retirement for one last job, though, Barry looks to the rulebook for the exact answer he wants and finds it amidst a sea of very funny guest stars.
- 5/17/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for season 4, episode 6 of "Barry."
There have been some amazing cameos in the fourth season of HBO's "Barry," including Guillermo Del Toro, "Coda" director Sian Heder, and Fred Armisen, but we almost got a cameo from none other than Jennifer Lawrence. The "Hunger Games" and "Causeway" star would have played herself, much like Heder, and it could have given her a chance to show off both her dramatic and comedic chops. In the end, showrunner and star Bill Hader decided to take the story in a different direction that omitted Lawrence's role, and we got something completely different (and totally terrifying) instead.
Hader sat down with The Wrap to discuss the sixth episode of season 4, which he detailed as a chaotic experience that ultimately turned out great. There were several storylines that got changed or dropped, so Lawrence's wasn't the only one, but from what it sounds like,...
There have been some amazing cameos in the fourth season of HBO's "Barry," including Guillermo Del Toro, "Coda" director Sian Heder, and Fred Armisen, but we almost got a cameo from none other than Jennifer Lawrence. The "Hunger Games" and "Causeway" star would have played herself, much like Heder, and it could have given her a chance to show off both her dramatic and comedic chops. In the end, showrunner and star Bill Hader decided to take the story in a different direction that omitted Lawrence's role, and we got something completely different (and totally terrifying) instead.
Hader sat down with The Wrap to discuss the sixth episode of season 4, which he detailed as a chaotic experience that ultimately turned out great. There were several storylines that got changed or dropped, so Lawrence's wasn't the only one, but from what it sounds like,...
- 5/16/2023
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
Season 4 of "Barry" surprised everyone by jumping ahead eight years in the future. So much time has passed, in fact, that Warner Bros. is planning a movie about the missing Barry Berkman (Bill Hader). Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler), Barry's former acting teacher, comes out of hiding to stop the movie from being made. Having suffered at Barry's hands and lived in fear of him for eight years, Gene doesn't want him "immortalized." Barry doesn't want the attention either, but he assumes Gene is working as a consultant on the movie. So, he has to die.
With only four half-hour episodes to show this time jump, "Barry" is staying focused on how its main characters have changed. However, the latest episode, "the wizard," gave a grim peak at the state of the U.S. circa 2031. Barry has been trying to live nonviolently and so doesn't have any weapons. To kill Gene,...
With only four half-hour episodes to show this time jump, "Barry" is staying focused on how its main characters have changed. However, the latest episode, "the wizard," gave a grim peak at the state of the U.S. circa 2031. Barry has been trying to live nonviolently and so doesn't have any weapons. To kill Gene,...
- 5/15/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
When last we left Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) and Sally Reed (Sarah Goldberg) on the HBO series "Barry," they were in great distress. (When has that ever not been true?) Barry and Sally have made a meager life for themselves and their son John (Zachary Golinger) in middle America for eight years, thanks to being in the FBI Witness Protection program after Barry revealed secrets of his time with the Chechen mob to get out of jail. They've reinvented themselves as Clark and Emily, a married couple that doesn't do much aside from home-schooling John, and working at a local diner. But Sally and Barry are both shocked to learn, via the Hollywood Reporter, that a) Warner Bros. is pursuing a biopic about Barry's life as a hitman/acting student and b) Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler) has come out of hiding after having shot his son Leo (Andrew Leeds) to purportedly consult on the film.
- 5/15/2023
- by Josh Spiegel
- Slash Film
Bill Hader is certainly happy that people like “Barry,” but he also wants to be clear: the episodes you see are the product of a lot of refinement. Specifically in Season 4 Episode 6, there was an entire Sally storyline that would have (maybe) involved Jennifer Lawrence that was jettisoned and a scene that was reshot mere weeks before the series premiered.
“When you’re doing this stuff, people can tell you you’re great until they’re blue in the face, but you make a lot of mistakes,” Hader told TheWrap in our episodic breakdown interview for Episode 6. “People watch the show and go, ‘Oh my God it’s so good,’ and it’s like, ‘No, I make a lot of mistakes!’ You need smart people who aren’t afraid to tell you you’ve made a mistake to be like, ‘What are you doing?’”
Initially, Sally (Sarah Goldberg) was going...
“When you’re doing this stuff, people can tell you you’re great until they’re blue in the face, but you make a lot of mistakes,” Hader told TheWrap in our episodic breakdown interview for Episode 6. “People watch the show and go, ‘Oh my God it’s so good,’ and it’s like, ‘No, I make a lot of mistakes!’ You need smart people who aren’t afraid to tell you you’ve made a mistake to be like, ‘What are you doing?’”
Initially, Sally (Sarah Goldberg) was going...
- 5/15/2023
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Barry’s character has been a little off-center since Barry season 4 premiered. We pay a lot of attention to supporting characters like Gene, Sally, Hank, and Cristobal, but Barry steals the show in episode five. The sole shocker is that Barry makes a long eight-year time jump in this episode, which was already hinted at in the fourth episode’s conclusion. Prior to that, in episode 4, we saw two young boys get into a brawl over “Call of Duty.” Travis, a young boy from the neighborhood, and Jon, Barry’s son, are the two. After Jon returned home, Barry and Sally were revealed to be his parents. Episode 5 clarifies a lot of what’s going on in Barry’s new beginning, as well as his and Sally’s mental and financial situations, but we’re still puzzled as to how they wound up there in the desert, which seemed quite familiar to us.
- 5/8/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
This post contains spoilers for this week’s episode of Barry, “Tricky Legacies.”
Last week’s “It Takes a Psycho” ended on a startling transition. One moment, we were seeing Sally deciding to run away with Barry; in the next, we were in a desolate Midwestern location where an older Barry and Sally now lived with their son, John. Was this a fantasy? Another of Barry’s metaphysical trips to hell? Or had Barry become the latest 21st-century series to unleash a big mid-episode time-jump on us(*)?
(*) We arguably have...
Last week’s “It Takes a Psycho” ended on a startling transition. One moment, we were seeing Sally deciding to run away with Barry; in the next, we were in a desolate Midwestern location where an older Barry and Sally now lived with their son, John. Was this a fantasy? Another of Barry’s metaphysical trips to hell? Or had Barry become the latest 21st-century series to unleash a big mid-episode time-jump on us(*)?
(*) We arguably have...
- 5/8/2023
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
[This story contains spoilers for Barry season four, episode five, “Tricky Legacies.”]
Barry star Bill Hader didn’t care how Barry and Sally got to where they were going; his only concern was that they were there.
Written and directed by Hader, the fifth episode of Barry’s final season confirms that the ending of episode four was anything but fantasy. It’s now been eight years since Barry and Sally (Sarah Goldberg) decided to run away together and the couple, who are now known as Clark and Emily, are living with their son, John (Zachary Golinger), in the middle of nowhere. Barry is suddenly a man of faith who perpetually stays at home to school his son and shelter him from the truth of who his parents actually are. Meanwhile, a wig-donning Sally is working as a server at a diner, and she routinely drowns her sorrows in a bottle to get through the days. She may have had dreams of being a working actor,...
Barry star Bill Hader didn’t care how Barry and Sally got to where they were going; his only concern was that they were there.
Written and directed by Hader, the fifth episode of Barry’s final season confirms that the ending of episode four was anything but fantasy. It’s now been eight years since Barry and Sally (Sarah Goldberg) decided to run away together and the couple, who are now known as Clark and Emily, are living with their son, John (Zachary Golinger), in the middle of nowhere. Barry is suddenly a man of faith who perpetually stays at home to school his son and shelter him from the truth of who his parents actually are. Meanwhile, a wig-donning Sally is working as a server at a diner, and she routinely drowns her sorrows in a bottle to get through the days. She may have had dreams of being a working actor,...
- 5/8/2023
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Well, everyone, it's been 8 years. Not for all of us, as we watch week to week the latest horrifying exploits of hitman/actor Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) in the HBO show "Barry." But for Barry and Sally Reed (Sarah Goldberg), it's been 8 years since the events of last week's episode, in which Barry had escaped from prison and hid in Sally's apartment, to find that she was surprisingly willing to join him in Witness Protection for having named names to the FBI. Last week's installment ended with the shock that a long enough period of time had elapsed so that Barry and Sally not only had new identities in the middle of the country, but also had a son named John (Zachary Golinger). "tricky legacies", marking the start of the back half of the show's final season, is not remotely as eventful as last week's episode, which not only featured...
- 5/8/2023
- by Josh Spiegel
- Slash Film
[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for “Barry” Season 4, Episode 5, “Tricky Legacies.”]
“Barry” knew what it was taking away when it stopped using its theme music. It’s only a six-second snippet of a Charles Bradley song, but it does so much to set up the heightened, jokey edge to whatever consequences are coming in the following episode. By design, some of the show’s humanity leaves when the title, still instantly plastered in bold block letters, is accompanied only with silence or ambient noise in the background. “Tricky Legacies” isn’t the first “Barry” episode to have that muted start, but putting the title card right up front is its own reassurance that even in a completely different city and a completely different time, the old “Barry” is still here.
If that isn’t enough, the episode kicks off with a quintessential Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) moment — even if that’s not the name he’s using these days, and it...
“Barry” knew what it was taking away when it stopped using its theme music. It’s only a six-second snippet of a Charles Bradley song, but it does so much to set up the heightened, jokey edge to whatever consequences are coming in the following episode. By design, some of the show’s humanity leaves when the title, still instantly plastered in bold block letters, is accompanied only with silence or ambient noise in the background. “Tricky Legacies” isn’t the first “Barry” episode to have that muted start, but putting the title card right up front is its own reassurance that even in a completely different city and a completely different time, the old “Barry” is still here.
If that isn’t enough, the episode kicks off with a quintessential Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) moment — even if that’s not the name he’s using these days, and it...
- 5/8/2023
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Spoilers follow.
HBO is riding high right now with the final seasons of "Barry" and "Succession" inching closer and closer to two distinct endgames that are sure to hit audiences right in the chest, albeit in totally different ways. Creator and writer Jesse Armstrong has already played the shocking death card for the billionaire sect with the demise of larger-than-life patriarch Logan Roy. On the other hand, episode 4 of season 4 of "Barry" certainly had a tragic, heartbreaking death, but it's surely not the last murder planned. For a series that was supposed to be a comedy, "Barry" is amassing a pretty high kill count.
Specifically, the death of Cristobal (Michael Irby) in "It Takes a Psycho" was definitely a gut punch for director Bill Hader when tasked with shooting the sequence when the day finally came. "It was pretty tense," Hader told The Wrap. "It's a very sad scene, and...
HBO is riding high right now with the final seasons of "Barry" and "Succession" inching closer and closer to two distinct endgames that are sure to hit audiences right in the chest, albeit in totally different ways. Creator and writer Jesse Armstrong has already played the shocking death card for the billionaire sect with the demise of larger-than-life patriarch Logan Roy. On the other hand, episode 4 of season 4 of "Barry" certainly had a tragic, heartbreaking death, but it's surely not the last murder planned. For a series that was supposed to be a comedy, "Barry" is amassing a pretty high kill count.
Specifically, the death of Cristobal (Michael Irby) in "It Takes a Psycho" was definitely a gut punch for director Bill Hader when tasked with shooting the sequence when the day finally came. "It was pretty tense," Hader told The Wrap. "It's a very sad scene, and...
- 5/5/2023
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for "Barry."
As an audience, sometimes it's easy to forget that we're not the only ones that experience the emotional impact of the twists and turns that occur in our favorite shows. Throughout its entire run, HBO's "Barry" has been filled with shocking displays of violence, unexpected treachery, and frightening bursts of rage. And this was supposed to be a comedy! No matter how attached we think we are to a particular character, the actor inhabiting that onscreen persona is more than likely going to have a much deeper connection to the person they're playing.
Reaching a true level of believability takes a great level of preparation, with the two schools of acting -- the Stanislavski method and the Meisner technique -- offering two totally different approaches to help performers get to a place of authenticity. The Stanislavski way relies more on the actor's own memory to wring out emotion,...
As an audience, sometimes it's easy to forget that we're not the only ones that experience the emotional impact of the twists and turns that occur in our favorite shows. Throughout its entire run, HBO's "Barry" has been filled with shocking displays of violence, unexpected treachery, and frightening bursts of rage. And this was supposed to be a comedy! No matter how attached we think we are to a particular character, the actor inhabiting that onscreen persona is more than likely going to have a much deeper connection to the person they're playing.
Reaching a true level of believability takes a great level of preparation, with the two schools of acting -- the Stanislavski method and the Meisner technique -- offering two totally different approaches to help performers get to a place of authenticity. The Stanislavski way relies more on the actor's own memory to wring out emotion,...
- 5/2/2023
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers through Barry season 4 episode 4.
“Starting…now.”
That’s been Barry Berkman’s (Bill Hader) unofficial mantra ever since he killed detective Janice Moss (Paula Newsome) and shattered his chance at a new life. Barry hoped that closing his eyes and pressing an invisible reset button would wash away the sins of his past life as a contract killer, but the cyclical nature of violence, how it seeps out and infects everyone that it touches, has kept Barry in a spin cycle from which there is seemingly no escape.
Until now?
The fourth season of HBO’s Barry has immaculately shown the costs that Barry and everyone in his web must pay for the hitman’s crimes. Those costs have proven to be particularly meaningful for Hank (Anthony Carrigan), Fuches (Stephen Root), Sally (Sarah Goldberg), and Gene (Henry Winkler), but in “it takes a psycho” perhaps the...
“Starting…now.”
That’s been Barry Berkman’s (Bill Hader) unofficial mantra ever since he killed detective Janice Moss (Paula Newsome) and shattered his chance at a new life. Barry hoped that closing his eyes and pressing an invisible reset button would wash away the sins of his past life as a contract killer, but the cyclical nature of violence, how it seeps out and infects everyone that it touches, has kept Barry in a spin cycle from which there is seemingly no escape.
Until now?
The fourth season of HBO’s Barry has immaculately shown the costs that Barry and everyone in his web must pay for the hitman’s crimes. Those costs have proven to be particularly meaningful for Hank (Anthony Carrigan), Fuches (Stephen Root), Sally (Sarah Goldberg), and Gene (Henry Winkler), but in “it takes a psycho” perhaps the...
- 5/2/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
This article contains spoilers for "Barry."
While developing "Better Call Saul," Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould first envisioned the show as a half-hour "case of the week" legal comedy. Each episode would be about Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) dealing with his latest client, before the client of his lifetime — Walter White (Bryan Cranston) — came along in "Breaking Bad." If you've seen "Better Call Saul," you know they didn't take long to ditch that idea. Instead, the show was an hour-long dramedy about former con man Jimmy McGill trying to make an honest living — even though he was destined to fail. Instead of a show laughing at Saul Goodman's antics, we learned that the persona is a personification of Jimmy's tragic inability to grow.
Gilligan, speaking to Rolling Stone about the show "Better Call Saul" became, said:
"'Breaking Bad' is about 25-percent humor, 75-percent drama, and maybe this will be the reverse of that.
While developing "Better Call Saul," Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould first envisioned the show as a half-hour "case of the week" legal comedy. Each episode would be about Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) dealing with his latest client, before the client of his lifetime — Walter White (Bryan Cranston) — came along in "Breaking Bad." If you've seen "Better Call Saul," you know they didn't take long to ditch that idea. Instead, the show was an hour-long dramedy about former con man Jimmy McGill trying to make an honest living — even though he was destined to fail. Instead of a show laughing at Saul Goodman's antics, we learned that the persona is a personification of Jimmy's tragic inability to grow.
Gilligan, speaking to Rolling Stone about the show "Better Call Saul" became, said:
"'Breaking Bad' is about 25-percent humor, 75-percent drama, and maybe this will be the reverse of that.
- 5/1/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
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