- KGM SOSANovember 3, 2025I just binge-watched Barry (2018–2023), created by & starring Bill Hader & wow, this series was incredible (until S04E05, but more on that soon). Bill really did something magical here. Considering his background in raunchy slapstick comedies like Superbad (2007), I didn’t expect him to pull off something so serious & layered, but he struck gold. While still carrying dark comedy elements that make you laugh out loud, Barry is first & foremost a crime drama. Normally, I hate when shows try to mix comedy & serious storytelling because it often feels forced or tacky but here, it’s seamless. The story follows Barry, a highly skilled ex-soldier turned hitman, who’s depressed & aimless outside of his contract killings. When he travels to Los Angeles for a job, he stumbles into the acting/theatre scene, falls in love, & decides to leave his criminal life behind… but discovers that escaping his past is much harder than he ever imagined. The cast is phenomenal across the board. The violence & gore are visually striking & often unpredictable, keeping you on edge throughout. The dark humor is subtle but, at times, absolutely bellyachingly hysterical. My one major criticism & it’s a big one, is the timeline jump in Season 4, Episode 5. It was nearly enough to make me quit watching entirely. However, because of the rapport the series had built with me up to that point (& knowing there were only two episodes left), I pushed through. Thankfully, I did, because there’s 1 hilarious moment & 1 epic shootout that redeemed things slightly. Still, those last four episodes were weak, & quite frankly sucked; especially compared to how masterful the rest of the show had been. The first three seasons + the first four episodes of Season 4, though? Absolutely phenomenal, Completely breathtaking. This series was a hidden gem, it almost earned a perfect score but lands at a still-impressive 9/10 stars. Major props to Bill Hader for stepping out of his skill set/comfort zone & proving his range as both an actor & creator. Stephen Root (Fuches) shines as the scheming, conniving manipulator, Anthony Carrigan is hilarious & surprisingly charming as the flamboyant Chechen gangster. Henry Winkler absolutely nails the role of Gene, an egotistical once-great actor turned coach. Most cast members brought something special, with very few weak performances in sight. Fun Fact: Bill Hader, on top of creating, writing & starring in the series, also directed more than half of the show’s episodes himself including some of its darkest & most cinematic moments, solidifying his place as not just a brilliant actor, but a serious filmmaker.
Barry Trivia
Barry has 4 seasons.
Barry has 32 episodes.
The key characters in Barry are Barry Berkman (Bill Hader), Sally Reed (Sarah Goldberg), NoHo Hank (Anthony Carrigan).
Barry was directed by Bill Hader, Alec Berg, Hiro Murai, Liza Johnson, Minkie Spiro, Maggie Carey.
Barry was produced by Aida Rodgers, Julie Camino, Arturs Rusis, Duffy Boudreau, Johnnie Brady.
A hit man from the Midwest moves to Los Angeles and gets caught up in the city's theatre arts scene.
Barry is rated TV-MA.
Barry is a Comedy, Crime, Drama show.
Barry has an audience rating of 8.9 out of 10.
Barry episodes are 30m long.
No, this show was canceled after 4 seasons.