Barry

***Barry*** is an American dark crime comedy-drama series created by Bill Hader and Alec Berg which aired from March 25, 2018 to May 28, 2023. The show was ordered by HBO on June 2, 2016 and premiered in March of 2018. It was later renewed for a second, third, and fourth season with the show concluding in May 2023 after thirty-two episodes.

The series has won three Primetime Emmy awards as Hader won two for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series and Henry Winkler for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his work in the first season.

## Premise

A former United States Marine turned hitman named Barry Berkman wrestles with loneliness, depression, and guilt caused by his lifestyle as well as his actions during his service. He travels to Los Angeles to kill a target and finds a new sense of purpose when he follows his target into an acting class. After joining the class and making plans to become an actor, using his newfound passion as an outlet for his anxiety, he struggles to distance himself from his old life and keep his past a secret from new friends and colleagues.

## Main Cast

* Bill Hader as Barry Berkman
* Stephen Root as Monroe Fuches
* Sarah Goldberg as Sally Reed
* Glenn Fleshler as Goran Pazar (season 1)
* Anthony Carrigan as Noho Hank
* Henry Winkler as Gene Cousineau
* Sarah Burns as Mae Dunn (season 3)
* Robert Wisdom as Jim Moss (season 4)

### Season 1 (2018)

1. "Chapter One: Make Your Mark"
2. "Chapter Two: Use It"
3. "Chapter Three: Make the Unsafe Choice"
4. "Chapter Four: Commit... to YOU"
5. "Chapter Five: Do Your Job"
6. "Chapter Six: Listen With Your Ears, React With Your Face"
7. "Chapter Seven: Loud, Fast, and Keep Going"
8. "Chapter Eight: Know Your Truth"

### Season 2 (2019)

1. "The Show Must Go On, Probably?"
2. "The Power of No"
3. "Past = Present x Future Over Yesterday"
4. "What?!"
5. "ronny/lily"
6. "The Truth Has a Ring to It"
7. "The Audition"
8. "berkman > block"

### Season 3 (2022)

1. "forgiving jeff"
2. "limonada"
3. "ben mendelsohn"
4. "all the sauces"
5. "crazytimeshitshow"
6. "710N"
7. "candy asses"
8. "starting now"

### Season 4 (2023)

1. "yikes"
2. "bestest place on the earth"
3. "you're charming"
4. "it takes a psycho"
5. "tricky legacies"
6. "the wizard"
7. "a nice meal"
8. "wow"

## Production

In 2016, it was announced that HBO has ordered a pilot to be filmed by Hader and Berg. In February 2016, Sarah Goldberg, Glenn Fleshler, Anthony Carrigan, Henry Winkler, and Stephen Root were revealed to be in the cast as lead roles. In June of 2016, the show was picked up for a full season by HBO.

Filming began in 2017 in Los Angeles. In April of 2018, the show was confirmed for a second season. On April 10, 2019 the show was renewed for a third season. On May 19, 2022, the show was renewed for a fourth season and later in March 2023, the fourth season was confirmed to be its final one.

### Creating Barry

"*A guy who is really good at something, but that thing is destroying him.*"
―Alec BergBill Hader has retold the conceptualization of *Barry* several times. Hader had signed a contract with HBO, and Alec Berg was interested in working on a show together. Hader was eager to branch out from his sketch comedy roots and delve into deeper subject matter. Alec Berg and Bill Hader brainstormed ideas for months until Hader proposed a series about a hitman. Berg did not want to create a clichéd, formulaic show, but was assured that it would be different, because Hader would play the hitman. They quickly decided that the hitman would try to escape his violent life by aspiring to be an actor. Together, they explored the contradictions that a hitman would face in his quest to become an actor. Both Hader and Berg admit that if Barry Berkman was to achieve his acting dream, it would lead to his demise.

Clint Eastwood's 1992 film *Unforgiven* has been mentioned several times as an inspiration for *Barry*. Both works explore the idea of violence and its psychological effects, acting to counter works which portray violence as gratuitous or glorified.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Creation of HBO's "Barry" - Bill Hader and Alec Berg
2. ↑ Bill Hader talks the making of 'Barry'