'Barry' wraps up its journey with a bold final season, continuing its tradition of taking risks. The fourth season picks up right after the third, with the hitman-turned-aspiring actor facing arrest. This sets the stage for a darker narrative that highlights the ensemble cast, though it sometimes blurs reality with fantasy a bit too much.
While "Succession" might overshadow "Barry" as it bids farewell on HBO this spring, the Emmy-nominated series remains a standout. Even if these episodes don't quite reach the heights of previous seasons, a slightly less intense "Barry" is still impressive.
Bill Hader's multifaceted role as director, producer, and star keeps the series unpredictable. The new season echoes "Better Call Saul," as Barry's dual life inevitably unravels. The fallout from his arrest impacts both his acting mentor Gene Cousineau (played by Henry Winkler, a complex mix of ego and vulnerability) and girlfriend Sally (Sarah Goldberg), as well as the quirky criminals around him, including Fuches (Stephen Root) and NoHo Hank (Anthony Carrigan), who finds unexpected romance and humorously stretches Barry's name into four syllables.
The show has always grappled with the moral complexity of a protagonist who kills, and this season intensifies that struggle with Barry in prison. His childlike question, "Are you mad at me?" momentarily obscures his past misdeeds, though Jim Moss (Robert Wisdom) remains focused on revenge.
Hader, directing every episode, excels at dark comedy, enhanced by amusing cameos from Hollywood figures like Guillermo del Toro, whose appearances are hilariously random.
However, the show's surreal elements and fantasy detours can sometimes feel overly indulgent. The cast's strong performances consistently shine through, even as prison limits their interactions.
HBO provided most of the season for review, keeping viewers on edge about the series' conclusion and how its storylines will converge. A happy ending for everyone in "Barry" seems unlikely, but Hader and co-creator Alec Berg are determined to conclude on their own terms, even if the season is occasionally uneven. It's hard to fault a show that embraces creative risks, even if this season isn't quite as sharp as its predecessors.
The final season of "Barry" premieres on April 14 at 10 p.m. ET on HBO.