Barry
Overview
Barry is a 2018 black comedy crime drama television series created by Alec Berg and Bill Hader, who also stars as Barry Berkman, a depressed, lonely hitman from the Midwest who travels to Los Angeles for a job and discovers a passion for acting. The series is a dark, funny, and often heartbreaking exploration of violence, trauma, and the search for redemption. Barry is a former Marine who is haunted by the things he did in the war. He is a skilled killer, but he hates himself for it. He is hired to kill an actor, but he follows the actor to an acting class taught by Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler), a pompous, washed-up acting coach. Barry discovers that he loves acting, and he tries to leave his life of crime behind. The series also stars Stephen Root as Monroe Fuches, Barry's manipulative, selfish handler; Sarah Goldberg as Sally Reed, a struggling actress who becomes Barry's girlfriend; and Anthony Carrigan as NoHo Hank, a cheerful, charismatic, and surprisingly sweet Chechen mobster. The series is a masterclass in tonal shifts, moving from hilarious comedy to shocking violence to profound sadness. The series ends with Barry being shot and killed by his friend, and with Gene being arrested for a murder that Barry committed. Barry won numerous awards, including three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor for Bill Hader, Outstanding Supporting Actor for Henry Winkler, and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Sarah Goldberg. The series is widely considered one of the best shows of the 2010s.
