Written by Tyler Zucker
“Starting Now….” was the last thing viewers were left with after Barry concluded its critically acclaimed first season. After reeling in from the unpredictable and explosive finale, fans were left hungry for more. Thoughts of a sophomore slump is something every show deals with but after this first episode, Barry remains as great and funny as ever.
Barry (Bill Hader) is trying to keep his acting class together weeks after he killed his acting coach Gene’s (Henry Winkler) girlfriend. Gene is struggling to cope with the potential death of Janice (Paula Newsome) as Barry continues to lie about not knowing where the police woman may be. His former friend and business partner Fuches (Stephen Root) is trying to keep his business afloat with new hitmen, with terrible results. The show’s excellent balance between dark drama and outlandish absurdity is what makes it so funny and tense. Gene opening up to Barry about his suicidal thoughts only to have Barry not get the context of what he is saying led to some of the most memorable lines in the episode.
In the best scene of the night, we get to see what Barry was like during his military days, offering a glimpse into how he became such a skilled hitman. As he explains his first kill to the class, Gene instructs Sasha (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) and another student to act out Barry’s story as it is being told. The juxtaposition between seeing the soldiers cheer and congratulate Barry for sniping three people from 700 yards away and the overdramatic reenactment is perfectly displayed by recurring director Hiro Murai. It also suggests that the positive reinforcement his follow soldiers gave him after his kills was what led him down this road toward killing for business.
While Hader continues to show why he earned that Emmy award, breakout character and everyone’s favorite polite mobster Noho Hank (Anthony Carrigan) is beginning to show some growth. Still cheerful and happy-go-lucky as he orchestrates his growing crime ring, Hank realizes that he cannot always be this way now that he is the boss. His last scene with Barry shows a much colder side to a character that was until now simply comic relief. “Don’t fuck with me Barry, it’s not polite” He says just before driving off as a generic pop song blasts from his car speakers.
Just off the premier, it is clear Hader knows what he is doing and where he wants Barry to go this season. From the opening scene showcasing graphic violence to the dark humor and plot, this season is prepped up to be another stunning piece of work.
Overall rating: 8/10
Barry Season 2 airs Sundays on HBO.
https://youtu.be/ir1_hjemxNA
