HBO's freshman comedy 'Barry' should be at the top of your summer binge watch list. The show centers on "SNL" alum Bill Hader in a role unlike any other that he has previously tackled. Hader plays the vulnerable title character, Barry Berkman, a former marine who has taken on a new career as a free-lance assassin. Unfulfilled in his role as a gun for hire, Barry decides to try his hand at acting. The character of Barry proves to have a dark and disturbing side, giving Hader a chance to not only play to his comic strengths but also explore the complex psychological depth of his character.
You may recognize Anthony Carrigan from the short-lived series "The Forgotten" or as a re-occurring character on "Parenthood," but for me, Carrigan came into his own playing comic book villains on "Gotham" and "The Flash." In "Barry," Carrigan may have found the role he was meant to play, the Chechen gangster, NoHo Hank. Despite his position in organized crime, NoHo Hank provides joyful playfulness and a comic foil for the other too serious members of the crime family.
Paula Newsome is my favorite. According to Chicago's Sun-Times, Newsome is a Broadway veteran. In "Barry" her portrayal of Detective Janice Moss is funny and complex. Moss comes across as the only truly admirable character. Newsome plays the role as a smart, fully mature woman who takes pride in her professional accomplishments.
'Barry': Former Fonz gets freaky
Barry's acting coach is played by Henry Winkler in the role of Gene Cousineau. Cousineau runs an acting school over-flowing with dysfunctional acting students. While the students seem to worship Cousineau, the story shows him as a hopeless romantic who has never achieved his acting goals. Winkler scores comedy points with his portrayal of Cousineau's over the top romantic pursuit of a homicide detective.
Veteran character actor Stephen Root (NewsRadio/Office Space) owns the role of the amoral Monroe Fuches. Fuches' manipulative nature is as damaging to himself as it is too our protagonist Barry.
Barry's love interest is played by Sarah Goldberg. Goldberg's character, Sally Reed, is a beautiful yet emotionally unstable aspiring actress.
In Barry's search, he sees the goodness in Sally while remaining either oblivious to her flaws or otherwise powerlessly enveloped in romantic desire.
'Barry': short season
With only eight episodes in the first season, a binge watch of "Barry" would only consume about fours hours, leaving plenty of time for whatever other plans you may have for the summer months.
