Barry: Season 2

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 14 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 204 Ratings

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8.9

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8.9	Your Score
8.9	User Score Universal acclaim based on 204 Ratings

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Barry

Now Playing: Barry

Season Details & Credits

HBO | Season Premiere Date: March 31, 2019

Summary: Barry finds it hard to leave the world of contract killing in the second season of the comedy from Bill Hader and Alec Berg.

Creator: Alec Berg

Genre(s): Comedy, Drama

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Season 2 Episodes

tbd
S2:E8. berkman > block
Air Date: May 19, 2019
tbd
S2:E7. The Audition
Air Date: May 12, 2019
tbd
S2:E6. The Truth Has a Ring to It
Air Date: April 21, 2019

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Metascore

Positive:

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Critic Reviews

100

Michael Haigis

Mar 26, 2019

While the new episodes maintain the show’s satiric view of self-interested Hollywood types, a poignant theme emerges which represents an evolution for the series. As an introspective Barry takes inventory of his past misdeeds, the show’s storylines cohere around the reflexive lies people tell themselves, and the myriad factors which comprise the masks they present to the world. Read full review

100

RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico

Mar 27, 2019

The best comedy on not just HBO but all of television (at least while “Atlanta” isn’t on the air). The first three episodes of “Barry” are flat-out brilliant, balancing the show’s dry wit and humor with its increasingly dark edge that sometimes makes it feel more like “Breaking Bad” than a traditional laugher. Read full review

100

Hank Stuever

Mar 29, 2019

The darkness gets darker, yet “Barry” is sticking to its comedic intent and half-hour format. This is remarkable, given that it plays as intensely and satisfyingly as “Breaking Bad” once did. Read full review

Verne Gay

Mar 27, 2019

Barry gets better this season--a whole lot better. Read full review

Sonia Saraiya

Apr 3, 2019

The unique excellence of the second season, at least in the three episodes released to critics, is how adroitly Hader and co-creator Alec Berg find ways to raise the stakes for Barry while keeping the show’s tone darkly amused. Read full review

Darren Franich

Mar 25, 2019

Season 2 remains tricky TV, juggling out-loud laughs with raw human embarrassment and an expanding universe of SoCal skulduggery. [29 Mar 2019, p.45]

TV Guide Magazine Matt Roush

Mar 27, 2019

As a character study of a sad yet dangerous man who should never be encouraged to "access some rage," Barry is a triumph--as long as you're not expecting a laugh riot. [1-14 Apr 2019, p.13]

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User Score

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8.9

User Reviews

LamontRaymond

May 1, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is easily one of the 2 or 3 best shows on TV. The episode in which Barry is tasked to "take care" of the FBI guy's ex-wife's boyfriend is genius. When he walks into the guy's room, seeing 50 Tai-Kwan-Do trophies, and 100 metals, it's like something out of Raising Arizona. And the daughter? Genius.… Expand

6 of 7 users found this helpful61

Cheese85

Apr 12, 2019

Very good to be a series of comedy, I hope and the upcoming outcomes do not end in a boring way

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

Proteus7x

Nov 23, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. We all have characters we don't like throughout different series, so just wanted to forewarn those who have yet to watch this great series. So much attention has been given to Barry on all reviews, so my review takes a different approach to offer more perspective beyond Barry, himself...

Just to point out the elephant here: Sally Reed (the main female 'protagonist' played by Sarah Goldberg) plays a sociopath just right, which I give her credit for. However, I despise the character Sarah plays as; as the actress is stunning with an amazing performance, I felt that the character she plays is overall a hollow "sociopath:" no redeeming qualities, hard to sympathize with superficial; only wants what she wants and blames other people for her negative outcomes. Does a great disservice to her friends, her moral compass is broken, uses people, gets jealous of other peoples success, manipulates others, guilt-trips them, the list goes on. You'll see it.

I liked her a little in the beginning but by the end you just want to scream at Barry to GET OUT. Even if its the shows intention to make her worse than Barry/completely opposite to his character, I hope they give Barry another love interest which he has to choose between or something, and give her someone to fight against so that her character can either improve (like Barry) or get her to show her true colors.

TLDR; Sally doesn't change, Barry does. That's why we love him and not her. Watch this for Barry as the show suggests in its title and you will not be disappointed.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

Robert2156

Apr 12, 2019

This season is better than the previous one, dialogues and more fresh plots, bringing more action to Barry

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

ClariseSamuels

May 29, 2019

According to psychologists, professional assassins are not to be confused with serial killers. Assassins are simply employees, assigned to kill certain individuals in exchange for payment. They have no emotional investment in the killing, and there are no psychological impulses; their onlyAccording to psychologists, professional assassins are not to be confused with serial killers. Assassins are simply employees, assigned to kill certain individuals in exchange for payment. They have no emotional investment in the killing, and there are no psychological impulses; their only motivation to commit the crime is a financial one. They are cold-hearted, distant, and uninvolved. This professional objectification of murder usually begins in the military, where trained snipers are needed to take out the enemy, and the act of assassination is elevated to heroic if not patriotic levels. Laudatory though some assassins may be, this is not particularly someone you would want to chat with at a cocktail party; nevertheless, there is a general fascination with the psychological profile of an assassin.

Meet Barry, also known as BAH-ree, as pronounced by NoHo Hank, the character played by the adorable Anthony Carrigan. Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) started out as a military sniper in Afghanistan, where he acquired a taste for professional murder. Once back at home and under the management of a fellow veteran named Fuches (Stephen Root), Barry becomes a professional hit man who is well paid for his contractual crimes. He is doing what he’s good at, and he is making a living. He does not question himself ethically; he is convinced that he only takes out bad people. This is all well and good until he happens upon an acting class conducted by an idiosyncratic drama teacher (Henry Winkler), where Barry falls in love with both theater and a vivacious, petite blond named Sally (Sarah Goldberg). Since male violence goes against the fabric of Sally’s soul, Barry decides he wants out of the profession. He wants to be a nice average guy who adores his girlfriend and who is working hard to become a professional actor. In spite of his best intentions, Barry keeps getting pulled back into the game, where he becomes more and more entrenched in an ethically dangerous quagmire of conflicting principles. Mostly, Barry’s renewal of violent murder has now taken a sinister twist. It’s not about money anymore; it’s about saving himself.

Bill Hader’s comedic skills are entertaining, charming, and skillfully well-timed (such as to be seen in Trainwreck), and in the title role of Barry, these same skills are now finely honed in order to depict layers of subconscious guilt, social maladaptation, and emotional neediness. Barry is an ethical sociopath who still feels for the Other, even as he adheres to a strong inner belief that preserving himself is paramount and that the ends will always justify the means. The murders he commits become increasingly dark and disturbing. Barry is entangled in a web of lies, and practicing deceit becomes a necessary second nature. In spite of the irrationalism and havoc of Barry’s reality, he continues to somehow focus on memorizing his lines and using acting class to explore his inner depths. Sally’s innocence and her naive belief in his sincerity both inspire him and scare him. Thus, Barry is a complex enigma who retains humorous powers of observation that are abstractly removed from the chaos of his absurd cognitive state. He is a tempest of discordant desires and violent contradictions that continue to fascinate in Season 2.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

drlowdon

Apr 27, 2020

Picks up soon after the events of season one Barry has to deal with the consequences of his actions and keep his secrets hidden from those around him.

The humour is often even darker in this second season, but this show again pulls of the difficult balancing act of mixing genuine dramaPicks up soon after the events of season one Barry has to deal with the consequences of his actions and keep his secrets hidden from those around him.

The humour is often even darker in this second season, but this show again pulls of the difficult balancing act of mixing genuine drama with laugh out loud moments thanks to it’s excellent script and brilliant cast.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Dilsonb

Jun 15, 2019

Season 1 was brilliant and original, lots of action and comedic moments along with some fine acting, Season 2 however has started to become a parody of itself with silly characters and gags little or no action and stretched out stories.
I can feel another LOST series coming here , theSeason 1 was brilliant and original, lots of action and comedic moments along with some fine acting, Season 2 however has started to become a parody of itself with silly characters and gags little or no action and stretched out stories.
I can feel another LOST series coming here , the conversation with Bill Hader with TV executives sounds something like this.
TVEx " ok Bill we got a doosy of a hit here we need another 6 series "
Bill " but ive only written 3"
TV Ex " well stretch the **** out then we did it with Lost they'll never know the audience are stupid.
Bill " ok then "… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

SEE ALL 24 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

88

Series Overview
Season 4

tbd
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: April 16, 2023
Season 3

94
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: April 24, 2022
Season 2

87
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: March 31, 2019
- tbd
  S2:E8. berkman > block
  Air Date: May 19, 2019
- tbd
  S2:E7. The Audition
  Air Date: May 12, 2019
- tbd
  S2:E6. The Truth Has a Ring to It
  Air Date: April 21, 2019
- 8.6
  S2:E5. ronny/lily
  Air Date: April 28, 2019
- tbd
  S2:E4. What?!
  Air Date: April 21, 2019
- tbd
  S2:E3. Past = Present x Future Over Yesterday
  Air Date: April 14, 2019
- tbd
  S2:E2. The Power of No
  Air Date: April 7, 2019
- tbd
  S2:E1. The Show Must Go On, Probably?
  Air Date: March 31, 2019
Season 1

84
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: March 25, 2018