Starring: Bill Hader, Henry Winkler, Anthony Carrigan, Stephen Root, Sarah Goldberg, Michael Irby, Laura San Giacomo
Barry successfully teetered on the edge of darkness in the first two seasons, but season three disappoints because of the curious lack of energy this time around. The show is in the doldrums with themes of guilt and redemption weighing so heavily on everyone's mind. Barry (Hader) himself mopes around disheveled and bearded and in serious need of a good night's sleep. The weight of the world is on his shoulders, as it should considering how many people he has killed as a hired assassin and innocent people he had to off to cover up his crimes.
As season three begins, Barry's friend and acting teacher Gene Cousineau (Winkler) has learned from Barry's former boss Fuches (Root) that Barry indeed killed Gene's beloved Det. Moss. Gene is terrified at Barry's crimes, but Barry convinces Gene to keep quiet by having him hired on the television show which he also recently scored the lead role. Gene, an egomaniac who has been searching his whole career for such a break, finds he can live with this trade-off.
Barry's girlfriend Sally (Goldberg) experiences the high of starring in her own sitcom and the low of having it cancelled after one episode because, according to network suits, it didn't hit certain demographics. Which ones? Who even knows. Prior to this, Barry and Sally have a loud argument which frightens Sally to the point that she breaks up with Barry. Also on the scene is NoHo Hank (Carrigan), the Chechen mobster who is having a secret affair with Cristobal (Irby), the son-in-law of the leader of the Bolivian drug cartel warring with the Chechens. Fuches himself is in exile on a remote European farm, seemingly happy, until a phone call from Barry springs him into action attempting to destroy Barry by informing victims' families that Barry was the killer of their loved one. One is Det. Moss' father, who forces Gene into giving up Barry.
Barry is feeling the heat of having victims' relatives trying to kill him while seeking absolution and forgiveness. This life is surely weighing on him, so I suppose we can forgive him if he misses a few days' worth of shaving. Barry doesn't lack for activity, but it feels bogged down by unseen forces. Barry was always black comedy, but the black has overtaken the comedy. The ending of season three is appropriate and the plotlines seem to tidy themselves up into neat conclusions. Will a fourth season be necessary? I say no.
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