For the last week I have been nursing my eyelids as they recover from last week surgery. The procedure went well and I have encountered only the run-of-the-mill issues as the incisions heal. Over the final days of the week I watched the HBO series Barry. The entire first season is a short eight, roughly half-hour, episodes for the new dark comedy so I can review the complete season.
The premise of Barryis simple, Barry, a former Marine who has been guided by a familial authority figure into being a hit man, is experiencing an existential crisis when he discovers that he wants to become an actor. Suddenly thrust into an acting class filled with 
quirky characters Barry’s life is a collision of dark deadly duties and he own inept stage abilities. Set in Los Angeles the show has a sharp eye critiquing the life of aspiring actors and some of the low-life’s that prey upon them. It is an interesting choice that for both sets of characters, the showbiz and the criminal underworld everyone is from somewhere else seeking to make the mark in their profession in the city of angels.
The show hits quite a few comedic marks, including one very narrow cast ‘Leroy Jenkins!” gag that had me laughing quite loudly. The difficulty in material like this is the balance between the dark nature of the character and their history and keeping the audience identifying with the character. Breaking Badhad a similar issue but came from a place where we got to know and empathize with Walter White before his actions became violent and predatory. With character like Barry Berkman we are introduced to him when he is already a paid killer and that can be a difficult hurdle to clear as the story progresses. Have Barry be too nice too remorseful and suddenly the ‘previous Barry’ become unreal and you’ve lost the engine you hope would drive the story. Cross the line the other direction and, at least for me, there is no more sympathy for the devil and the audience wants or even needs to see the character face the music for their actions.
Part of the trouble with the film musical Little Shop of Horrorsis that the main character commits to murder and pays no price for that decision. The ending is not earned. Barrydoes not make the same forced error but it does end in a very dark place. In episode 7 the character crosses a line that in my opinion there was simply no way the bring him back from. Once he took this action, at least as far as I am concerned, justice needed to be visited upon his head. The creators recognized this quite explicitly within the narrative and even used it to show Barry’s emotional growth but it would seem that the needs of a continuing series overrode the moral requirement for justice.
Do not misunderstand me, I not someone who bemoans the death of the production code and as a lover of film noir I adore well-drawn dark characters but you have to earn your ending. Breaking Badalways was going to end in Walter’s death, ultimate judgment was coming for him; I do not get such a sense from the makers of Barry.
Of course your mileage may vary. You may tune out before episode 7 or you love the entire thing. It’s worth a watch, it’s well made, well acted, and possesses a sharp wit, just be aware that its moral center is quite squishy.
