May 28, 2023 will be a day that lives in television history, marking not only the final episode of HBO's Succession, but the finale of its other critically adored, Emmy-devouring series, Barry.
Being in the shadow of the lionized Succession meant that Barry's equally excellent four season run at HBO received a slightly muted response. Just like Succession, Barry delivered four tight, solid seasons with nary a wasted plotline (what filler episode?). While one could hardly call Barry underrated (the Emmy nominations and wins say otherwise), its swan song deserved more accolades for being as iconic as the show that preceded it on HBO's vaunted Sunday lineup.
The final episode ever of Barry was titled "Wow," which was usually the reaction after every episode of this perfectly written, perfectly cast, and brilliantly directed show, which managed to go in the direction you never expected every time.
Despite the fact that Barry was populated with hitmen and mobsters (and aspiring actors), this wasn't a show about good guys and bad guys, but complex people capable of both redemption and moral failure, often in the same episode. The pitch for Barry might have sounded like a one-joke SNL skit premise, but ended as Bill Hader's dark magnum opus, comparable to any Coen Brothers masterpiece.
Will Barry have a place in the Mount Rushmore of HBO shows, alongside The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Veep and The Wire? Time will tell but having worked with HBO for nearly 40 years, we'd certainly include it in our pantheon.
All four seasons of Barry are available to watch on HBO or stream on Max.
When you're finished watching, read some of these great articles encapsulating what made the show so special. The Guardian's review of the finale, the LA Times' interview with the talented cast and Inkoo Kang's review in The New Yorker highlight what made Barry an instant classic.