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| Bill Hader in Barry |
Welcome to a new column called Channel Surfing, in which I sporadically look at current TV shows and talk about them. These are not ones that I care to write weekly recaps for and are instead reflections either on the episode, the series, or particular moments. This will hopefully help to share personal opinions as well as discover entertainment on the outer pantheon that I feel is well worth checking out, or in some cases, shows that are weird enough to talk about, but should never be seen.
The latest HBO series Barry is an easy contender for one of the channel's most ingenious premises imaginable. While the hour-long dramas get credit for skewering the TV narrative model in groundbreaking ways, Barry shows that the half hour comedies are allowed to be just as adventurous, in this case taking the stagnant genre of hit man stories and fueling them with comedy. But it isn't a madcap comedy that requires Frank Drebin-level slapstick. No, this is a character study that chooses to explore Barry's (Bill Hader) ongoing struggle between a life of a murderer and a man wanting to pursue acting. It's a juxtaposition that could lead to some predictable corners, especially given the past decade of antagonists leading dramas like Mad Men and Breaking Bad. However, Barry is a show that wants to find the human drive in ways that transcend the gimmicks. This isn't a straight comedy as much as it isn't a straight hit man drama. It's somewhere in between, and produces a compelling second act for Hader.
Hader is an actor known for his Saturday Night Live appearances as well as many comedies where he plays wacky archetypes. He has played lead before, but Barry may be one of the first times that he's really done something surprising with his career. While there are a few funny moments, this is his chance to perform in a dramatic setting - finding an in to a life of innocence after a dark past that included being a soldier in the Middle East. It's a past so strange that nobody believes that he has a dark side - that is, unless you've seen him shoot a gun. Hader is nuanced in his acting choices, finding room to play the character with a conflict of two worlds without ever making one tone conflict too greatly with the other. He is compelling as a nice guy as well as a thug, and it adds to the general potential of the show.
Barry's high concept in all of the ways that HBO usually excels at. All it takes is one element out of the normal formula to produce an inspired show. With a great supporting cast, the show already manages to build a version of Hollywood that isn't cliche but still embodies a struggle to have an identity and career amid a highly competitive market. It's what makes the drama work so well underneath, especially as Barry "eliminates the competition" in a different way. It wouldn't seem out of place that his lives will overlap significantly in the latter half of the season, but one has to wonder then how the tone will work. Will the show manage to become something serious and funny at the same time, or will the show lose its mark? With all of this said, Hader seems intent on finding something richer in his story besides tropes, so maybe it will be more unpredictable than that.
To some extent, the show is an odd sell because of how good it balances everything. There's not a lot that's known about Barry by the closing credits, but there's a sense that Hader will be exploring the "truth" to his character throughout the season. He has yet to embrace the acting world, in part because of the danger it brings to his cohorts. He is a man wanting to break free into a life of innocence, where he can out his fantasies instead of being paid to eliminate others'. Considering that it's a show that features Henry Winkler eviscerating students with crushing statements about their talent, the show isn't without some dark humor and even vulgar jokes. However, it all builds towards understanding who Barry is and what he sees in a life away from the danger. The show's essential element right now is its mystery, and one can only hope that it manages to survive as the show evolves into whatever form it wants to take.
For now, Barry is possibly the first HBO comedy of 2018 to make even the smallest impact. It has a premise that grabs the viewer and creates an intriguing world. Where can things possibly go when the laughs are big and the darkness isn't funny? It's an ambitious show, and one that already sees Hader trying to become more than a silly sideman. Sure, he does have a good comic streak, but it's more impressive to see him hold his own dramatically in those moments. The show has a lot going for it early on, and it manages to nail the tone down nicely. The only question now is whether the show will live up to its first episode and possibly rebrand Hader as a more charismatic actor than he gets credit for.
Hader is an actor known for his Saturday Night Live appearances as well as many comedies where he plays wacky archetypes. He has played lead before, but Barry may be one of the first times that he's really done something surprising with his career. While there are a few funny moments, this is his chance to perform in a dramatic setting - finding an in to a life of innocence after a dark past that included being a soldier in the Middle East. It's a past so strange that nobody believes that he has a dark side - that is, unless you've seen him shoot a gun. Hader is nuanced in his acting choices, finding room to play the character with a conflict of two worlds without ever making one tone conflict too greatly with the other. He is compelling as a nice guy as well as a thug, and it adds to the general potential of the show.
Barry's high concept in all of the ways that HBO usually excels at. All it takes is one element out of the normal formula to produce an inspired show. With a great supporting cast, the show already manages to build a version of Hollywood that isn't cliche but still embodies a struggle to have an identity and career amid a highly competitive market. It's what makes the drama work so well underneath, especially as Barry "eliminates the competition" in a different way. It wouldn't seem out of place that his lives will overlap significantly in the latter half of the season, but one has to wonder then how the tone will work. Will the show manage to become something serious and funny at the same time, or will the show lose its mark? With all of this said, Hader seems intent on finding something richer in his story besides tropes, so maybe it will be more unpredictable than that.
To some extent, the show is an odd sell because of how good it balances everything. There's not a lot that's known about Barry by the closing credits, but there's a sense that Hader will be exploring the "truth" to his character throughout the season. He has yet to embrace the acting world, in part because of the danger it brings to his cohorts. He is a man wanting to break free into a life of innocence, where he can out his fantasies instead of being paid to eliminate others'. Considering that it's a show that features Henry Winkler eviscerating students with crushing statements about their talent, the show isn't without some dark humor and even vulgar jokes. However, it all builds towards understanding who Barry is and what he sees in a life away from the danger. The show's essential element right now is its mystery, and one can only hope that it manages to survive as the show evolves into whatever form it wants to take.
For now, Barry is possibly the first HBO comedy of 2018 to make even the smallest impact. It has a premise that grabs the viewer and creates an intriguing world. Where can things possibly go when the laughs are big and the darkness isn't funny? It's an ambitious show, and one that already sees Hader trying to become more than a silly sideman. Sure, he does have a good comic streak, but it's more impressive to see him hold his own dramatically in those moments. The show has a lot going for it early on, and it manages to nail the tone down nicely. The only question now is whether the show will live up to its first episode and possibly rebrand Hader as a more charismatic actor than he gets credit for.
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