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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
The absurdity and the pain are back for more stories. Alec Berg and Bill Hader’s HBO dark comedy crime drama series, Barry, returns with its third season. Its premiere episode is titled, “forgiving jeff”; and it is written by Berg and Hader and directed by Hader.
In this review, I will be discussing the Barry Season 3 premiere. There will be no spoilers here, as the title of this article suggests. Nonetheless, please read ahead at your own discretion to avoid any possible revelations.
Plot Synopsis
According to WarnerMedia’s pressroom, here is the logline for Barry Season 3 Episode 1— “forgiving jeff”.
What are you, some kind of psycho?
WarnerMedia
Discussion
NOTE: It should be known that I got to see the first six out of eight episodes of Barry Season 3. This is my second time watching these episodes.
This first episode of Barry Season 3 may not come off as terrific as those from the previous two episodes; however, instead it showcases the effects of what Season 2 had left us. Barry (Bill Hader) and his acting coach (Henry Winkler) are reeling in from some traumatic happenstances and are left to deal with it. Everyone else is sort of in hiding, while Sally Reed (Sarah Goldberg) is the only person who has found success in what she is passionate about. Even then, there is something about fame that has gotten the best of her; although, this premiere episode only gives her a taste of that.
While I usually find a common theme or concept in nearly everything that I watch then review, this episode of Barry was just great enough to not go for that. Rather, I found there to be a dark balance of comedy and drama, and that’s where the tragic element finds itself. It’s the little things like milking a goat to use in a bowl of cereal, or Barry looking to make more money from hitman jobs by searching through a “Hitman Marketplace” website on the Internet. I can assure you that the absurdity is maintained in this season; and while I did not like this episode, it is only because it does get more profound and more intense and thus just better as the season progresses.
Purpose
I guess when it comes down to it, Barry Season 3 is about purpose. Sally is really trying to make it in the industry as a successful actress. We see through an excellently detailed and well-shot scene that there is so much going on in one studio. Everything is coming at her but she is trying to professionally keep her composure. This comes to show that this is truly something she desires in her life in Los Angeles.
Barry tarnished his acting class by framing Cousineau for past crimes. Although, this is eventually dealt with and they try to resolve this issue, just not how you would expect; and of course, it is literally laugh out loud hilarious.
This search for purpose doesn’t only happen with the main characters but even the supporting and guest characters as well. It is here that we see they all play roles as cogs in the industry or whatever line of business they partake in. Therefore, with different purposes, there is just utter chaos, and the Season 3 premiere only teases what is to come.
The Crew of Barry
Barry is created by Alec Berg and Bill Hader.
Berg, Hader, Aida Rodgers, and Liz Sarnoff serve as the executive producers of the series. Julie Camino and Duffy Boudreau serve as the producers. Emily Heller and Jason Kim serve as the supervising producers. Artūrs Rūsis and Amy Solomon serve as the co-producers.
Sherry Thomas and Sharon Bialy serve as the casting directors of the show. Stacia Kimler is the casting associate. Mindy Rengrudkij and Ashley Albans are the casting assistants, while Rich King and Lou Verdi serve as the extras casting.
Carl Herse is the director of photography. Franky Guttman serves as the editor, while Kchris de Gelsey is the assistant editor. Emma Barrie serves as the executive story editor.
David Wingo composes the music of the series. Liza Richardson serves as the music supervisor. Michael Brake is the music editor.
Eric Schoonover is the production designer. Chrisi Karvonides-Dushenko serves as the costume designer, while Jackie Martinez serves as the assistant costume designer. Andrew Leitch serves as the art director, while Curtis Moore and Rachel Scott are the assistant art directors. Rachael Ferrara is the set decorator.
Leo Corey Castellano serves as the head of the make-up department. Denise Dellavalle is the assistant head, while Ruth Haney serves as the make-up artist. Katherine Kousakis serves as the head of the hair styling department. Amanda Bourne is the assistant head, while Morgan Ferrando serves as the hair stylist.
The Cast of Barry
Bill Hader plays the titular protagonist, Barry Berkman/ Barry Block.
Stephen Root plays Monroe Fuches, while Sarah Goldberg portrays Sally Reed. Anthony Carrigan plays NoHo Hank, while Sarah Burns plays Detective Mae Dunn. Henry Winkler plays Gene Cousineau, Barry and Sally’s former acting coach.
Elizabeth Perkins guest stars. D’Arcy Carden stars as Natalie Greer, Sally’s assistant, while Michael Irby plays Cristobal Sifuentes, the leader of the Bolivian mafia. Jessy Hodges plays Lindsay Mandel, Sally’s agent. Andrew Leeds appears as Leo Cousineau, Gene’s son.
Nick Gracer and Turhan Troy Caylak appear as Yandal and Akhmal, members of the Chechen mafia, respectively. Elsie Fisher guest stars as Katie, Sally’s co-star on a television series. JB Blanc, Gary Kraus, Marika Dominczyk, Cullen Douglas, Todd Weeks, and Joanna Sotomura also guest star.
Chris Aquilino, Kate Mines, Alexander Jo, Nancy Ma, Allen Kepler, Madison Shepard, Zack Myers, Michael J. Sielaff, Atticus Batacan, Alya Lei, Lisa Dring, Wade Allen, and Eli Michael Kaplan also star.
Hader’s Performance and Development as Barry
Hader continues to fare well in his own television series. What I particularly enjoy about “forgiving jeff” is Barry’s dynamics with both Hank and Cousineau, specifically in the latter half of the episode. Without revealing too much so as to avoid spoiling plot details, one lesson he learns is that he must work toward some goal or feat in order to really be forgiven; and that is where the episode title comes from.
Final Thoughts on the Barry Season 3 Premiere
“forgiving jeff” is a neat start to the new season, but again, it does get better. There is just so much that you will not expect with this season; so much so that I fear this season of Barry will be a tough match for Donald Glover’s Atlanta at the upcoming Television Academy’s awards season. However, we will get there when we get there.
Next week will be one of my favorite episodes of Barry Season 3, so stay tuned for that!
Barry Season 3 airs on HBO starting April 24th!
Have you seen Alec Berg and Bill Hader’s series? If so, then what are your thoughts on it so far? Let us know! For more dark comedy and drama-related news and reviews visit and follow The Cinema Spot on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
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