‘Barry’ finale praised as the “true best show on television”

30 May, 2023

Bill Hader and Henry Winkler in 'Barry'

This article contains major spoilers for the ‘Barry’ finale.

Critics and fans alike have praised the final-ever episode of Barry, with some even hailing it as the “true best show on television”.

Created by Alec Berg and Bill Hader, the dark comedy/drama follows the story of hitman and aspiring actor Barry Berkman (Hader) as he attempts to escape his violent past. Season four kicked off earlier this year and started with Barry in prison following his arrest — haunted by the words of his former acting teacher Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler) and attempting to win his forgiveness.

On Sunday (May 28) the series finale of the HBO show aired, and it has since received praise from both critics and fans, who were more than satisfied with the conclusion.

The show came to an end with the death of both the title character and Hank (Anthony Carrigan), as well as Gene facing an absurd prison sentence, Janice never getting any real justice and Sally ending up with a mundane life after the chaos she has faced.

“Barry has concluded with “wow”, an episode of television that pulled off the remarkable job of creating a definitive ending and leaping forward a decade… while still managing to be the bitter Hollywood satire it always was,” said The Guardian of the finale, who also described it as the “true best show on television”.

Barry
A still from ‘Barry’ season four. Credit: HBO

Empire’s Beth Webb agreed, writing: “[Hader has] turned in a stunning showcase of ambitiously choreographed action and a strong intuition when filming his beloved characters… It’s hugely exciting to think where his filmmaking career might take him next.”

The Hollywood Reporter also praised the series as becoming increasingly earnest in its discussion of redemption, and described it as “a sharp piece of self-reflection”, which leaves viewers feeling both frustrated and content.

The New York Times’ James Poniewozik further celebrated the finale for successfully bringing all of the seasons together, writing: “Through the first three seasons, the show’s sendups of violence and pop culture were effective, [they] often felt separate… They came fully together in the final season.”

Fans also had an overall positive response to the final episode — which was titled ‘Wow’ — with many describing it as “perfect”.

In other Hader news, earlier this month the actor and director — who also voiced BB-8 in Star Wars: The Force Awakens along with comedian Ben Schwartz — admitted that he refuses to sign Star Wars merchandise, following a “fucked up” experience in 2015.

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