Barry is a dark humour comedy thriller series created by Alec Berg and Bill Hader. The show rapidly gained many fans worldwide and was critically acclaimed, with many compliments on its direction, writing, originality, humour, characters and performances, particularly Bill Hader's.
The show revolves around Barry Berkman, a former Marine who has become a contract killer. Barry is very good at what he does, to the point that he doesn't feel any emotion when carrying out paid hits.
In LA, he accidentally attends an acting class taught by Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler). He meets aspiring actress Sally Reed (Sarah Goldberg).
With them, he begins to want to change the course of his life. However, despite his true intentions to change, Barry must deal with the criminals he has associated himself with in the past.
The series is a brilliantly dark comedy co-created by Saturday Night Live star Bill Hader and comedy writer extraordinaire Alec Berg (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm).
If you're looking for more great shows like Barry, you won't want to miss our list below.
OUR LIST OF SHOWS LIKE BARRY
Slow Horses
Made a career ending mistake at MI5? Then it's off to Slough House, a dumping ground for agents who have epically messed up. Known as the Slow Horses the team are led by Jackson lamb and find themselves in the middle of a huge operation gone wrong. A...[Read More]
Kevin Can F Himself
What happens when the bright lights of a comedy sitcom dim and reality sets in for a beleaguered wife of an idiot man-child husband? That's Kevin Can F Himself, a brilliant concept in drama starring Annie Murphy.
Fleabag
A dark comedy that follows the ups and downs of cafe owner Fleabag. She is a flawed, messy, guilt-ridden character that exudes false bravado in the face of all that is going very wrong in her life. Stellar writing and sharp wit make this an award-win...[Read More]
Life & Beth
Life & Beth is a dark comedy drama about a woman who must re-evaluate her entire life when her mother suddenly dies. A really well written and engaging show about trying to break out of the banality of life.
Happy!
One of the craziest shows to come from SyFy, Happy! follows a disgraced former FBI agent, through his psychotic hitman life with his imaginary side-kick 'Happy'. It is as bonkers as it sounds. Dark, dark, dark comedy with gruesome undertones but is s...[Read More]
Calm With Horses
Ex-boxer Douglas "Arm" Armstrong works for a crime family in the West Of Ireland. His indifference to violence is called into question when his employers try to turn the hired muscle into a cold-blooded killer. Calm With Horses is a fantastic gangste...[Read More]
Wolf Like Me
Gary is a widower and single father when he meets Mary. But Mary has a secret, and when Gary finds out what it is, he has a big decision to make in Wolf Like Me. Decent drama.
How Many Seasons Of Barry?
Barry currently has three seasons with a total of 24 episodes.
The first season premiered in March 2018 with eight episodes. Following its rapid success, the second season was confirmed soon after, first airing in March 2019.
The series was then renewed for a third season, which premiered in April 2022. In May 2022, the show got renewed for a fourth season of eight episodes, which is still awaiting a release date.
Did The Series Win Awards?
Since its premiere, Barry has become very popular all over the world. Its tragicomedy genre, combined with quirky black humour, has captured the attention of many fans.
The series received 44 Primetime Emmy Award nominations along with the critics' praise. Bill Hader won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series twice, while Henry Winkler won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance in the first season.
In the second season, Henry Winkler, Stephen Root and Anthony Carrigan received Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor, while Sarah Goldberg earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Winkler and Carrigan also received another nomination for season three.
All three seasons of Barry have been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.
Where Was Barry Filmed?
Barry is entirely filmed in the USA, especially in Los Angeles, California.
The first season of filming began in 2017, and the second one was shot between September and December 2018.
Filming for the third season started in early 2020 but was shut down in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, without a single episode taped. The production restarted in August 2021 and was completed after a few months.
The scripts for seasons three and four were written during this period, and shooting began in August 2021, with season four being produced in June 2022.
Barry is mainly filmed in and around the City of Angels, where the scouting of locations has become a fun aspect for Los Angeles residents.
The show was reportedly filmed for the first two seasons at Paramount Studios, a classic Hollywood movie studio. With around 32 sound stages, Paramount Studios is the fifth oldest studio in the world and one of the busiest.
Another important filming location for the series is the Steve Allen Theatre, the site of Gene's movie theatre. Located on Hollywood Boulevard, the theatre has been renamed the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Theatre.
Who Picked The Songs For Barry?
Barry's soundtrack is quite vast, including music from some of the biggest bands like Pantera and Metallica. The series has also been enhanced with music by the composer David Wingo.
The soundtrack supervisor is Liza Richardson, also responsible for the Narcos Mexico musical score, and Charles Bradley sings the theme track, “Change to the World”.
