Created by comedian Bill Hader and screenwriter Alec Berg, HBO’s dark comedy Barry follows a Midwestern hitman, who falls for the escapism of Los Angeles’ performing arts scene. Intertwining all aspects of his life as he ventures deeper, the titular Barry Berkman, played by Hader, was not exactly living it easy this past season.

Many season three episodes, such as ‘710N’, see Barry subjected to his most psychologically difficult and physically taxing challenges yet. With the current season now wrapped, season three has proved itself as the series’ best and most versatile yet. Here’s what makes the season so engaging.

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Improving Upon Past Elements

         Warner Bros. Television Distribution

Season three of Barry continues many of the series’ most compelling storylines, further building on the show’s momentum. New horizons for NoHo Hank spice up the Bolivian mob’s involvement in the universe, while Sally Reed and Gene Cousineau test their luck at flying close to the sun. The world of acting begins to feel more cutthroat, while the internal affairs of the mob turn more treacherous. As far as performances go, the ever-impressive Sarah Goldberg kills it once again as Sally, the heart behind Barry’s insights on the performing arts industry. Goldberg is also wonderful opposite 8th Grade’s Elsie Fisher, who plays a vital role in Sally’s in-universe series, “Joplin.”

Each cast member feels as tuned into their character as ever, with Hader’s performance feeling particularly nuanced in how believably unhinged and outwardly vile the hitman is becoming. Meanwhile, Henry Winkler has never been more versatile as Cousineau, achieving both hilarity and intensity when paired with Hader.

Character Development

Growing into its third season, Barry’s writing team has nudged their characters into unexplored territory. This chiefly concerns Barry’s closest confidants, Sally and Gene, who mark new revelations among unforeseen career opportunities and obstacles. As an anxious and unsure Gene finds his footing within an industry that has long rejected him, Sally finds disillusionment in similar areas. Trying to balance the politics of work life with her own artistic expressions, Sally’s passion for the arts is dulled by a company that values consumerism over individualism. Sally’s new territory allows the writers to develop her at a distance from Barry and Gene, who for a long while, were quite involved in her story. Sally’s developments better show her resilience, but also her predisposition to fallacy when mistreated.

While Gene is suffering as a result of past events, Barry further separates himself from his understanding of human nature — in both how he communicates and how he believes people may perceive him. Showcasing a full scope of emotion in each character, from their boldest triumphs to their lowest points, season three’s approach to character development perfectly exemplifies how drastically things have changed since the first acting lesson Barry sat in on.

Distinguishing Itself from Other Crime Dramas

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Made clear with past episodes ‘What?!’ and ‘Know Your Truth’, Barry excels at trapping its characters with their backs against the wall, only to see them evade peril altogether through surprising and logical means. One significant confrontation — which many shows may have saved for a finale — took place in the season’s first episode, further cementing how the show distinguishes itself from others. Particularly evident in NoHo Hank’s own development, the series is growing further into a league of its own. While Barry was never meant to be an average crime drama, this is truer than ever with a third season that marries its comedy, surrealism, drama, and action beautifully. To keep elements of humor intact in an otherwise dark and dismal story, some Barry characters felt justifiably static in seasons prior. Take NoHo Hank, for instance: a character who, for all intents and purposes, served best as comic relief in prior seasons.

In season two, NoHo Hank had begun showing romantic interest in Cristobal, a leader of the Bolivian mob. Their exchanges felt a bit tongue-in-cheek at first, and more like schoolyard competition than romance. Season three distinguishes the series both as a comedy and a crime drama by allowing NoHo Hank and Cristobal to form a genuine relationship. While the duo develops as a couple, they stumble into a frightening entanglement involving those who seek to keep them apart.

Expanding the Universe

Navigating a setting that distributes pleasantry and disaster unevenly, season three takes Barry’s preexisting interpretation of L.A. and truly makes it its own. The city feels more hazardous, more unforgiving, and as lawless as ever before. New antagonists arise from the ghosts of Barry’s past, while former allies begin to present themselves as foes. At the center is the series’ title character, who dips and dodges from one scenario to the next in an impressive feat of destruction.

Outside Los Angeles, Monroe Fuches and NoHo Hank explore new areas independently. In their new settings come new characters, while some familiar, and longing faces surface back home. Season three elevates two important characters to major roles. Both are vital to the development of the universe, and might prove particularly significant in Barry’s story going forward. With even more locations, developments, and danger teased for season four, Barry’s third season stands above the previous two in scope and execution, while building upon everything viewers already loved about the series.