Be aware that the following review of the final season of HBO’s BARRY discusses details from episode 5 which would be considered spoilers for those who have not yet seen the season.

A lot has happened since this dark comedy started back in 2018. Five years and four seasons later, now the show has reached its conclusion on its own terms. Back when it premiered, I described it as a blend of “James Manos Jr.’s Dexter and, well, Shane Black’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, which is probably the closest comparison — a film where a criminal, who is hiding from the police, ends up running into an acting audition that he somehow knocks out of the park.” The dark comedy about a hitman who tries to fulfill his potential, and sort of disguise himself, as a wannabe actor has come a long way, and, in season three, it genuinely felt like Bill Hader — the series’ star, co-creator, and frequent director — was experimenting with the show, but in a way that made the show more engaged in the kind of deep reflection on guilt, redemption, and responsibility that half-hour comedies only rarely have the time and consideration to dwell on. In my review of season three, I noted that the show had gotten more depressing than outright funny as it progressed and that its focus on acting and the entertainment industries had changed (though it was still very much there). In the final season, I think the blend of dark and depressing themes and laugh-out-loud comedy is handled much smoother, and the result is arguably the best season of the show.