‘Barry’ Is the Most Underrated HBO Crime Thriller No One Talks About

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Most crime shows focus on either brilliant detectives solving mysteries, or criminals trying to evade capture. Characters are typically clear-cut heroes or villains. But what if a show centered on someone more complex – a character who isn’t easily defined – and was also funny, heartbreaking, captivating, and full of surprises?

HBO consistently delivers high-quality shows across all genres, including the critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic drama The Last of Us and the clever, though sometimes uncomfortable, comedy The Comeback. It’s also a go-to for gripping crime thrillers. While shows like The Sopranos and The Wire remain iconic, another standout series offered a darkly comedic, yet surprisingly hopeful, story centered around a compelling lead character. Barry, which ran for four seasons from 2018 to 2023, featured Bill Hader in a particularly memorable role. Co-created by Alec Berg and Hader himself (who also directed many episodes), the show consistently subverted expectations.

‘Barry’ Is an Underrated Crime Thriller on HBO You Need To Watch

Barry centers around Barry Berkman (Bill Hader), a professional hitman who unexpectedly begins taking acting classes. While the concept sounds lighthearted and comedic, the show delves much deeper, exploring what happens when someone like Barry desires a different life and grapples with the consequences of their past actions.

Bill Hader is known for comedy, and while he’s taken on some dramatic roles – like voicing Fear in Inside Out and playing the adult Richie Tozier in It: Chapter Two – we generally see him thriving in funny parts, such as Officer Slater in Superbad or his work on Saturday Night Live. His performance in Barry is particularly impressive and worth checking out. The show centers around a compelling main character, but it’s also filled with memorable supporting characters, especially Sally Reed (played by Sarah Goldberg), an aspiring actress. The relationship between Barry and Sally is a surprising and captivating romantic subplot that adds lightness to the show’s otherwise dark tone. Henry Winkler delivers, as expected, a fantastic performance as Gene Cousineau, the acting teacher for both Sally and Barry.

Unlike most crime thrillers that focus on solving a case, Barry explores deeper, more compelling questions. It centers on a character grappling with his mental state and life choices, and it quickly makes you wonder if he truly wants to be a killer. In fact, after just a few episodes, you’ll likely question why he ever started down this dark path.

The HBO series Barry uniquely combines stories of post-traumatic stress disorder with the pursuit of fame. It’s surprising to think a show could realistically follow both a hitman and struggling actors in an unusual acting class. But this unexpected combination is precisely what makes Barry so compelling and well-made.

Why HBO’s Other Thrillers Can’t Compete With ‘Barry’

What makes Barry so good is its distinctive mood. It starts out seeming like a comedy, but it quickly becomes a crime thriller, though it still has plenty of funny – and surprisingly dark – moments. Barry is similar to another excellent HBO show, Industry, in that both shows effortlessly shift between different tones, sometimes even within a single scene. Both series also feature complex characters who aren’t simply heroes or villains, and who are honest about their desires.

HBO has produced many compelling thrillers, like the Mark Ruffalo series The Patient and Kate Winslet’s powerful drama Mare of Easttown. But those shows tend to be quite heavy. Barry stands out because it’s uniquely quirky, dark, and surprisingly funny. As Bill Hader explained to The Independent in 2023:

Stories generally fall flat if serious dramas lack any humor, or if comedies don’t feel genuinely human. A good balance of both is usually essential.

I just finished all four seasons of Barry, and wow, I was completely hooked! The show is full of unexpected twists, and the characters are so well-developed. Even though one storyline in the final season wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, I appreciated that it really made me think. Honestly, who doesn’t love a show that’s both entertaining and gets you pondering the choices people make?

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2026-04-04 19:22