The connection between Bill Hader’s Barry and Better Call Saul: HBO’s Barry has launched itself into television royalty with its exciting new season. This is the last chapter in Barry Berkman’s coming-of-age fable – along with a few other things. The charismatic Bill Hader, who has taken complete directorial responsibilities for Barry’s season 4, spoke on the eve of the latest episode’s release, titled “Tricky Legacies.” Episode 5 envisions a daring time jump that we thought was Barry’s inspired fantasy at the end of episode 4. Barry and Sally (Sarah Goldberg) have evaded a nationwide hunt as they settle in the middle of nowhere eight years on from the events of episode 4.
The time jump was quite a jarring confirmation that seems just in retrospect given how things ended in “it takes a Psycho.” In fact, one can revisit the previous episode and have a greater appreciation for how Hader and Co. wrapped things up on certain subplots. Speaking on this bold creative decision, Hader couldn’t have put his desperation more simply. “It was more about them being there. It’s been eight years, and this is where they’re at. That was just more interesting to me (than watching them being on the run in real-time).” Hader makes a call back to an episode in the maiden season, where Barry dreams of a similar reality when he first sees Sally.
There is an impact on continuity, for sure. Barry was told almost like a straight line over the past seasons and did not make too many stoppages along the way. Season 3 did bring about an element of existentialism in the form of visions that Barry has about D-Day and absolution. But none of them were grounded in reality, unlike episode 5. Many have noted the similarities between Barry and Better Call Saul’s season six, where Saul Goodman had to take on a new identity and “wear a costume for the rest of his life,” which he was also doing in the first place.
Hader touched upon that element of creative inspiration in this THR interview. “On a personal level, I visited the Better Call Saul writers’ room way early just to be like, “How do you guys do this?” And so I just watched them hang out for a day. I also hung out with Vince off and on for a couple of weeks.” He continued by making the comparison between Walter White/Barry Berkman/Saul Goodman and how they are “a guy between two worlds.” The makers and writers of Barry make use of similar narrative propulsion to explore their protagonists wearing the skin of other people and hiding from the world.
Barry seems to be coming into his own in the climax of episode 5 when he reads the news about his biopic. On a different note, that seems to be a total red herring and another trick from Cousineau. But he might be in a different headspace altogether, given how he shot his own son at the end of episode 4. Despite the comparisons, Hader believes the show is “its own thing.” “ I was a little self-conscious about it (comparisons with Breaking Bad), but I also think that as the show has progressed, it’s become its own thing. By the time we hit “Ronny/Lily” in season two, it started to become its own weird thing.”
Barry is available to watch on HBO and HBO Max. Its season 4 finale will be released on Sunday, 28 May.
