Bill Hader’s dark comedy seriesBarryhas become a staple withinHBO’scatalog. The comedic crime series first premiered in 2018 and has found tremendous success following its debut. The performances from the series' colorful cast of characters are highly regarded, as Hader has won 2 Primetime Emmys for his lead role in the series, and Henry Winkler has earned an Emmy for his supporting role as Gene Cousineau. Over the years, Stephen Root, Anthony Carrigan, and Sarah Goldberg have also received Emmy nominations for their supporting roles.
The Emmy-winningHBOseries has a lot going for it. The composition of the dark comedy’saction sequences is worthy of celebration, as isBarry’scomedic timing. Sometimes, its comedic label leaves viewers scratching their heads, asBarrytravels through some excruciatingly painful circumstances. If there is a character that has routinely brought a smile to the faces ofBarryviewers, it’s NoHo Hank.
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Justifiably, NoHo Hank has become a fan favorite. The eccentric characterwas first introduced inBarry’s2018 pilot, “Chapter One: Make Your Mark.” Hank was originally the right hand of Goran Pazar (Glenn Fleshler), the leader of the Chechen mob. Pazar had recently discovered his wife was cheating on him with Ryan Madison, an aspiring actor, and hired Fuches and Barry to kill him. In their initial meeting to lay out the necessities of the hit, Hank’s comedic presence almost immediately steals the scene. His comedic timing not only carries over into all of hisBarryscenes, but when paired with his overtly fashionable ensembles, he becomes even more of a delight on a series that can grow grim rather quickly.
Even the characters withinBarryhave a hard time disliking Hank. Despite the many times Hank tries to kill Barry, the two form what is as close to friendship as anyone could have in their line of work. Hank’s clear admiration for Barry provides an endless supply of humorous moments, despite Barry’s mere tolerance of him. Hank’s willingness to protect Barry is admirable and even when he has the opportunity toturn Barry in for killing Detective Janice Moss, he doesn’t. Instead, he pins it on Fuches. As repayment, Hank enlists Barry to train the Chechen mobsters under his leadership. During each training session, Hank arrives in a unique outfit of choice that is almost as unexpected as some exchanges between himself and Barry.
Even Cristobal, who nearly burned Hank and his men alive on a school bus, grew to adore Hank. The romantic relationship between Cristobal and Hank introduced inBarry’sthird season isa wholesome addition to the seriesthat was impossible to see coming. It is in their relationship that a slightly different side of Hank is seen. Like his attitude toward Barry, Hank does everything in his power to keep Cristobal safe. After Cristobal is abducted, Hank travels to Bolivia to retrieve him. Hank is tortured by having to hear his men being mauled to death and escapes to free Cristobal. Hank findsCristobal being tortured by his wife, who is trying to use electroshock therapy as a man dances seductively in front of him to rid him of his homosexual desires. It’s a difficult scene to watch even after Hank and Cristobal reunite. Rather than the humorous side of Hank viewers normally see, there is nothing but concern on his face.
Hank’s notch for involving himself and oftentimes Barry, in plans that go horribly wrong are equally entertaining. His ill-timed memos also add to how entertaining he is as a character ona show as grim asBarrycan be at times. When his men are trying to escape from being burned alive on a school bus, Hank begins to confess his inability to be the leader they need. Nonetheless, even his men get him off of the bus in time, despite turning their backs on him shortly after. Hank has many other mistakes thatBarryfans will cite as memorable scenes. From the lipstick camera that is left at a murder scene that launches a blind manhunt for Barry, to the countless times Hank tries to order a hit on Barry himself, there is always something Hank can never get a hundred percent right, but it’s fun to watch him try.
None of Hank’s memorable scenes could be done without the writing for the characterand Anthony Carrigan’s portrayal. Carrigan truly makes NoHo Hank his own, and the character is unlike any other character on television. Carrigan’s comedic timing has never failed and even in his non-comedic scenes, he still manages to steal the show. Even in scenes where Carrigan is not physically present, he still manages to elicit a few laughs. Hank developed a knack for sending Barry text messages to warn him of impending doom or to encourage him, and they are incredibly comical.
One of Hank’s scenes that showcases both Carrigan’s comedic and non-comedic skills is in season two’s opening episode, “The Show Must Go On, Probably?” Hank approaches Barry inside Lululemon in a blonde wig where he is overjoyed topoint out his masterful disguiseto Barry. Annoyed and frustrated, Barry berates him and turns down Hank’s request for help, including that he doesn’t care if Hank’s family kills him. After all Hank had done to protect Barry, the disappointment on his face is saddening, but it gives him a new purpose when he approaches Barry again later in the episode.
Now thatBarry’sthird season has drawn to a close, fans of the HBO series can only hope that it continues to find the same level of success. Hader will direct all eight episodes of the upcoming fourth season, and given the wayBarry’sthird season ended, the tone of season four is certain to feel drastically different. If and how Barry and Fuches will get out of their current predicament, and what awaits Hank and Cristobal is difficult to anticipate, butBarry’scast and crew have proven they can always deliver. No matter the tone, NoHo Hank is certain to provide a few much-needed laughs.
