Barry (TV Series) Chapter Eight: Know Your Truth (2018) User Reviews

Starting... Now

[matthewjmiles · 9/10 · 25 April 2019]

I am quite surprised that a show such as this has as good a story as it does. From its premise and comedic presentation, I didn't expect such a deep character study of Barry the reluctant hitman, and certainly not to have my emotions wrenched in this rather spectacular finale. Yet, I am more than happy with the outcome, brought to fruition by Bill Hader's excellent performance and the vision of Alec Berg. I definitely think this is the best role that Hader has ever played, though granted I have only seen him in his big screen work and comedies with Seth Rogen etc. The supporting cast are fine, especially Stephen Root and Henry Winkler, but this is unquestionably Hader's show and he drives it well.

After the dramatic climax of Barry's last mission, he obviously reached a point where he had to take serious action to ensure his own peace of mind and even his life. I find the trope of the 'unkillable hitman' who is the master of any situation quite trite usually, it's my main problem with the John Wick franchise, but Barry subverts this by including it as a gag initially and as a curse for Barry towards the end of the season. It's not that he can't get out of a fight, it's that he mustn't get into a fight, for fear of destroying the new life and passions that he has found, and really, that's what the show is about. It's a great balance of comedy from, at first, stereotype characters who you do grow attached to throughout the season, and the drama of Barry's character and the duality of his life. As the story has been leading up to this, the finale shows us the aftermath of Barry severing his ties to his old job (I know we've been shown glimpses of a 'future' where Barry has a child, but I think we still need confirmation on whether all that was a dream or not). Everything seems to be going perfectly, capitalized upon with a hilarious scene with Winkler's Gene Cousineau singing, but the writers cleverly factor in a subtle mention of an earlier scene in the presence of Gene's new police girlfriend that threatens everything Barry has worked for.

I thoroughly enjoyed this finale, and I will soon be delving into the second season. It's clear to see there's a lot more to be said with the story and the new dynamics of the characters, and I have no doubt that that will produce some quality developments. Looking forward to seeing new characters added to the mix, also. Besides that, there's not really all that much to be said without spoiling the finale, which you should watch if you haven't already. I'll see you at the end of Season 2.

Chapter Eight: Know Your Truth

[lassegalsgaard · 9/10 · 19 May 2021]

So, when I began watching this show earlier today, I did not expect to end up watching the entirety of the first season in one day. But right from the get-go, I was interested in knowing where the characters would go, and I can honestly say that I did not get disappointed seeing what happened to them. "Barry" has proven to be one of the most infectious shows on TV at the moment, and it became hard for me to turn it off and do something else. Now, I've finished the first season, and it truly ended on a big high note for me personally.

Many people have said that the show changed over time and went away from the dark comedy aspect that it had to begin with. I couldn't disagree more. The satire never left the show, which was especially visible in the show's seventh episode, which did a great job of balancing the heavy drama with the funny comedy, creating a hybrid that offered a lot of dark humor. This episode did that as well. Alec Berg and Bill Hader are very twisted people if we go from what we've seen in the show. Whether it's a mob enforcer making a guillotine instead of just killing his victim, or Barry playing the police by embracing a stereotype, this show is not afraid of being satirical in a way that's very refreshing. Doing that over and over can easily become old, but the show is able to keep it fresh by putting a new spin on it every time. There's never a dull moment when these are characters are involved. Also, the characters have changed a great deal, but it's all growing through the performances that the actors are giving, and I have to give huge credit to Bill Hader. To be as funny as he is and play the character as the most straight person in the whole show is why his character comes across as so funny, so I appreciate Hader for subduing himself here and giving a performance that's really changing his image and showing that he can do everything when it comes to comedy.

"Chapter Eight: Know Your Truth" was a great chapter to close this season. It left off on a huge cliffhanger, but it was mostly dependent on its storytelling to tie up the loose ends left over, and it was all done through great writing and great acting, with Hader just killing it in this episode.

Barry - Know Your Truth

[Scarecrow-88 · 8/10 · 28 April 2019]

As much as Barry wants to free himself of his past life as a hitman, he just can't escape. Multiple attempts-"It starts...now."-continue to fail. His last attempt at the end of the episode is thwarted by Detective Moss, listening to what acting instructor, Gene Cousineau, says about Barry's using his "soldier's experience" early on in the actor's studio, drawing from it. This piques her curiosity, although she sells all of what Gene says ineffectually. Barry watches her face just to gauge her response, but by the end, as Janice looks up Barry's Facebook profile, his ties to the Chechnya and Bolivia feud become clear, and he realized that her cop instincts were always on alert. A gun pulled by Moss on Barry, refusing to listen to his pleas of being a "changed man", allowing the detective to take him in just wasn't in the cards...a shot of the discharge of a gun, flashing multiple times, can be seen outside the bedroom window of a sleeping (and seemingly happy) Sally. Soon Barry joins Sally in bed, indicating Ms. Moss won't be returning to her precinct to solve any more crimes...much less arresting him for his numerous hits.

Much like how many of us might admit to wanting the car with Marion Crane's body in its trunk to sink into the swamp in "Psycho" (1960), it also might be fair to say a desire to see that Barry escapes Moss's arrest by "silencing her" was perhaps present...Barry's hopes to completely abandon his life as a hitman/killer were confronted with a good police officer on the right side of the law. Much like Norman deserved to be caught, Barry does to...they were both killers.

Fuches nearly gets a bullet to the head as Goran departs the series when Barry interrupts his orders to kill the "contract arranger" and have his bodies "chopped into manageable pieces". Barry takes out Goran and his thugs, including a torturer/cleanup creep, Ruslan (Mark Ivanir), the twin of Vascha, executed when attempting to kill Sally. Dismissed by Barry at the airport with all the money, Barry wants him out of his life. I think anyone who has watched the previous episodes will know it is almost a guarantee Fuches isn't just going to leave behind his meal ticket.

This episode, besides its shocking conclusion where Moss leaves the series, has a good scene with Sally convincing Barry to remain at the actor's studio despite an indication he has considered leaving that theatrical career behind. Sally mentions the search of truth, finding it, and using that for his previous performance, mentioning her abusive husband from a past marriage out of high school. Goldberg, as Sally, continues to be stellar, just as how she reacts when Barry fails to reveal the trauma of his past, used as fuel for his performance when she freely offers hers...watch her almost take him to task for it, reel it in, and accept that "he just isn't ready to talk about it yet". That it is a "process".

In another twist, NoHo Hank seizes the opportunity to fill Goran's roll, seemingly securing an alliance with the Bolivians despite the rift between them once appearing to be inoperable. The cops gearing up to arrest Goran, only to find a bloodbath thanks to Barry's interference is hilarious, as is their conclusion that Ryan was heavily involved in the whole gang war.

A phenomenal finale with an ambiguous ending.

[TheFirst01 · 10/10 · 6 July 2020]

Is Barry finally gonna start fresh and leave his killing sprees behind? Probably not, but I can't lie when I say my heart stopped various times in this episode. Janice realizing that Barry is the killer at the dinner scene, Barry killing Janice... This episode was really heart-stopping; but for now, wait for next season.

Great finale!

[and_mikkelsen · 10/10 · 12 May 2023]

This was such a great finale that both wraps up the arcs and storylines of the season while also promising more by working as a setup for whats to come!

I honestly think Barry and his character-arc was the highlight of the season! Very satisfying to see him go from a guy who didn't know what he wanted or who he was, to realising you have a choice to live the oife you want to live! The previous episode was a turning point for him! He has been killing people for so long and now he rxperiences consequences! He wants to change even if it is difficult!

The show once again balances light stuff with dark stuff very well! You get all kinds of emotions! I am very excited to see where we go from here!

Moss

[safenoe · 10/10 · 22 June 2022]

Paula Newsome puts on a bravura performance as Detective Janice Moss, the last time we see her alive. We assume Barry murdered her, but how is her absence going to be explained? Surely the police will be on the case?

Bill Hader's change in tone when he pleads to Moss is one for the ages. Bill's acting range goes beyond SNL for sure.

Starting.... NOWW

[dannylee-78082 · 10/10 · 16 April 2023]

1. Barry leaves Fuches 2. Barry saves Fuches 3. Barry kills Janice

We've come to the finale of Barry season 1. I felt that while this episode was slightly weaker than the prior episode, but I still gave a 10 because it did its job SO well in subverting the expectations of the audience. First time when Fuches was being chainsawed to death... or not. I honestly thought he was killed off like that because the show hasn't been afraid to take out characters. So I even wrote in my notes that it was "pretty gruesome to hear the sound". It was a great execution of a twist and the following comic relief about how Fuches managed to slip away and the rest of the gang getting killed by Barry was super fun too. I honestly did not see that coming. In terms of comic relief, the PD's public statement about Ryan is just hilarious too. So much offbeat comedy in the perfect moments that I can't help but laugh out loud.

The second time this episode subverted my expectations was when the second act of the episode started. Barry was with Sally having a happy time at Gene's cabin. It took me a while to realize that it was actually not a dream sequence. The showrunners have prepped for this moment because they've shown us many of Barry's dream sequences and I just thought it was another one of those. The second act made it seem like that some time has passed after he saved and tossed Fuches off at the airport. Barry and Sally are in a happy relationship and Janice and Gene seem to be one in too. The dramatic twist comes from that Janice actually ends up figuring out Barry is the one she was looking for based on the story Gene was telling the party. Barry "has" to kill Janice and he pulls through with it. This is where Barry gets it wrong. His past has caught up to him and it's basically impossible to escape from it without paying some price. But I guess for him, redemption he pictures cannot really exist because he will most likely go to prison for life if he gets caught (spoiler alert). Barry definitely does remind me of Dexter except I feel like it's a way better show with better comedy and drama. I would choose Barry over Dexter any time. Also, Barry feels more personable than Dexter. We don't feel like Barry is an actual psychopath - he just has anger issues and is lost in life which is much easier to identify with.

Anyways, an amazing season overall and I am so glad that I picked up on this show!! The greatness has only begun and it's starting...now!

Wow!!! But he changed...

[PretoChique · 10/10 · 14 May 2018]

What a season finale wow. Looking forward for season 2

Season One Review

[southdavid · 8/10 · 1 April 2023]

Though "Barry" has been on my radar for a while, it wasn't until the third season came on up the Guardian's Top TV of 2022 that I was inspired to actually start it. Naturally, we went and began with the first season, which actually aired all the way back in 2018.

Formerly a US Marine, but now working as contract killer, Barry Berkman (Bill Hader) arrives in Los Angeles to execute a job for the Chechen mob. He follows his target to his acting class, and inadvertently becomes involved. Despite his poor performance, he finds in acting a satisfaction that isn't coming from other areas of his life and is smitten with fellow student Sally (Sarah Goldberg). He stays in L. A, and begins to attend the class, but his ties to the local gangsters and the bodycount from his real profession constantly threaten to expose him.

I really liked this first season of "Barry". It helps that I like shows and films about filmmaking and those, even tangential, links to other movies and TV productions is a factor I enjoyed here. They're not essential elements, though as "Barry" was, for me, a very funny black comedy, that married its great performances and occasional grim moments with some absolute belly laughs. Hader and Goldberg are both great and I really like that the show is not about a bad, or clumsy, hitman, like it might have been in lesser hands. Barry is reasonably proficient at this job, but it's his desperation to get out and make some proper connections that cause him to make several tactical errors.

The best humour comes from a triumvirate of co-stars though, I really liked Anthony Carrigan in "Gotham" where he was often sardonically funny and given the opportunity to be more traditionally funny here, he's great. Stephen Root, a comedic actor whose never got the recognition he deserves despite the career of brilliance is again...well... brilliant as Barry's handler Fuches. One perhaps stands above all though, Henry Winkler has proved a versatile comedic actor since his days on "Happy Days", but I don't think he's ever been better than he is in this as Gene Cousineau, who runs the acting class that Barry joins. So much great character work, and delivery of excellent lines ("Equal parts loud and wrong"), it very much deserved the Emmy he won.

I understand that I've timed this pretty well, as there are two more seasons to watch before the fourth and final begins this month. Can't wait.

Great Episode to End the Season [9/10]

[panagiotis1993 · 9/10 · 5 September 2023]

My Reaction / Review for Barry Season 1 Episode 8 ''Chapter Eight: Know Your Truth'' (S1. E8) - finale: Episode 7 was awesome and i gave it a rating of 8.6/10. Let's see if this one is better or worse. Seems like Barry is having an existential crisis. Barry came back to kill the Chechens and save Fuches? Now that's what I call true friendship. It sucks that the Chechens died, I actually liked the characters. At least Noho is alive. So now that Goran is gone the Chechens and the Bolivians will work together? I didn't expect that. Gene is so funny, am I the only one who thinks so? Oh boy Janice knows, this is not good. Wow he killed Janice too? Damn. Overall an amazing episode, my rating is 9/10.

Did we skip a few episodes?!

[qsbcvdw · 7/10 · 12 June 2022]

The performances are unquestionably stellar, and I've enjoyed the series so far, but the narrative of the episode suddenly goes against everything it has taught us to expect from the show. After the middle part of the episode, where we fade to black with Barry agreeing to do a comedy with Sally, suddenly we are dealing with completely different people, without any indication that time has passed.

All of a sudden, Barry is more extroverted and expressive, he and Sally are lovey-dovey together in an idyllic lake house, on a double date with Janice and Gene. At first, I am expecting a daydream scenario as we have come to expect, because the scene is unusually fast paced and rushing, which is not something the show usually does. It feels as though they were unsure they would have time to get to this point organically with another season. I just found it jarring, considering the show has a certain tempo, all the way to the last ten minutes. If it turns out it WAS a dream, then my bad, but if that is what they were going for, they could have just had the last part of that scene for a cliffhanger, so they could come back to it if they had the time.

Wait, what happened during "The Front Page"? Finale feels unearned.

[daren6482 · 6/10 · 5 February 2023]

Finding Barry and Sally, Gene and Janice suddenly going steady and hanging out in a cabin felt unrealistic and forced. At first I thought this was an extended dream sequence but once Janice started having her own flashbacks I couldn't believe it. Barry is suddenly somewhat charming and extroverted, and Gene and Janice are inseparable. What?

Season 2 Episode 1 Barry suddenly has a voice, is butting heads with Gene, and everyone else in the acting class takes a step back. I feel like the audience was cheated in some important events that may have developed during the prep for "The Front Page" that explains the couples' closeness and Barry's sudden leadership role. I'm still looking forward to continuing Barry but without a better explanation, I feel like I have to meet these characters again. I will say the gangsters are all still fantastic.

To "Know Your Truth" Is Hard: Reflections on an Episode and a Season

[MrPeterJohnson · 7/10 · 7 September 2022]

Just want to clarify ambitions for this review: First will be a discussion/review of the episode, which will be followed by an opinion about the first season as a whole.

In Chapter 8, Barry seems to be finding a way out of his life of crime. At last, he seems committed to pursuing his passion for acting. Much of the episode exists in this space for Barry, but the series eludes to the fact that his past will continue to catch up with him in ways both big and small. When Detective Moss realizes that Barry is the murderer she's been pursuing, Barry seems to be living his best life. Barry is happy with Sally and is set to perform with her again in a more extended theatrical piece. Barry and Sally are much closer to Gene Cousineau now, even joining Cousineau in a lakeside retreat. But Detective Moss is also at the retreat, as she's Cousineau's girlfriend, and decides to bring Barry to justice.

Though the confrontation he has with Detective Moss appears to go his way, Barry will doubtless have to confront his violent past many times again in the future. He can ignore his past or beg for it to be forgotten, as he does in this episode, but he'll always confront his past criminality.

This episode feels bifurcated in its construction. The first half proceeds in the same crime dramedy mode of the rest of the series, while the end of the episode is peaceful and joyful until its conclusion. The tonal shift is often well executed, but not entirely convincing. This is related to what I perceive to be certain shifts in character behavior that seem unnatural. The most notable is Barry, who is less stilted and more outgoing in back half of this episode. The shift seems drastic, given how much Hader's performance emphasizes Barry's stiffness and reticence. The fade to black partway through suggests a certain amount of time has elapsed, so maybe Barry has changed somewhat in this time. Perhaps time makes my gripe null.

The first season is similar in kind to many of the anti-hero stories that have been at the forefront of prestige TV since "The Sopranos". Barry's double life reflects a dichotomy between his aspirations and his criminality. His aspirations steer him away from his life of crime, where he is more gifted. Bill Hader's lead performance does a good job of capturing this contrast inherent within Barry.

"Barry" is rooted in both comedy and crime drama, and manages to balance the tonal shifts between the two with flair. Critical to these shifts are the actors' performances. What appears to be one of the little sung aspects of the show is the quality of comedic performances from the criminal side of the show. While Hader does an excellent job anchoring the show, the Chechens prove to be strong performers in their own right. Though criminals, the actors' sense of comedic timing and delivery ensure that the show's comedic aspirations extend to the criminal world as depicted in "Barry".

"Barry" is teeming with possibilities regarding the ways it will handle how Barry's past will impact him. This seems like it will be the crux of the show's conflict in the future. The personal relationships he's developing will also be significant. Who will be hurt for the wrongs Barry has committed? Sally? Gene? How will Barry's relationships with his former crime associates change? How will the Chechens reconfigure themselves after the devastation Barry has lavished upon them? All that is clear is that Barry is not riding off into the sunset.

Chapter 8

[bobcobb301 · 7/10 · 14 May 2018]

This show isn't quite what I expected, but this was a funny finale.

Everything about Barry, leaving his partner behind, the stock to torture people worked.

The retreat, the detective figuring it out, that part needed some work. This show still hasn't figured out the dramatic balance yet, but as long as it is funny I could not care less.

turned into criminal drama

[pavlomatnenko · 7/10 · 4 June 2019]

This show hooked me due its dark comedy with deep characters and unexpected unpredictable story line. But... from episode to episode it became standard criminal drama. Last episode finished ubruptly without any conclusion...

No doubt, one of the best

[DrDumb · 7/10 · 8 April 2024]

Barry, a hitman, taking jobs from his agent Monroe to assassinate bad people. When there is no mission, he plays video games, sleep, eat and repeat. Life is so simple for him and the world is small to him. His life changes after he meets Sally Reed, an acting student, who changes how he wants to live his life, by becoming an actor with her. Sometimes he resorts to extreme measures to quit, including gunning down Chris and Janice. He shows a great remorse for killing Chris and Janice because he doesn't want to do it and he only kills people who are bad. In the first season, we get to see his inner struggle of being an assassin and his strong will to redeem himself. I loved episode 7 because I loved how his emotional outburst played out in the last few minutes of the episode. The episode use both reality and stage show to present us a sad, angry and traumatised Barry who want to redeem himself for killing so many people including Chris. Sally is the key character that makes Barry have a normal life. Because the show is a dark comedy tv drama, you will see a lot of romance, work and life scenes. It also tells us how bad the cops are when dealing with investigation. Janice and her crew totally messes up the logic of the investigation. In addition to this, the marine crew is dumb and reckless because one of them misfires a rifle and another one basically goes into a mass war zone like a suicide squad. Their suicidal behaviours finally cause their demises while doing their last mission.

Each music for of the ending credit for each episode matches the theme/plot of the respective episode too. The first season doesn't have a lot of background sounds. You can only hear them when the show thinks it is necessary. Good one. Looking forward to watching the next three seasons. By the way, Hank the bald man is the one behind everything.