Barry Season 2 Recap
Season two of Barry is even weirder and funnier than the first season. Bill Hader’s added involvement behind the scenes adds a nice comedic touch to the show. “Ronny/lily” in particular is a masterclass in how to create a different kind of language to communicate with the viewer. The season sees Bill continue to avoid attention for his acts for the initial parts, but his secret eventually catches up with him. Moss’ disappearance is a huge twist ending in season one and it becomes one of the running motifs in season two to drive the story forward. There is another tangent of gang wars spilling into the city’s borders. The battle between the Burmese, Bolivians, and Chechens catches the attention of both Barry and the police. The season ends with another act of betrayal against Barry, one that he will find hard to emerge from.
The Aftermath
Moss’ disappearance is hard on Gene but surprisingly easily forgotten by the police. The case is closed and Barry can breathe a sigh of relief. For now. Hank contacts Barry and asks him to return the favor for saving his life. He wants Barry to kill Esther and her Burmese gang, who have disrupted the Chechens and Bolivian’s business. Gene is brought back from depression by Barry, who pushes him to resume his classes. Fuches, who has now broken ties with Barry, is connected by Loach, Moss’ partner, to Barry. Sally is finding some success in her career but she struggles to get her big break. Gene’s attempts to reconnect with his son are eventually thwarted by him. Barry, like a one-man army, barges into the Burmese monastery but isn’t able to go through with the killings as his reluctance gets the better of him. He is only narrowly able to escape the retaliation and chase the women.
Blackmail (x2), Sally’s Past, and Hank’s dilemma
Loach demands Fuches convince Barry to turn himself into the police. He takes Fuches back to Los Angeles where he even agrees to wear a wire to save himself at Barry’s cost. Meanwhile, Hank is going through a tough phase. The bosses from Chechnya pile pressure on him to deliver on his promises. Barry, in response to Hank sending an incompetent sniper to kill him, offers to train Hank’s men and settle the score. Barry still has mental trouble from his days as a marine. He struggles with one particular instance from Korengal when he killed an innocent man thinking him to be the shooter of his friend. Barry and Fuches have a reconnection of sorts when Barry expresses his discomfort over the memory. Sally is also replaying the tragic memories from her past of her abusive relationship with Sam. She casts Barry as Sam in an act but is shocked to find that the real Sam has returned to LA. The three have dinner together. Sam insults Sally when he sees her perform, pushing her to reveal the truth. Sally left Sam in the middle of the night without confronting him. Barry consoles her. She is called by Sam to his hotel under the guise of making amends but he threatens to reveal her truth. Barry is also at the spot coincidentally to murder Sam. His conversation with Gene afterward fills him with a renewed sense of hope for the future, but he also confesses the murder. Loach, instead of taking him into custody, forces him to kill his ex-wife’s lover. He is no ordinary man – nor his daughter an ordinary woman. They’re out of this planet, as you will, and as Barry and Fuches discover in episode number five. In short, the summary of the entire episode was that Barry finds Fuches does not have his back and Loach died, ironically enough, at the hands of Ronny.
The Magic of Theatrics and Fuches’ Revenge
Sally’s new act based on her personal truth comes out to be impactful. It would have ordinarily been a showstopper but Barry’s channeling of guilt over killing Moss overshadows her. The two are offered parts but with contrasting substances. Sally is asked to do a part in a soft porno, while Barry auditions for a Jay Roach film. Sally’s jealousy is shared by Fuches who finally discovers the car in the woods in which Barry had kept Moss’ body. The Chechens find themselves in a tough spot after a hilarious incident involving Hank and an accordion player. Their men are captured and their attack on Esther fails. When they eventually escape, they disregard Hank as a leader for being too weak. The biggest upset comes to those rooting for Barry, in the shape of Fuches, as he leads Gene to Moss’ body and reveals Barry to be the killer. Fuches also phones the police to come to the spot.
The Finale
Gene is taken into custody but is soon released as Barry plants the pin he got from Hank for repaying his debt. The suspicion is now on the Chechen. Three gangs – Chechens, Bolivians, and Burmese – are brought to peace by Fuches, who now has the Chechen’s goodwill. He is sent to a safe spot by Hank. Barry does not know about the peace and receives a message from Hank that Fuches is at the monastery. In his uncontrollable rage to kill Fuches, Barry kills all the gang members in the monastery. In doing so, Fuches narrowly escapes. Gene laments Moss’ loss and thinks about Barry killing her.
