GOODBYE BARRY & TED

Since dipping in and out of such classic series as Hill Street Blues, The Sopranos, Murder One, and the like, I have to say I have never been a fan of the never-ending series format. Fawlty Towers, for me, had it right. Stop while you’re ahead, and let other stories be told. Only when I discovered that two highly praised series were coming to an end in series three, did I allow myself to forego my reservations and binge-watch seasons 1 & 2 of each, in order to enjoy the weekly release of episodes in Season 3. The two titles are ‘Ted Lasso’ and ‘Barry’.

First to TL, which concerns an American who, with little knowledge of football, becomes manager of England’s AFC Richmond and over the series, along with his cohorts, leads the team on a perilous journey to gain Premiership League status, and the possibility of reaching the European Champion’s League, but no spoilers here. This could be a fictionalized version of what American actor, Ryan Reynolds, has achieved with Wrexham AFC in reality. Yet, Ted Lasso did it first. Maybe Mr. Reynolds found inspiration from watching the first series of TL in 2020, who knows? Either way, the story of the underdogs who, through strength of will and self-belief, succeed in goals (!) beyond their wildest dreams, is an age-old tale that never fails to tug at the heart strings. No more so than it does here.

No space to name all writers, actors, contributors, suffice to say that the series was based around a character portrayed by Saturday Night Live’s Jason Sudeikis in an NBC Sports campaign a decade ago, so, major credit must go to him. Although, this was a true team (!) effort in every department, and though a few episodes are a little hit and miss, if you stay with it, you will be rewarded with a magnificent finale that will make you laugh, weep, and hanker for another series, perhaps! You don’t have to be a football fan to love it, there are plenty of human stories between the goal posts, and many real-life celebrities playing themselves for good measure. In short, have a weekend binge-watch!

Now, to ‘Barry’. Not exactly an awe-inspiring title. However, because it’s both a Christian and Surname, could that be a clue to the central character’s double identity? Barry is a hitman by day, and an aspiring actor by night. From this inspired premise, we are taken on the most unpredictable of journeys any series has dared to try. Barry is nothing like anything before. I only became aware of its existence before Season 4 began (Sorry, I lied, 4 not 3 series, but Barry has 32 episodes total, TL: 34), and as with TL, I binge-watched the first 3 seasons, then waited with bated breath for the final ‘wow!’

‘Wow’ was the title of the finale episode, and it lives up to the exclamation in spades. The series is comedy, drama, action-movie, horror, fantasy, gangster, you name it, Barry is it! Oh, not forgetting love-story, and existential nightmares and realities of the here and now. Again, no spoilers, this is a series, like TL, that is best viewed with as little foreknowledge as possible. Even avoid Trailers, if you can. Simply wallow in the mind-expanding trip Barry takes you on and feel the impact of each bullet-ridden turning. Many actors, directors and writers to credit, but as with TL, Bill Hader – another Saturday Night Live(r) – along with writer/producer Alec Berg (Seinfield, The Dictator) should take major credit. Great cast, with the wonderful Henry Winkler (The ‘Fonz’ of old) among them.

I think, without spoiling anything, I can say that there is a moment in ‘Barry’ when we are shown a fantasy account of all the reality we have witnessed on screen, and just as the fantasy of Ted Lasso’s AFC Richmond may have been a precursor to Wrexham AFC’s reality, Barry’s denouement, like both these series, might be closing the gap between fact and fiction, truth and lies, good and bad television. I must admit, even as a non-lover of the series format, ‘Barry’ and ‘Ted Lasso’ are two examples of exceptionally good television. Such a shame the licence payer can’t see them for free.