Summary: Cristobal sees the carnage and calls Goran to figure out what happens. Goran is surprised by how nice Cristobal is, and decides to kill Fuches for giving him bad advice. Cristobal declares war on Goran. Barry and Chris escape, but Chris has to kill a man to save Barry. Chris is shaken up by this and tells Barry that he wants to turn himself in. Barry realizes that he has to kill Chris and eventually does so. Barry arrives at the MacBeth play and has a mental breakdown which allows him to deliver his line with a lot of power. Sally's performance gets much better following that and she catches the attention of the agent who she had invited to the play. Meanwhile, Moss examines the evidence left by Taylor's death and suspects Barry to be involved.
The Good: This episode had two halves to it. The first half was typically more light-hearted, examining the plot in pretty funny ways, focusing heavily on the Chechens/Bolivians conflict. But then there's the second half of the episode, which was unexpectedly dark and showcased the best acting and writing we have seen in the series so far. That's not to say that the first half was poorly done. In fact, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Showing Taylor's foolish bum-rush from the Bolivians' perspective was quite funny, and it set the tone for a wonderful scene where Cristobal called Goran to figure out what was going on. I've really enjoyed this show's fresh take on mob bosses. Rather than making them threatening, these two are the polar opposite of that. The phone call scene was excellent and it made me laugh a number of times, while also providing an ominous closing note. The cops storyline was pretty solid too. I like that they've tapped into Goran's phone and are well aware of what's going on. Goran is so hilariously incompetent, and it's a joy to watch. The cops sorted through the evidence and they made connections that led to the logical conclusion that Taylor was working with Ryan, but Moss is convinced that Barry is her man. It's standard storytelling, helped along by a couple of decent jokes. There's also Fuches and Hank reflecting on Barry since they think he's dead. Their interactions were hilarious, and I loved that Hank casually told Fuches that they had to kill him. These characters don't have a whole lot to them so far, but they are just a joy to watch. Then there's the rest of the episode, which is stunning. The main story concerns Barry and Chris. Chris was never a killer, yet here he murders a man to save Barry's life. And that happens just a few minutes after he watches two of his friends die. For Chris, it's too much and he can't deal with it. But Barry is the one with the real problem. Since Chris is no longer trustworthy, Barry knows he has to kill him. The show takes on a lot of weight as Barry sits in the car, looking empty as he realizes what must be done. To add on, Chris realizes what Barry is thinking and tries to talk him out of it. The tension amps up with every second, and the outstanding acting on display really sucked me into the scene. And then in a moment, Barry kills Chris, and the full weight of what Barry has just done hits us. Barry stages the scene to look like a suicide and walks away, having killed a friend. Now that scene is dark. Barry is forced to go to a place where he has never gone before, and it's so painful to watch. What comes after is somehow even more powerful. Following this murder, Barry has a complete mental breakdown as he imagines what happens to Chris' family following his death. This scene is edited superbly well, and the quick cuts brilliantly convey how these thoughts are invading Barry's mind (likely stirred on by his exposure to grief back in "Use It") and that Barry is trying to find some way out of this guilt. The end result is that Barry performs his singular line perfectly, and gives Sally everything she needs to get her life back together, perhaps even reigniting their connection. While it's nice to see Barry finally doing well as an actor, the implications here are horrifying for Barry. The only times we have seen Barry be competent as an actor is when he is reflecting on his life as a hitman. What if the only way that Barry can adequately be an actor is if he continues working as a hitman? That's a really tragic conclusion to come to, and it's easy to sympathize with the dilemma Barry finds himself in. Before now, there was always hope that Barry could just move on as an actor if he could break free from his old life. But this episode has crushed that hope. It's become clear that Barry needs to keep working as a hitman if he wishes for this acting career to work. In fact, looking back at previous episodes, it's clear that this was always the case. The hope that we had for Barry never truly existed. That's some outstanding storytelling, and it has pushed the morality of this show into an even more gray territory than before. That's fascinating stuff, and I'm eager to see more of it. The Bad: It doesn't make much sense that Chris would join the marines in that woefully constructed plan if he had never killed anybody before. Chris' choice to go makes even less sense when you see the consequences he faces in this episode. Why would he take such a risk for no apparent reason? The show only treated Chris as a character in this episode, not the previous one. He was only in that car because the plot required him to be there. The Unknown: Can Barry somehow find a way to be a good actor without relying on his life as a hitman? What will happen in the war between Goran and Cristobal? Will the cops get involved? Moss is after Barry now. What will she find about him? What will the cops uncover when they find Chris' dead body? Best Moment: Barry's meltdown and his terrific line delivery was a standout moment. The implications of this scene (as discussed above) were groundbreaking for the show, and allow this show to be looked at from a completely different perspective. Character of the Episode: Barry. Conclusion: This was easily the best stuff of the show so far. Barry's inner conflict exploded with complexity in this episode, and there were so many spectacular moments that made me feel something for the character. And somehow, the show managed to tell such a dark and powerful story without giving up on its comedy. This was so skillfully put together. Score: 78
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Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
March 2024
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