DISCLAIMER: This recap of Barry Season 4 Episode 1, “yikes,” contains spoilers. Proceed at your peril.
Welcome, hit people/actors! Barry is back and better than ever. Bill Hader and Sarah Goldberg deliver sensational performances, proving why they both deserve an avalanche of accolades for their brilliant work. Their performances are visceral and raw — almost primal. I can’t wait to see what else they have in store for us.
The episode is a masterclass in seamless camerawork and exciting camera angles, along with the clever use of imagery and visuals to tell this story. It’s so immersive in that manner. Barry in “yikes” reminds me of a petulant child who doesn’t get his way while oscillating between extreme emotions. He desperately wants to be loved, and after Sally and Gene refuse to reciprocate his love, Fuches gives him what he needs. This show depicts trauma so well, notably PTSD, and we see that in Barry, Sally and NoHo Hank in “yikes.”
Ready to delve into “yikes”? Let’s get to it.
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We open with a corrections officer watching the press conference for Barry’s arrest. He recognizes our titular hitman-turned-actor from TV. Then, he sees Barry himself (Hader) walk past him in an orange jumpsuit. The guard geeks out over seeing him in the flesh. So far, Barry’s been charged with Janice’s murder. Next, our killer calls Gene (Henry Winkler), asking the latter if he’s angry.
“Are you mad at me?” Barry asks repeatedly. Next, he tells Gene he loves him. Speaking of “love,” I love how this moment is shot. We only see Barry’s back. Emotionally, it packs such a punch. Gene merely states, “I got you,” before hanging up. Damn. Meanwhile, Sally (Goldberg) is on a plane bound for Joplin. When she lands, she turns on her phone to find an onslaught of texts, messages and missed calls regarding Barry’s arrest. Lindsay (Jessy Hodges) calls Sally and asks if she’s seen the news. That’s when Sally learns that Barry killed Janice while they were together.
Sally’s mother (Romy Rosemont) picks her up from the airport. She wants to know why her daughter’s home unexpectedly. Sally has a monumental breakdown when sitting in the car with her mom while they wait for food. Her mom exhibits no emotional reaction to Sally’s outburst, even when the latter uses a breathing exercise to alleviate an apparent panic attack. Mother of the Year over here.
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Next, Barry sees Fuches (Stephen Root) sitting in the cafeteria. They’re in the same prison, which doesn’t sit well (even though he’s physically sitting) with Fuches. Fuches meets with a pair of detectives and claims he wants to speak with the FBI. Why? Because Barry intends to kill him, and he’s got dirt aplenty on our titular killer that’ll clear his name. Fuches never qualms about throwing people under the bus for his benefit.
Gene and his son Leo (Andrew Leeds) also chat with the law about the upcoming murder trial. Is Gene prepared to testify against Barry with a murderer and former acting student sitting before him? You betcha. Meanwhile, NoHo Hank (Anthony Carrigan) and Cristobal (Michael Irby) enjoy life in New Mexico. It’s like they’re in The Wizard of Oz, and they’re both Dorothy. They meet with their landlord, who reveals the housing market is in crisis because of the lack of quality sand to build houses. This gets the wheels turning in Cristobal’s head.
Then, Sally makes herself at home in her old room that’s now her dad’s “man cave.” It’s the Midwest, so think lots of stuffed animal heads adorning the walls. Sally receives a collect call from prison. Of course, this is Barry. She refuses to pick up despite his emphatic statement of love. She tells him to f*ck off. Barry looks crestfallen. Later, while in the prison yard, Barry sees Sally sitting on the steps of the theater where they first met, rehearsing the lines for her scene in Mr. Cousineau’s class. It’s the classic film When Barry Met Sally (sorry, I had to). I love how seamlessly the façade of that theater blends in with the prison yard.
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Fuches confronts Barry in the yard and asks him about the specifics of his previous kill. Barry ignores him. Gene records for his new acting class TV show while Jim Moss (Robert Wisdom) sits in the audience. Afterward, Jim informs Gene about a journalist, Lon O’Neil, who contacted him regarding Janice’s murder. Gene believes they shouldn’t talk to the press while an active trial is underway. Jim agrees.
Next, NoHo Hank and Cristobal have dinner. Hank’s outfit here is killer. Cristobal floats his business idea by Hank. He thinks they can corner the market on quality sand, which ships from outside the US. They could turn over quite a profit. Hank doesn’t seem sold on it, especially potentially returning to LA.
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In Joplin, Sally hides under the desk in her room/her dad’s man cave. Her father (Michael Dempsey) finds and engages with her, unlike her mother. He’s glad she’s safe and not entangled with her murderous ex-boyfriend. Sally asks him to leave so she can be alone for a while. Later, the trio watches an episode of Joplin, Sally’s TV series that barely lasted a day before getting pulled from a streaming site. Her mom ridicules virtually everything about it, while her dad seems to enjoy it. Sally’s mother feels she needs to call Sam’s mother about his name being used in the show.
Sally screams at her mom that she needs help. Barry’s murder case will undoubtedly affect her, and she might require legal assistance. Her mother is the very picture of apathy. I’ve never wanted to slap someone more than I do now.
Hank has a nightmare about being chained up in that cellar again, except for Barry’s with him. When he wakes, Hank reaches for his phone, presumably to call Barry. However, the voice on the other side isn’t him. After hanging up, Hank searches the web for info on Barry and stumbles upon an article chronicling his arrest for murder. Cristobal wanders into the kitchen and asks Hank why he’s awake. Hank claims he’s warmed to the sand shipping idea now. They can return to LA even though their people are dead.
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Later, Barry stares at his reflection in the bathroom mirror and starts trash-talking himself. It’s reminiscent of the BoJack Horseman episode, “Stupid Piece of Sh*t,” where BoJack’s inner monologue incessantly spews vitriol about himself. Barry slams his fist against the wall, leaving bloody streaks in its wake. The same guard from the beginning of the episode attempts to pacify him. He reveals he recognizes Barry from being on TV. Then, the guard mentions a hopeful quote his mother used to say.
However, this doesn’t imbue Barry with hope. Instead, he calls himself a cop killer, claiming he’d kill that guard if he ever saw him on the street. He’d also go after said guard’s family. The guard slams the door to the bathroom and unleashes his baton for a beatdown. The sounds fade away until we hear nothing but the ocean — the waves crashing against the shore. Perhaps Barry’s back at the beach from “candy asses” when he saw everyone he killed standing on said beach. As the camera zooms in on his face, we see blood trickling down his forehead. The shot shifts to young Barry standing in a field as the sun sets.
Then, it cuts to Barry lying on the floor, bloodied to a pulp and looking utterly worse for the wear. Fuches rushes inside the bathroom and holds his former employee while crying. He apologizes for turning his back on Barry and betraying him. Our titular killer forgives him. Fuches tells Barry he loves him and cradles him in his arms. This makes Barry smile. Finally, someone said it. Gene calls Lon O’Neil (Patrick Fischler) and reveals he’ll meet the reporter. He’ll tell him how Gene Cousineau caught Barry Berkman. Dun-dun-dun!
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I love the callbacks to previous Season 3 episodes with Hank’s nightmare in the cellar and Barry listening to the sounds of the beach in his mind. I’m curious to see where Hank and Cristobal’s newest business venture (SAND!) takes them. Sally’s mother is awful — I hope she leaves home soon, although her dad did offer her a job, so who knows?
Who knows, indeed. All I know is “yikes” is a strong opener for Barry, brimming with captivating performances, compelling dialogue and a solid narrative that sets the stage for Barry’s final bow.
Barry streams new episodes every Sunday at 10 pm on HBO and HBO Max.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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