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I want to love “Barry” the show, the character. I want to love Bill Hader. I might believe him to be more talented than his work. Which is extremely strange. Which is almost fitting for his portfolio.

I want to love Alec Berg, too (co-creator of “Barry” and writer and producer of other stuff that includes “Seinfeld” episodes and the ahead-of-its-time and horribly-dated 90’s TV show “Herman’s Head”).

Some of the moments in many of the episodes of “Barry” are the most innovative, creative, entertaining aspects of any show or movie I’ve ever seen. I’m not kidding. This is not an exaggeration. And I know my stuff. I’ve seen a lot. I understand most of what is being said and unsaid in the moving visual mediums. And “Barry” has got it going on! Except for when it doesn’t. Which is often.

I don’t hate hate scenes as I did the early episodes of “Louie” or the later episodes of “Baskets” or the middle episodes of “Righteous Gemstones,” but the disdain I can’t shake for certain characters and storylines are similar.

And the show’s not actually stupid. It’s not like “Lucky Hank,” where I ponder how a show can be both intuitive and simpleminded.

The season-four premier of “Barry”? The same.

Season four so far? I have nothing to add.

This could have been an UNarticle. But it’s not.

Because I like Bill Hader and am not a hater.

I wish I was a lover of Hader.

And …

Wait, final season?!

That’s kind of cool.

Dan Jones

Author Dan Jones

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