Barry Goldberg: Big Tasty In Da' House

[Stinger97]

Troy Gentile is kinda, sorta brilliant in the role. 

[Kromm]

Troy Gentile is kinda, sorta brilliant in the role. 

I like that he also seems to know when to pull it back a little.  Barry avoids being an outright cartoon because they make it clear that he's not simply delusional--he's a loser in a kind of more extroverted way than Adam and it's simply his way of dealing with life not being easy for him.   

[PattyorSelma]

I love Barry. I laugh at him more than all the others put together. I finally got my husband to watch the show and he immediately noted that Barry is like a young Chris Elliott. That must be why I love him so much. I was a huge fan of "Get a Life".

[pivot]

I loathe Chris Elliot. I would never put them in the same category. Chris is so busy mugging and basically screaming LOOK AT ME! that I never find anything he does funny. I think the actor that plays Barry is hysterical and doesn't resort to the mugging that I hate.

[PattyorSelma]

Chris had some very funny moments of clueless silliness in "Get a Life". There are a lot of goofy similarities in the way the Barry character is written. For example, Barry thinks he's awesome but non-Mom people do not find him so talented. That was Chris Peterson, but even his Mom thought he was strange.

To me, the comparison is a compliment so don't be upset. I love Barry!! :)

[Kromm]

I don't see it at all.

 

If you want the real current Chris Elliot comparison, there's the character of Harvard on "Ground Floor" (although not for much longer since they got cancelled). He's a virtual photocopy of Elliot, in both looks and mannerism, and arguably in comedic use.

 

Barry is very different.  Barry is dumb, even occasionally thuggish (mostly only on the initial episodes though, before he decided to stop picking on his brother), but is a good soul underneath.  He's delusional about his capabilities, but its a false front covering big insecurities.  And for such an over the top character, the parts where you DO see his vulnerability is surprisingly naturalistic.  It's believable.

Edited February 3, 2015 by Kromm

[Perfect Xero]

The great mystery of this show for me is whether Barry is good at sports or not. They've made reference to Barry being good at sports a few times, showed him being good a hockey (and, briefly, wrestling), but then show him as being delusional and comically inept at basketball, not even knowing that the rim he was dunking on wasn't regulation (and then they show a home video of Real!Barry and his friends running an impressive tip drill and finishing with a dunk on a regulation height rim.

[Granny58]

Barry ruins this show for me.  I can't stand the way he tilts his head back all the time when speaking to someone.  Who does that?  I find it as annoying as gum snapping.  

[marriedaniac]

The more I watch Barry, the more and more I appreciate the actor and just how much he might be basing his mannerisms on Jeff Garlin. At times he really does look like him.

[orangeiguana]

What does "Big Tasty" mean? It sounds revolting.

[alexa]

The actor was on battle of the network stars this summer, and he did not do so well in athletic activities.  lol.  But he seemed very quiet and reserved, which was so interesting.  It really shows how his acting abilities play into this role since he is not an over the top kind of guy.

[galaxychaser]

Barry is now 21. In the pilot Barry wants a car so he's 16. Season 5 just ended so he's 21. Erica should be 22 or older and she just finished her first year at college (actually she dropped out).

 

The writers must think the viewer me is stupid. So tired of these kids being in high school for years (that 70's show comes to mind).  Make them graduate on time.  Erica should have graduated in season 2 and Barry in season 3 at most.

 

Didn't see the season finale so I don't know if Barry graduated high school yet. 

Edited May 18, 2018 by galaxychaser

[biakbiak]

28 minutes ago, galaxychaser said:

writers must think the viewer me is stupid.

No they have just stated since the first season that time isn’t linear in the show and that memories are all jumbled. 

[ByTor]

On 6/10/2018 at 7:51 PM, icemiser69 said:

I can only take this dude in small doses.  I don't deal well with loud and obnoxious.  However, I do like the rest of the cast.

May I add, I feel like it's getting to be Fonzie levels of ridiculous that we're supposed to buy that he's a teen.