Season Two Talk

[scrb]

The fight was deadly serious especially when he pulled out the nunchucks.

one blow from them could easily snap bones.

the guy wasn’t going to give up but some of the fight8ng  played as comedy, with the guy being relentless and not being able to talk with the broken windpipe.

Barry was trying to get away from the girl after trying to comfort and apologize to her but she like her father was in no mood to talk either.

The situation was serious and ultimately tragIc — guy didn’t deserve to die but Loach became crazed.

They managed to wring out some physical comedy out of it.

No Barry wasn’t going to kill anyone unless the guy gave him no choice, but the cops took care of that.

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, scrb said:

o Barry wasn’t going to kill anyone unless the guy gave him no choice, but the cops took care of that

Kudos to Hader and/or Berg et al. for seamlessly including a serious social issue (lethally armed police when tazers would suffice) without hitting us over the head with it (pun?), and even making it a darkly comedic/ironic moment, which ultimately leaves a more lasting impression in the minds of the audience than an entire episode on the subject would in some L&O-esque show.

Edited April 30, 2019 by shapeshifter

[DrSpaceman]

What a weird episode.

I liked it though.

Quote

I remember the TWoP and IMDb message boards being similarly divided over the Breaking Bad episode, "Fly."
I liked "Fly" and I like "ronny/lily" too.

I thought it was more comparable to the Atlanta episode Teddy Perkin's, which I actually hated, despite liking this one.  But many people I guess loved that episode of Atlanta

ALso several episodes of Louis CK's comedy show were like this, either loved or hated them, not much in between.  Just weird and off the wall. 

Deeply dividing though

I am wondering how Barry is going to explain his injury to his girlfriend.  Or the class

[Blakeston]

I absolutely loved this. It's been a long time since I've seen an episode of any TV series that I've enjoyed this much.

Funny, scary, dramatic, unsettling, surreal, and wildly unexpected at this point in the story...it took serious cojones to even attempt an episode like this, and I thought it was pulled off beautifully.

Were the girl's skills believable? No, of course not, but they never asked us to think her abilities were realistic. And when it comes to violence, the show isn't particularly grounded in reality to begin with.

Edited April 30, 2019 by Blakeston

[teddysmom]

Barry meets Hanna. 

That was some serious shit.   

I was surprised when Barry saw all the Tae Kwon Do trophies and didn't think maybe he should be on his guard a little. 

 

10 hours ago, Blakeston said:

Were the girls' skills believable? No, of course not, but they never asked us to think her abilities were realistic. And when it comes to violence, the show isn't particularly grounded in reality to begin with.

What was she maybe 10-12 years old?  I guess if you started when she was about 6 or so. I can see her knowing to throw stuff at him, I was starting to wonder if they were both on PCP or something, because it didn't seem like they were human.  

I would love to have had NoHo Hank in the car with them, just to hear his commentary on the girl. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

3 hours ago, DrSpaceman said:

I am wondering how Barry is going to explain his injury to his girlfriend.  Or the class

I’m guessing he’ll go with the classic “I got mugged!”

[Joimiaroxeu]

Gee, Barry's an idiot sometimes. First, did he do any research on that guy? He should've expected the Jean-Claude Van Damme moves. Second, when someone is determined to kill you, maybe the best thing to do is kill them first. I think Barry's  PTSD has made him go soft.

Karate guy and his daughter were like these modern zombies that can run, fight, and use weapons, and are impervious to attacks that would kill a regular human. Just when you think they're dead they pop right back up.

Quote

Kudos to Hader and/or Berg et al. for seamlessly including a serious social issue (lethally armed police when tazers would suffice ) without hitting us over the head with it (pun?), and even making it a darkly comedic/ironic moment, which ultimately leaves a more lasting impression in the minds of the audience than an entire episode on the subject would in some L&O-esque show .

I thought he also made a comment with how Barry was able walk away from the crime scene despite wearing a dark hoodie--and at night on top of that. If he'd been mistaken for any of several minorities he probably would've been filled with bullets too.

[littlecatsfeet]

2 hours ago, Blakeston said:

I absolutely loved this. It's been a long time since I've seen an episode of any TV series that I've enjoyed this much.

Funny, scary, dramatic, unsettling, surreal, and wildly unexpected at this point in the story...it took serious cojones to even attempt an episode like this, and I thought it was pulled off beautifully.

Were the girls' skills believable? No, of course not, but they never asked us to think her abilities were realistic. And when it comes to violence, the show isn't particularly grounded in reality to begin with.

This! Kind of funny that people are getting upset that the fight scenes weren't believable. Uh...the general premise of "Barry" is pretty far-fetched. It's the overall absurdity that draws me in & keeps me transfixed.

I'm usually multi-tasking on my laptop during pretty much any other given show, because few have the ability to make me want to glue my eyes to the screen (well, except for Barry's gross wound close-ups...but I was STILL laughing through while covering my eyes and peeking through my fingers). And I normally LOATHE violent movies & tv shows.

Well done, Mr. Hader.  

[Dev F]

15 hours ago, Nordly Beaumont said:

I also loved his blood goatee even though it was gross. I thought his messed up condition might make it harder to identify him.

I wonder if there's also some symbolism behind Barry turning into this guy with a beard whom some shady asshole is trying to talk into getting into his car -- just like he tried to talk bearded Ronny into getting into his car throughout the episode. That might suggest both that Barry is starting to see himself as a victim of Fuches's evil machinations, and that he's starting to realize that his own actions mark him as not that different from Fuches.

[Blakeston]

As much as I loved the episode, the one thing that felt "off" to me was that Barry didn't bring a gun. Why on earth wouldn't he do that?

Even if Barry didn't want to use a gun, he'd want something he could brandish to force the guy into the car. Was he really that certain that this stranger would be happy to leave town with them?

It would have made more sense to me if Barry had brought a gun, but the guy managed to kick it into a place where it couldn't be reached.

[cpcathy]

I kept waiting for Barry to pull out a gun and shoot Ronny, ala that moment Harrison Ford improvised in Indiana Jones. It would have been funny after all Ronny's whip maneuvers to just shoot him dead.

[teddysmom]

https://ew.com/tv/2019/04/28/barry-bill-hader-season-2-episode-5/

Interview with Bill Hader about writing this episode and the little mongoose girl. She's actually a trained stunt person. 

[Ottis]

On 4/29/2019 at 7:29 PM, FoundTime said:

New York Times: Bill Hader on That Intensely Surreal and Violent Episode

Ah, so it was what I expected - a vanity episode. Hader thought it was cool, he added in his little visions, and he did it without involving other writers. That would explain it.

Also, I don't give a fart about the acting class. I just like episodes that have some semblance of sense.

The only part I liked was the reveal of the dude being a world class fighter only *after* Barry gave him the inexplicable out and threat. The girl actress was amazing. But again, semblance of reality. 

[shapeshifter]

5 hours ago, teddysmom said:

I was surprised when Barry saw all the Tae Kwon Do trophies and didn't think maybe he should be on his guard a little. 

I was imagining that Barry might be thinking something like: This is it. I really am a bad person and this is how it ends.

But then when Barry held his own in the fight I figured that Barry was counting on the element of surprise that he and the guy with the Taekwondo trophies were pretty well matched. That Barry recognized and named that particular martial art implied to me that Barry might be familiar with it.
  
  
  

3 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

I think Barry's  PTSD has made him go soft.

Oh, I totally think that's the point. Although Barry was probably always a softy at heart (when he wasn't shooting people).
  
  
  

3 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

e like these modern zombies that can run, fight, and use weapons, and are impervious to attacks that would kill a regular human. Just when you think they're dead they pop right back up.

Definitely zombie-like, although I was thinking The Exorcist-like.
  
  
  
  

  

  

2 hours ago, Dev F said:

I wonder if there's also some symbolism behind Barry turning into this guy with a beard whom some shady asshole is trying to talk into getting into his car -- just like he tried to talk bearded Ronny into getting into his car throughout the episode. That might suggest both that Barry is starting to see himself as a victim of Fuches's evil machinations, and that he's starting to realize that his own actions mark him as not that different from Fuches.

I hope someone asks Barry about that if he doesn't bring it up

[tennisgurl]

What a strange, surreal episode that was. It had an Atlanta or a Coen Brothers kind of vibe to it, with the surreal mixed with brief shocking bits of violence, and a sad sort of desolate feeling to it. I am at least glad that Barry is finally cluing into what an amoral user Fuches really is. I do think he does somewhat care about Barry (like when he tried to warn him away from Loache) but only as much as he is capable of caring about anyone other than himself. This is a guy who is totally cool with killing a little girl who was just orphaned to cover his own ass and has manipulated Barry for years into killing for him. It was especially emphasized when he could hardly care about Barry's awful injury, while freaking out and getting him out of the car to get him stuff for his much more minor injury. 

That little girl was wild, she is not of this world! If she shows up to bite Fuches head off to get revenge at the end of the season, I would be happy with that.

Hader did a great job directing, I am constantly blown away by his talent. It took me a second to think about this one, but I loved it. 

[meep.meep]

I liked this a lot too.  But, I figured Barry was going to get super glued to the seat, or at a minimum that his shirt would be glued to his back.

[aemom]

I know TV and movie fights are hardly ever realistic, but every rib in Barry's body should have been broken in that fight, especially when just one kick to Loach's head kills him.

I am also surprised that Barry wasn't more cautious after seeing the giant trophy room with all the taekwondo trophies

It was a weird episode, but well done.

Edited to add:  That is a serious stab wound and Barry will need better than Fuches' Krazy Glue to make it better.

Edited May 1, 2019 by aemom
Forgot something

[cpcathy]

A room full of Tai Kwon Do trophies=Get Your Gun Out, Barry!

[Blakeston]

Throughout the episode I kept wondering, shouldn't Hank have access to some sort of mob doctor?

[aemom]

24 minutes ago, Blakeston said:

Throughout the episode I kept wondering, shouldn't Hank have access to some sort of mob doctor?

I have a feeling that Hank will be involved next episode to get some medical treatment for Barry

45 minutes ago, cpcathy said:

A room full of Tai Kwon Do trophies=Get Your Gun Out, Barry!

I can't believe that he didn't have his gun on him.

[shapeshifter]

12 hours ago, aemom said:

I know TV and movie fights are hardly ever realistic, but every rib in Barry's body should have been broken in that fight, especially when just one kick to Loach's head kills him.

If you're talking about the nunchucks bit, that gave me pause too.
But then when the blows didn't kill Barry, I mentally self-corrected into fantasy zone.
This is officially a "comedy,"
so Barry bouncing back after the what should be lethal blows is a spoof of similar (and numerous) scenes on tv and film.

[aemom]

38 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

If you're talking about the nunchucks bit, that gave me pause too.
But then when the blows didn't kill Barry, I mentally self-corrected into fantasy zone.
This is officially a "comedy,"
so Barry bouncing back after the what should be lethal blows is a spoof of similar (and numerous) scenes on tv and film.

The very initial kick and also the nunchucks is what I was referring to.

[FoundTime]

On 4/29/2019 at 9:12 PM, shapeshifter said:

Hader's last words in the interview regarding this episode (1.5 "ronny/lily"):
"There will be some people who will dig this, and there will be some people who are like: 'What’s going on with the acting class? I don’t care about any of this.' You can’t please everybody."
--seem to have been fulfilled.

I remember the TWoP and IMDb message boards being similarly divided over the Breaking Bad episode, "Fly."
I liked "Fly" and I like "ronny/lily" too. 

Interesting, both were bottle episodes. It took me repeated viewings of "Fly" to really appreciate it. "ronny/lily" I liked immediately. It was so unlike anything else I watched Sunday night, and that includes Killing Eve, Veep, and Unforgotten, none of which are too shabby.

[MrWhyt]

On 5/1/2019 at 5:20 PM, FoundTime said:

Interesting, both were bottle episodes. It took me repeated viewings of "Fly" to really appreciate it. "ronny/lily" I liked immediately. It was so unlike anything else I watched Sunday night, and that includes Killing Eve, Veep, and Unforgotten, none of which are too shabby.

ronny/lily wasn't a bottle episode

[shapeshifter]

7 hours ago, MrWhyt said:

ronny/lily wasn't a bottle episode

It certainly wasn't cheap, and it did have at least 4 scene changes, so, yeah, it doesn't fit the definition. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Inside the episode S2.E5

[Nordly Beaumont]

Uh uh. Nope! You do NOT hit NoHo Hank in his adorable face! That's not okay.

I loved the end interview when they showed that Bill Hader had to look away because Anthony Carrigan was making him laugh.

Edited May 6, 2019 by Nordly Beaumont

[shapeshifter]

So. The title of 2.6, "The Truth Has a Ring to It," is almost a Hemingway quote. If anyone has relevant context, please share.

There are already several good review/recaps out there already, such as https://tv.avclub.com/barry-finally-uses-his-truth-and-its-not-pretty-183453621 which includes:
"'I guess everyone is the hero of their own story, right?' Fuches screams at Barry, parroting Sam’s words against Sally after she escapes his hotel room. Barry finally acknowledges Fuches’ abuser status."

Question: When Barry and Sally were doing the scene and Sally was on her knees on the floor choking, was she supposed to be really choking or acting-choking?

Edited May 6, 2019 by shapeshifter

[tennisgurl]

Sold out by the accordion guy. A tale as old as time. 

[arc]

4 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

Question: When Barry and Sally were doing the scene and Sally was on her knees on the floor choking, was she supposed to be really choking or acting-choking?

I think acting-choking. She recovered fast, could talk normally, and after the scene she didn't remark on the choke hold. So Barry wasn't really out of control on stage. This is by far his greatest acting class triumph to date; his previous good acting moment was more accidental than anything.

During the Chechen training scene I figured eventually these guys are going to try to kill Barry. I did think Hank chewing out the accordion player was going on too long and a little too harsh, but I guess he really does have a lot invested in the friendship with Barry. (Side note: kinda reminds me of Community, where Dean Pelton was way more into Jeff Winger than vice-versa.) And boy did it all pay off at the end.

For now, though, I think the Chechens are going to escape somehow. Maybe the one guy who's good at violence will save them? But just thinking plot-wise, the Bolivians and Burmese have no compelling interest to keep Barry alive, or partner with him, or otherwise involve him in crime besides maybe killing him in revenge. And of course, NoHo Hank is a delight.  Meanwhile, Esther has been pretty underdeveloped so far. So for all these extradiegetic reasons, I think Hank & friends get out of this somehow.

The cops are fucking terrible at their jobs. They didn't find the tire tracks that Fuches did??? They didn't find a car with a couple of armfuls of branches thrown over it? They didn't hear Barry hiding in the quinceañera behind a few dresses? The police chief just put out all of Loach's private business at a press conference?

[shapeshifter]

46 minutes ago, arc said:

The police chief just put out all of Loach's private business at a press conference?

The police chief detailing the "domestic disturbance" that led to Loache's death was great humor, beginning with it being a spoof on the stereotypical dick measuring of cops, and then developed with the side-by-side pictures of shlubby Loache and hot guy martial arts master, narrated by: So, you get it; followed by unanimous mumbles of: Yeah, totally get it.

[thuganomics85]

So, that's why they've been cagey with showing how Moss' death went down: they wanted to show the first glimpse of it when Barry has to go his darkest place for his scene!  That was some intense shit!  Bill Hader killed it as always.

I love the gag that Gene now apparently keeps saying "You killed someone and got away with it!" to Barry enough that he's getting tired of it.

Oh, NoHo!  I guess you should be careful over berating accordion players!  I doubt he will be snuffed off, but I'm wondering how he'll escape this little pickle.  Hopefully the rest of the Chechen gang survives too.  I know that they're... well, criminals, but they're just so damn likable!

Fuches clearly is not taking rejection well, at all.  Looks like he wants to sabotage Barry's relationship with Gene.  Stephen Root is just so awesomely slimy in this role.

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, thuganomics85 said:

So, that's why they've been cagey with showing how Moss' death went down: they wanted to show the first glimpse of it when Barry has to go his darkest place for his scene! 

Actually, from interviews with Hader that I read, I don't think they had decided if Moss was dead or not when they wrote at least some of the second season episodes. Nevertheless, pulling it out like this is a demonstration of their brilliant story telling and how they make maximum use of plot points -- whether for drama or humor.

[Nordly Beaumont]

4 hours ago, arc said:

The cops are fucking terrible at their jobs. They didn't find the tire tracks that Fuches did??? They didn't find a car with a couple of armfuls of branches thrown over it?

I'm watching from the beginning of season 2 and Loaches told Gene that they weren't going to search the area. He was convinced the Chechen's killed her (and apparently didn't consider any other possibility - making them fucking terrible at their jobs!). They probably did a quick scan of the area and that was it. The tracks Fuches found took him around in a circle, so they were nothing and he found the car after getting lost so it was probably outside of the (apparently) small area they searched.

I loved when Gene left Barry and said "I am so late for my escape room."

[tennisgurl]

This is why you always tip your accordionist, NoHo! I do hope that he and the chechens survive. Ruthless gangsters that they are, they also crack me up and I find them to still be super likable. I mean, what even is this show without our favorite perky gangster?!

Fuches is such a slimy slimeball, so much that even Barry called him on it, at last. He really does just use Barry and manipulate him and his war related trauma and loneliness. I dont think that Barry is the deranged killing machine that Fuches wants him to think he is, and if he had met pretty much anyone else after leaving the service, his life would probably be very different now. Fuches is also aware that Barry is right, without Barry he really has nothing to offer, so now it looks like he is going to mess with his relationship with Gene. 

[cpcathy]

Hader was brilliant in the episode. I marvel at his talent every dang week.

Please don't let anything happen to No Ho Hank!

[galaxychaser]

So Barry got stabbed didn’t see a doctor and now is fully recovered in a week? Fuchs still has a bruise on his cheek. Scratching my head. 

[DrSpaceman]

1 hour ago, galaxychaser said:

So Barry got stabbed didn’t see a doctor and now is fully recovered in a week? Fuchs still has a bruise on his cheek. Scratching my head. 

he is Orphan Barry now too. 

Hank!  How will you ever survive?.  Foiled again by the accordion player. 

Stephen Root plays such a putzy slimey bastard.  And he is so good at it. 

When well acted, that really is a much better scene that Sally finally wrote. 

[Accidental Martyr]

7 hours ago, galaxychaser said:

So Barry got stabbed didn’t see a doctor and now is fully recovered in a week? Fuchs still has a bruise on his cheek. Scratching my head. 

That’s exactly what I was thinking. How did his back heal so quickly and how would Sally not know about it?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S2.E6 inside the episode

[shapeshifter]

22 hours ago, Accidental Martyr said:

On May 6, 2019 at 5:54 PM, galaxychaser said:

So Barry got stabbed didn’t see a doctor and now is fully recovered in a week? Fuchs still has a bruise on his cheek. Scratching my head. 

That’s exactly what I was thinking. How did his back heal so quickly and how would Sally not know about it?

Typical TV magical healing, amplified by about a billion for absurdist humor because it's Barry.

I noticed that after Fuches lost the bandage on his cheek, the remaining wound was a few red lines looking more like demon claw marks than a human bite, heh.

And has anyone here mentioned yet that Fuches' name is totally a description of what he does to Barry, heh? You know, like back in the day, when folks were first taking on surnames, "John," ye olde blacksmith, would become "John Smith" to distinguish him from his neighbor, who might become known as "John Screwsyou."

Edited May 8, 2019 by shapeshifter

[kay1864]

On 4/30/2019 at 2:26 PM, cpcathy said:

I kept waiting for Barry to pull out a gun and shoot Ronny, ala that moment Harrison Ford improvised in Indiana Jones. It would have been funny after all Ronny's whip maneuvers to just shoot him dead.

I had the same thought!  Right in the middle of the scene with the nunchaku.  Would have been great if Barry had done that Ford resigned eyeroll look too.

Edited May 10, 2019 by kay1864

[IndianPaintbrush]

I really hope we see Feral Mongoose Girl again. She would be a terrific assassin!

[FoundTime]

On 5/3/2019 at 1:52 PM, MrWhyt said:

ronny/lily wasn't a bottle episode

I hadn't thought about it one way or another until I noticed in the article shapeshifter linked to that the interviewer referred to it as one -- limited cast, guess it depends on your definition 😹

[MrWhyt]

2 minutes ago, FoundTime said:

I hadn't thought about it one way or another until I noticed in the article shapeshifter linked to that the interviewer referred to it as one -- limited cast, guess it depends on your definition 😹

traditionally bottle episodes rely on existing sets, avoiding the costs of building new ones or going on location. This episode went all over the place.

[HC87]

I really want some chicken ala king :)

[ElectricBoogaloo]

S2.E7: The Audition

Quote

Barry prepares for his first audition under Gene's guidance. Sall takes a stand in a meeting with a major TV producer. Noho Hank bares all.

Original air date: 5/12/19

[shapeshifter]

I'm guessing "NohoHank bares all" can only mean one thing. 😉 🍑

[Nordly Beaumont]

If interested, you can watch Anthony Carrigan bare (almost) all while talking about alopecia:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLeb4gmpKSI

[Nordly Beaumont]

Holy cats - that got dark! I can't wait until next week! Except then it will be over for another year. 😪 Please don't kill Gene!

Sally is such a pill, but I LOVED her monologue! The actress nailed the heck out of it. So many words, so many emotions! Laughed at "a feature - which is the same thing as a movie, ps" - hey somebody had to fill him in! I don't think I'd want to see Sally "a hundred times more insane" though!

I had to turn the captions on to make sure I heard right - NoHo Hank is "an optometrist by nature" - so random! 

The accordion player had it coming.

Edited May 13, 2019 by Nordly Beaumont