While Game of Thrones took up all the pop culture air space Barry was running right next to it delivering a much more satisfying story.

Barry balances all of its elements really well. Bill Hader carries this world on his shoulders as Barry and the way he can switch from comedy to intensity is something to see.

The second season sees Barry trying to hold things together. A series of murders from the end of last season has put him under tremendous pressure to not only keep lying to everyone around him but fight with the very essense of himself. He wants desperately to leave the hitman life behind and at every turn there is someone to pull him back in. With each body he drops it crushes his sense of self, he’s becoming increasingly terrified that he’s evil. He can only put on the mask of a good person.

Every single episode I’m impressed with the writing. They keep getting Barry and the people around him into wild scenarios, but it’s always grounded. They always manage to keep the stakes, the action, and the results beleavable. It’s amazing how well this show does dark humor.

These scripts also sing because of the cast. I’ve already mention Hader. On that list is Henry Winkler, doing some of the best work in his career. Sara Goldberg is perfect for standing on the other side of Barry’s teeter totter. She’s the gateway for the normal life that Barry wants and the whole time he’s hiding all this horror from her. It’s one of the most fascinating relationships I can think of in entertainment right now. Their story arc this year is really wel done. Anthony Carrigan is hilarous, just a brilliant character actor. I think Monroe Fuches is hands down Stephen Root’s best character of his career. I love to hate Fuches, he’s the absolute worst for Barry and watching that relationship unspool this year is fantastic.

Everyone who watches Barry loves it. More people need to see this, so stop whatever you are doing and check this out if you haven’t. This fills in The Americans void for me.