The cable network announced today that it has renewed Bill Hader’s pitch-black comedy for another season, with Hader set to direct all eight episodes of Season 4. “Bill, Alec [Berg], and the entire cast and crew delivered an exquisite third season of ‘Barry,’ it’s a masterful blend of laughs and suspense,” said Amy Gravitt, vice president of HBO Programming. “I’m so happy to announce that we are picking up the fourth season.” The renewal is hardly surprising, given that creators Bill Hader and Alec Berg have been open about the fact that Seasons 3 and 4 were written simultaneously. But the news that Hader will be flying solo behind the camera should be welcome news to fans of the show. Through the first three seasons, Hader has directed nine episodes, including the show’s pilot and some of its most acclaimed episodes.
“Barry” was created by Bill Hader and Alec Berg, with Aida Rodgers and Liz Sarnoff serving alongside them as executive producers and Julie Camino producing. In addition to Hader, it stars Henry Winkler, Stephen Root, Anthony Carrigan, and Sarah Goldberg.
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The show has been an Emmy darling in its first two seasons, picking up 29 nominations and six wins. Notably, Bill Hader won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in both 2018 and 2019, and Henry Winkler won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2018.
Season 3 of “Barry” has been overwhelmingly praised by critics, with IndieWire’s Ben Travers writing that “this attention to detail — the performances, the direction, the awareness, the comedy, the sense of purpose — all come together to make ‘Barry’ great. Dramas pretending to be comedies can be exhausting, and we’re finally starting to move past the age of antiheroes, but Hader and Berg’s series distinguishes itself from such comparisons by refusing to fall neatly into either category; it’s trajectory is dictated by Barry and the extremity of his situation. Barry has killed people, and he doesn’t always understand why. Rather than breeze by those deaths and let the good times roll, ‘Barry’ treats them with actual consequence.”
Season 4 is set to begin production in June. No release date has been announced.
“Barry” is currently airing on HBO, with new episodes debuting each Sunday night at 10 p.m. ET.
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