HBO’s own black comedy crime drama series, barry, has come to an end. Created by Alec Berg and Bill Hader, the show aired its series finale on May 28, 2023.
barry premiered on HBO in 2018 and aired a total of four seasons over the course of five years. The cast included creator Bill Hader in the title role, alongside notable actors such as Stephen Root, Sarah Goldberg, Henry Winkler, Glenn Fleshler, Anthony Carrigan, Sarah Burns and Robert Wisdom in pivotal roles.
The official synopsis for the series reads as follows:
barry stars Bill Hader as a depressed, low-income hit man from the Midwest. Alone and dissatisfied with his life, he reluctantly travels to Los Angeles to take a hit on an aspiring actor. Barry follows his “mark” in an acting class and ends up finding an accepting community in a group of eager hopefuls within the Los Angeles theater scene. He wants to start a new life as an actor, but his criminal past doesn’t allow him to leave. Can he find a way to balance both worlds?”
If you loved the witty black humor of barry, and you’re looking for something new to pick up now that the series has ended, we’ve got the list for you. In this article, we explore some of the best black comedy shows that you should definitely watch.
Fargo, get smaller, and more: 5 of the best black comedy series to watch now that barry is over
1) Fargo
Fargo is a black comedy anthology drama television series from FX. Noah Hawley created the show by taking inspiration from the 1996 cult classic of the same name from the Coen brothers, who also serve as executive producers. The series premiered in 2014 and has aired four seasons to date, with the fifth season set to premiere in 2023.
With a new set of characters each season, the series features a constantly rotating cast of actors. Some of the more notable actors to have appeared on the series include Martin Freeman, Billy Bob Thornton, Kirsten Dunst, Patrick Wilson, Ewan McGregor, David Thewlis, Chris Rock, Jason Schwartzman, and others.
Fargo features a new standalone story each season, featuring a new set of characters in a different setting. However, the stories share a similar theme and a dark sense of humor. The stories in each season also contain multiple references to the films made by the Coen brothers, establishing a shared universe.
2) atlanta
atlanta is another satirical black comedy drama from the house of FX. Created by acclaimed artist Donald Glover, the series premiered in 2016 and ran until 2022, with a total of four seasons.
The cast of the series features Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield and Zazie Beetz in pivotal roles. The series received critical acclaim for its writing and storytelling, along with its sense of humor and social commentary.
Set in and around the city of Atlanta, the series follows Earn and Alfred, two young men trying to break into the rap scene. A penniless Princeton dropout, Earn hangs out with his cousin Alfred, as he believes he is on the brink of fame. As the duo navigate the music industry, they come face to face with the truth of Atlanta’s hip-hop industry.
3) vice directors
vice directors is a black comedy television series from the HBO house that premiered in 2016. The cast included prominent actors such as Danny McBride, Walton Goggins, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, Georgia King, Busy Philips, Shea Whigham, Dale Dickey and others in roles pivotal alongside cameos from Will Ferrell and Bill Murray.
The series ran for two seasons and received praise for its writing, humor and cast performances, even earning Goggins a Critics’ Choice Television Award.
vice directors revolves around Neal Gamby and Lee Russell, two ambitious vice principals vying for the top principal job at North Jackson High School. But when the current principal resigns and appoints an outsider, Dr. Belinda Brown, as the new principal, the two team up to try to get her out of it.
4) middle lord
middle lord is an Australian black comedy crime drama series from FX. The series is created by Scott Ryan, who also made the 2005 film, The magician, which is the basis of the series. The show premiered in 2018 and ran for three seasons before concluding in 2021.
middle lord stars Scott Ryan in the title role, alongside Justin Rosniack, Brooke Satchwell, Nicholas Cassim, Chika Yasumura, Damon Herriman and others in pivotal roles.
Set in Sydney and sharing the same universe as the 2005 film, The magician, the series follows the life of Ray Shoesmith, a contract killer. As a professional assassin, Ray has to intricately balance his domestic lifestyle with his daughter and his ex-wife along with his dangerous job. The series explores the personal complexities and challenges he faces as he navigates life.
5) shrink
shrink is a black comedy-drama series from the house of Epix. Davey Holmes created the series, inspired by Elmore Leonard’s 1990 novel of the same name. The show’s cast featured Chris O’Dowd, Ray Romano, Sean Bridgers, Carolyn Dodd, Goya Robles, Lidia Porto and others in pivotal roles. Critics and fans praised the series for its writing and characters.
shrink tells the story of Miles Daly, a former hit man who joins the Hollywood industry. Hoping to make a change in his life for the sake of his daughter, Miles wants to change his dangerous profession and become a movie producer. As he navigates the glamorous world of Hollywood, he realizes that he is ruthless and unpredictable with eccentric actors, rival producers and his own past.
These were some of the best black comedy series you can watch if you loved HBO’s black comedy crime drama series. barry.
