Barry has always ridden along the line that separates comedy & drama, but in season 3 the show has managed to go & outdo itself, this time slamming on the gas pedal and going full speed ahead along that line. The comedy aspect of the show is even funnier, the drama aspect of the show is even weightier. But one thing that’s recognizable coming out of this season is that this is the closest the show has come yet to being a full-tilt drama. It’s easily the darkest the show has ever been, as we travel through the tortured psyches of Barry, Sally, and Cousineau. Even NoHo Hank, the show’s character who generally accumulates most of the laughs, had to go through his own version of hell this season. What seemed to be a reoccurring theme with this season, not just in the actual show itself but also in the filming of the show, was the stakes being raised higher than ever. Each performer, both in front of & behind the camera were expected to take things to the next level. Which they do wonderfully. Bill Hader & Henry Winkler have always been the 1-2 knockout punch of the show, and in many ways they still are, but Sarah Goldberg absolutely stole the show for me this season. Anthony Carrigan, who’s always brought the comedic relief, gets a chance to show off his dramatic range in the final stretch of episodes. There’s also some noteworthy performances from recurring stars James Hiroyuki Liao & Robert Ray Wisdom. And I could keep going, the talent on display here is just endless. Hader’s directing has also continued to become utterly impressive, to the point where you almost feel like this guy should be working on feature-length films instead of television. It’s in the show’s action scenes in particular where his talent behind the camera truly shines, filming them in a way that feels like you’re playing Grand Theft Auto. Suffice to say, it’s easy to see why the decision was made to have him direct all the episodes for Season 4. This was as close to perfection as a season of television can get. I’m not gonna get into my tiny little couple of gripes because I know most of you will probably scoff at me for it, and fair enough. But regardless, this season proved that the darker Barry gets, the better the show becomes.