Reaction Review: Barry Season 4 Episode 4: it takes a psycho
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
EPISODE SUMMARY
Warning: major spoilers for Barry season 4 episode 4, “it takes a psycho”, are throughout the entire review. Reader discretion is strongly advised.
After Barry Berkman’s escape from the previous episode, we see Monroe Fuches staring up above at a helicopter. He gets his ass kicked by jail guards, since he knew there would be an assassination attempt and tried warning others. They think he was in on it. Meanwhile, Gene Cousineau is being asked to go into hiding until the Vanity Fair article (that he gave a one man show for) passes; Jim Moss has hid him at his Big Bear cabin (which we have seen before back in season 1). Police officers try to find Cousineau, but Moss is there watching his house. They let him know that Barry is missing. NoHo Hank is setting up extensive protection outside and inside of his hideout because of Barry’s missing report; he worries that he may be coming for him. In the meantime, Hank and Cristobal reveal a recreation room for the Bolivians and Chechens to have fun with, as thanks for their hard work.
Sally is on set with the one student from her acting class, Kristin (the only one who stayed); she’s there to help her prepare for the gig. Sally finds director Sian Heder is the one making this project, who feels like she is taking a step down making comic book related crap in comparison to CODA (her Best Picture winning film). Kristin’s agent spots Sally and recognizes her for some of her more infamous moments. On set, Kristen is taking Sally’s acting tips into account but begins forgetting her lines. Sally has to rescue her; in the meantime, she gets a call from “Lindsay” that she misses.
Cousineau is living in isolation and preparing a meal when the phone rings. Tom is on the other end and lets him know that Barry has escaped. Cousineau panics, because he knows that Barry knows about this location. He finds a gun and waits. Back in prison, Fuches continues to be beaten. Back on set, Sally tries coaching Kristin to help her get back into the mindset of the scene. She begins to recite her lines for her, and Heder is there behind Sally to hear this incredible delivery. The director approves, and wants that line to come out of Kristin (so Sally isn’t getting hired on the spot).
Hank is clearly anxious while the Bolivians and Chechens party. Cristobal comforts him and assures that everything is going to be okay. Meanwhile, a SWAT team attack the Dave & Buster’s that the Chechens and Bolivians usually frequent and start attacking the inhabitants, but they aren’t who the team was expecting. No. The Chechens and Bolivians are on their way to look at that sand that will bring them the fortunes that Hank and Cristobal promise. Hank asks Cristobal to come outside for another big surprise, but Cristobal is called back by one of the gangsters. While they are all pooled together, the facility breaks underneath them and the sand sinks and engulfs them. Cristobal included. He begins screaming for Hank (he is the only one on the surface of the sand, but he is drowning). Hank isn’t there to hear, and so Cristobal succumbs to the sandy hell. Hank finally arrives and recognizes what has happened; he is digging for Cristobal.
Miraculously, Cristobal is saved. While Hank apologizes, they both hear gunfire from inside of the factory. It is Andrei: the Chechen mafia leader and his men, who has arrived for Hank and is happy to finally meet Cristobal. A bunch of Hank and Cristobal’s men were killed in the process. Back in prison, Fuches limps all bloody and bruised to a table to eat lunch. All of the inmates stare at him. They resume their eating after the room gets too quiet. Fuches senses that he has achieved the respect of his fellow inmates. At the Big Bear cabin, Cousineau is sleeping. A light turns on outside as footsteps approach; this wakes up Cousineau, who picks up his gun and begins firing at the person at the door: it was his son, Leo, trying to deliver food to him. Terrifying. Back on set, Kristin’s agent pitches his services to Sally to try and promise her her career back. She thanks him and walks away. Kristin asks if Sally is okay, and it is aware that she hasn’t heard the news: that Barry has escaped prison. Kristin offers her place for Sally to stay in order to be safe. Sally promises she’ll be okay, and then tells Kristin that she was great on set before leaving.
Andrei tells Hank that he approves of what he has achieved so far. Hank plays coy about Cristobal and his plans: essentially backpedaling on the plans he shares with his aprtner. Andrei and his men say goodbye to Hank and Cristobal, but the latter doesn’t respond at all. Once the party leaves, Hank goes to address Cristobal. He apologizes for not warning him about Andrei (for the extra protection), but Cristobal isn’t budging. He tells him that he doesn’t forgive Hank for having the partners killed by Andrei and his men. Hank tries to tell him that there wasn’t a choice: Andrei and Batir would have killed them both and everyone else. Cristobal states that he doesn’t recognize who Hank is. He proceeds to call him a psychopath. He leaves Hank in the middle of the night since he can’t trust him anymore and for the shady business practices. Hank threatens Cristobal and tells him that he knows too much: he can’t leave. Cristobal won’t allow it. Hank is heartbroken and tries to threaten him to stay. He begins to beg and profess his love, but Cristobal doesn’t care. Hank begins having a panic attack alone. Val comes in to let Hank know that Cristobal has been murdered for trying to leave. It’s too late now.
Moss is asleep in his car while stalking Barry’s house when the sound of another vehicle wakes him up. It appears to be Sally, who enters Barry’s house alone. She calls out for his name, and out he appears, still in his prison garments. He apologizes for staying there, but Sally tells him that they can leave. We cut to two brothers fighting as a man has to intervene. One son retreats back to a house, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. In the house are Barry and Sally, who appear to be the kids’ parents. What the fuck? Have they both started a new life elsewhere? How long has it been? What on Earth is going on? Roll those credits!
FIRST REACTION
What even was this episode? Just when you think you know where Barry is heading, it continues to pull the rug from underneath you. Every. Single. Time. The best episode of season 4 so far, “it takes a psycho” is tremendous television. Gene Cousineau killing the delivery boy and being no better than Barry Berkman — someone that can kill in cold blood — is only the tip of the iceberg of this one. Monroe Fuches sticking up for himself for once was a great change of pace, but this also isn’t the highlight of “it takes a psycho”. Jim Moss and the SWAT team onslaught was also just a side note; it likely would have been the main event of other shows. Hell, that huge twist at the end isn’t even the best part of the episode, although that royally fucked with me (I guess Barry had his witness protection dreams come true, even if in his own way). This wraps up Sally’s storyline for the episode: her learning that she really does want to live and feel safe with Barry. She doesn’t care about trying to revitalize her career anymore. It’s a huge turn of events. In an episode that barely features Barry, his presence still lingers, whether its by his looming absence, his eventual appearance (with that mic drop moment), or how hints of his evil nature have popped up in others (if not the apparent solace Sally seems to find in him).
But, no. That’s not the strongest point. Instead, that would be NoHo Hank and Cristobal’s tumultuous, heartbreaking end. Hank saving Cristobal was a sign of love and commitment, but sadly the latter doesn’t get enough time to really appreciate this once Andrei and his men come in guns blazing. Both men were together for love, but they each had different definitions. Cristobal doesn’t agree with what Hank did: he finds him to be no better than any other killer (like Barry, for instance), despite Hank saving his life. Hank pleads with Cristobal to reconsider: he promises he only got Andrei and the other ruthless Chechens involved to protect him. It isn’t enough, and Cristobal gets killed. Hank wanted him to stay not just because he loves him, but because he knows he would die once he leaves. There’s no way to protect him. We get a masterclass scene from Anthony Carrigan (Hank) and Michael Irby (Cristobal) in this scene, like one of Cousineau’s classes: we watch art take place, but really, this is reality for two men that loved one another and sadly had to split apart in such a fatal way.
Barry is excellent at providing us all of the answers we demand while setting up the next episode with huge question marks. Now Barry and Sally have to live a lie of a life elsewhere. Cousineau will likely find out that he killed an innocent person in the next episode. Maybe Fuches will have enough confidence to change his own trajectory for once. Then there’s Hank who had his own Barry revelation: being confronted for having psychopathic tendencies. Like Barry, Hank was forced into this position, but he is likely killing more than he needs to due to his own mental illnesses (again, like Barry). Maybe Hank will try to reconcile with Barry. Maybe this will push Hank over the edge to try and kill Barry himself. Who knows. What a banger of an episode. Unless any episodes are longer than usual (maybe the finale), we only have around two hours of Barry left. It’s a very sad thought. It’s so damn good, like always.
Final Grade: 4.5/5
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.