I think they’re all amazing in different ways. To me, Sally is the most unlikeable character, but her acting is just incredible. Probably the best of the three, which is saying a lot! IMHO!
I ran into something with Bill Hader talking about Sally, when an audience member on some show he was Q&A'ing got up and said how much she hated Sally, to which Hader went into a hilarious 30 second bit on how Sally was actually Bill Hader the person, then responded with how when women aren't perfect as characters, they get flak, and how in contrast to the character of Sally, Barry killed people, yet didn't get that same response. It was a pretty interesting observation.
what’s so impressive to me about Barry is how much story it tells in such little time. 32 episodes, about 30 minutes each. Despite the shorter runtimes and smaller amount of episodes i really don’t feel like anything was left unaddressed.
this. is. good. this is incredible. im so glad i watched the ENTIRE SHOW for the first time yesterday just so i could see this as it came out - i dont think youtube wouldve recommended it to me otherwise
I hope Bill Hader sees your analysis and accepts the implied challenge to create BB/BCS/Barry reference-free comedy thrillers. He does his best work when impossibly challenged and I I want more Bill Hader long form genius!
Barry is the inverse of the breaking bad story because breaking bad is about a good man turned bad, and the other is about a bad man trying to become good.
3:41 Wow, I'm blown away by the amount of research it took to make this, and the synced "What the hell happened" and "You need to turn yourself in at 12:57 is the 🍒 on top. Bravo!
@@betterwatchtv You said you want this to be a definitive list of similarities and I'd say you definitely accomplished that goal. I'm sure someone will catch one or two similarities that you missed but I can't imagine anyone (other than an AI) doing what you did.
The scene where Barry talks to the acting class about the morality of murder reminds me of the scene where Jesse talks to the support group about the time he killed a "dog" (Gale).
Skyler, "Stop trying to justify this and admit you're in danger." Walter, "I am the danger." Sally, "we're saying the same thing." Barry, "We're not saying the same thing!"
I know it isn’t dead on but Barry getting shot by gene before he could finish his sentence reminded me how Howard got shot in the head by Lalo which is also similar to how hank (breaking bad hank) dies
Yep! I mentioned in my finale video that he even spent time with the Better Call Saul writers room to learn from them. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I watched Barry right after rewatching BCS last summer and it almost felt like they were meant to be companion pieces. While it’s hard to remember all the parallels I noticed, by far the biggest was the shared theme of whether or not someone can truly change, along with both of the series’ ending with their main characters temporarily escaping their past by fleeing to Middle America and adopting a mundane, blue collar lifestyle, only for it to catch up with them, causing them to try to atone for their mistakes by surrendering to the consequences they’ve been avoiding for years.
You missed Bill Burr and the fact that both like to cast comedic actors in general. Otherwise great work. Some of them stretches, but many of them uncanny. Amazing show though, on par with its spiritual predecessors.
😮 I didn’t even realize that was Bill Burr’s voice in Barry! Thank you! Yes, great point about casting comedic actors, especially Barry/Saul/Walt. And yes, certainly some stretches in there. 🙂 Thanks for watching and commenting!
8:27 While Saul did have a stash of cell phones in BB, a more identical scene comparison would be from BCS, S4 EP 8 "Coushatta" where Jimmy does the exact phone scheme Barry and Fuches had set up, in the event of an emergency alibi. (several phones with different labels indicating which voice to put on, and background ambience) Otherwise, Excellent video, I knew I felt some similarities between these shows but now I don't feel stupid about it!
I'd say a better comparison for Hank's light to dark interaction would be his actual first and last scenes: 1st Scene: "You've got the brain the size of Wisconsin, but we're not gonna hold that against ya!" Final Scene: "You're the smartest man I've ever met... but you're too stupid to realize, he made up his mind ten minutes ago."
Ooooh, great one! Maybe one day I'll do a fresh video that incorporates all these new things... I would definitely make that change. In the meantime, I'll add it to my pinned comment. Thanks!!
Additional similarities pointed out by commenters: Characters: • The Salamanca twins are similar to Vacha and Ruslan in Barry. Twin brothers, one of the twins dies, and the other wants revenge. [pointed out by no8965] Actors: • JB Blanc plays both Batir in Barry and Dr. Barry Goodman in Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul. [pointed out by Morwen DarkStar] • Bill Burr is both series! He's the voice of Pastor Nick Saint Angelo in Barry and Kuby in Breaking Bad. [pointed out by Patrick Sommer] • The general casting of comedic actors in all three shows. [pointed out by Patrick Sommer] • NoHo Hank and Todd are both mild-mannered guys that come from a crime family. [pointed out by no8965] Plot: • The last time we see Sally, she's driving away, just like Jesse in Breaking Bad. [pointed out by tis but a scratch] • Barry getting shot before he could finish his sentence is like Howard in Better Call Saul or Hank/Uncle Jack in Breaking Bad. [pointed out by Slap Nutz] • In Barry, Fuches is held captive with a bike lock around his neck, just like Krazy-8 in Breaking Bad... and both situations appear in S1E3 of their respective series! [This one just dawned on me] • Barry and Walt both imagine violent things. Walt: "Is this going to be on the murder?" (instead of midterm) vs. Barry seeing bullet holes in people's heads. [pointed out by no8965] • Lots of foreshadowing: Saul: "Best case scenario, I'm managing a Cinnabon in Omaha." Walt: "Chemistry is the study of change." Walt saying he's "all in" when playing poker with Hank (as in the meth business). Lalo: "You're going to die" (in Spanish) when meeting Nacho. Barry and Gene breaking down scenes into loss (Janice's death), vengeance (Barry shooting up the monastery), eating the shit pie (Barry getting arrested and set up by Cousineau), then the girl you don't have to save because you taught her how to swim (Sally living without Barry) and then Mr. Cousineau saying, "I think you only have one line" (oh wow). [pointed out by no8965] • Intimidation tactics: Esther stabbing her hand is like Tuco putting out a cigarette with his tongue. [pointed out by no8965] • Goran's, Max's, and Howard's exits are all done in a similar manner. [pointed out by no8965] • All shows involve poisoning: Chris's wife -> Barry, Walt -> Tuco & Brock, Nacho -> Hector (sort of) [pointed out by no8965] • BMW cars are destroyed in the first season of both Breaking Bad (Walt with Ken's car) and Barry (when Barry kills the Chechens). [pointed out by no8965] • Barry talking to the acting class about the morality of murder is like Jesse talking to the support group about the time he killed a "dog" (Gale). [pointed out by no8965] • That same Barry scene is also like the plane crash school assembly in Breaking Bad. Both are discussions in "schools" that involve the main character, but nobody really realizes that connection. Walter/Barry is too insecure to let these discussions continue, so he speaks his mind which ends up making everyone feel uncomfortable/awkward. A teacher steps in to move the discussion forward. [pointed out by SnakeEater866] • Barry yelling at Sally is like Walt threatening Skylar: [pointed out by no8965] • Sally: "We're saying the same thing." Barry: "We're not saying the same thing!" • Skyler: "Stop trying to justify this and admit you're in danger." Walter: "I am the danger." Style: • A better comparison for BB Hank's light-to-dark interaction would be his first and last scenes: "You've got the brain the size of Wisconsin..." vs. "You're the smartest man I've ever met..." [pointed out by Frower House] • A better "stashes of cell phones" comparison would be from BCS S4E8 (Coushatta), where Jimmy does the exact phone scheme Barry and Fuches had set up (several phones with different labels indicating which voice to put on, and background ambiance. [Pointed out by PixelFuzzTV] • Red lighting (symbolizing bad choice road?): Breaking Bad S3 E5: When Gus introduces Walt to the lab, they're bathed in red lighting similar to Barry S3 E1 when Sally goes on set of her new show. And The red EXIT signs in Better Call Saul lighting Jimmy. [pointed out by no8965] Keep 'em coming!
That's why I immediately loved Barry because it felt like it was part of the BB/BCS world. Also Bill Hader, Bob Odinkirk, and Bryan Cranston all came from comedic backgrounds. And all actors and shows have "B" names.
Love your little channel! Fantastic work and parallels with these 3 great shows. I think from BB to BCS, that team really refined their story telling, and with Barry, I wonder if it was a case of convergent evolution, as I don't think it's derivative, but who know? not like I know any of these peeps. Let's hope more writers and developers view these great shows and build from this knowledge, and focus on turning out entertaining and engaging content. Both here on youtube and elsewhere. Cheers!
One thing I noticed that was similar and different in their own right was the camera shots. Both had a beautiful and unique way shooting their shots. They copied each other in a way of creating beautiful shots but both shots were so unique and beautiful. Idk much about cinematography but holy crap I noticed that so much.
Indeed! To me, it seemed like Better Call Saul had that from the beginning, but both Breaking Bad and Barry grew into it. Both Barry and Better Call Saul are nominated for a Picture Editing Emmy this year (Barry won that last year), and Barry is nominated for Cinematography as well. I don't understand how Better Call Saul has never even been nominated for Cinematography. (Breaking Bad was nominated once.) Anyway, thank you so much for the comment!
The McBeth argument about how someone who commits murder is irredeemable reminds me of the plane crash school assembly in breaking bad. Both are discussions in schools that involve the main character but nobody really realizes that connection. Both Walter and Barry are too insecure to let these discussions carry out on their own so they gotta speak their mind which just ends up making everyone feel uncomfortable and awkward. A teacher has to step in to not allow that uncomfortable mood to keep getting worse and move the discussion forward.
Maybe Skyler would have, if not for the deal she made thanks to the GPS coordinates. Sally... I guess in terms of helping Barry evade authorities, but I don't see why her murder wasn't just self-defense. And Kim punished herself (and came clean).
hank kinda reminded me of nacho. good, sound guy at the start and at his core, looped into something while having some level of naivety. as the show progresses, the viewer's perception of them shifts from a villain on 'the other side' to a fan-favorite who you can really empathize with
@@betterwatchtv as much as the Story of BB and BCS are as great the long 6 seasons with 10 to 13 ep per season makes it something you need to dedicate months or even weeks of your life if you're gonna watch the whole show non stop and only sleep at night for 8 hours
Barry and Walter both imagine violent things, like when a student asked "Is this going to be on the murder?" Instead of midterm. And when Barry kept seeing bullet holes in people's heads. And there's a lot of foreshadowing like when saul said in breaking bad, "Best case scenario, I'm managing a Cinnabon in Omaha". Then the first scene of better call saul shows that and when Walt is talking about chemistry he says that is its the study of change, which is foreshadowing his character changing. And even when Walt and Hank and are playing poker Walt says that hes "all in" as in the meth business. And in lalos' first appearance he offers Nacho a taco and says "Te vas a morir" which is spanish for you're going to die and he does two seasons later.
And in Barry season two when Gene is helping Barry rehearse his lines they break down the scenes into 4. Scene 1: Is loss (Janice's death), scene 2: Shitting in a pie, Barry asks "So relieve?" Then Gene says "no I think its a little more neaused then that I think its about vengence (Barry shooting up the monastary) scene 3: Eating the shit pie (Barry getting arrested and set up by Cousineau), Scene 4: about the little girl that's drowing but you don't have to save her because you taught her how to swim (Sally living without Barry) and then Mr. Cousineau says "I think you only have one line which is no fucking way ( oh wow).
This is proof that Hollywood will recycle storylines. A lot of tv and movies do this now instead of trying to make something original. Not hating on any of these shows or anything in general but its been really obvious lately. Disclaimer: I love all these shows.
I think some of it is unavoidable, and Barry (the show) also does a lot of novel things. The similarities in the pilot and finale (especially Hank’s final scene) are probably what are most striking to me.
You also forgot to mention the similarities with breaking bad and Barry envolving a red light, where in season 3, episode 5, when Gus introduces Walter to his new lab, they're bathed in red lighting similar to 3x1 of Barry where Sally goes on set of her new show
You're really gonna say they share lots of names and then start off with 'Chris, Mike, Lydia.. Gene' the more generic names. at least try. And the Berkman/Block only came up a few times before s4, you gotta stop reaching
Some are definitely reaches, but I don’t think Lydia is a generic name! If it helps, I purposely left out the Nick characters in the three shows, because the characters were all too small (and the name is so common). Thanks for watching and commenting!
The scene where Esther stabs her hand in front of Hank reminds me of the scene where tuco puts out a cigarette with his tongue in front of Walter as an intimation tactic.
@@betterwatchtvAll shows involve poisoning, like when Chris's wife poisoned Barry, Walter trying to poison Tuco by putting resin in his burrito, also when when Walter poisoned Brock with lilly of the valley, and also in better call saul when Nacho switched Hector's heart medication with sugar pills.
I've finally updated the pinned comment with all of your findings. (And realized that we can add Howard to the category of Goran and Max!) Thanks for your continued support, and keep the comments coming!
I'm on season 2 of Barry, and it's nowhere close to Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Man, how is this show 30 mins long each episode, but i'm on the verge of dropping it like damn
@@betterwatchtv so i've finished the show, and i really enjoyed it since like the 2nd half of season 2. The final season was a bit underwhelming (after the timejump) but they got the ending right i think. Solid tv..
Its funny cause Bill Hader totally made Barry alot less likeable and redeemable after s2. He was getting annoyed that people kept defending him and shitting on Sally haha
@@betterwatchtv He’s just been very vocal about how stupid and weird it is that people kept defending Barry and hating on Sally. And s3 took a very different turn in that sense so it just felt obvious he was getting tired of it
I've got it on my list thanks to you, but I have to be prepared to spend a loooong time making it! So it might be awhile! Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@MistaWhite69 True... I will certainly consider that! Thanks! I'm in the midst of another 6-video series on Better Call Saul, about to start this weekend.
I know this isnt a similarity between BB/BCS & Barry, but what about Barry's son John wearing a Ukrainian flag jacket when he is being held by the checyns?
I hadn’t noticed his jacket, but I see what you’re talking about. I haven’t been able to dig up any info about it, like who makes it or if it has deeper meaning. Thanks for watching!
@@betterwatchtv She is like the first (or maybe second wife character after Camilla Soprano) who acted as a voice of reason for the protagonist’s morally bankrupt and dangerous behavior. And since she’s like the first one who was written as some pseudo-antagonist to the main character, the audience hates her because she ruined Walter’s (and the audience’s) power fantasy. She started becoming “likable” when she laundered Walter’s money but that was because the writers wanted to find a way to make her appealing so they went abrupt with her character change of heart. That’s why I said Kim is a course correction because the writers knew the backlash the audience had with Skyler so they added more nuance and depth to Kim’s character. They even made her going along with Jimmy’s bullsh*t for so many things which made her more appealing than Skyler and once she went against Jimmy, the audience are more accepting of her decisions thanks to those depths. And Sally is a little bit of both. Skyler had to walk so that Kim and Sally could run.
@@betterwatchtv No, it's because she is a bland personality. She was there just to be a girlfriend. I also hated her because Jimmy kept simping for her. Also, if I remember correctly, she was the one who started the bizarre ritual of torturing Howard. They tortured THE BEST character on the show for absolutely no reason, and they never got any repercussions for that, as far as I remember (watched it a year ago). This show was aggravating me to scary extents.
