‘Barry’: While Sally’s career crashes, will Sarah Goldberg’s benefit at the Emmys?

The final chapter of Bill Hader’s HBO comedy “Barry” started off strong and is only getting better each week. The season’s third episode, ironically titled “you’re charming,” explored the uglier parts of the show’s messed-up characters. It’s with this method that Emmy nominee Sarah Goldberg‘s character, Sally Reed, places all her bets to revive her acting career. Sally’s attempts to return to the Hollywood map have been unsuccessful. Still, the actress that plays her seems to only thrive on her character’s misfortunes.

The final season’s plot development builds up to a major emotional journey for Sally. Even at this point in the show, Goldberg holds a highly promising seventh spot in our Best Comedy Supporting Actress odds. This year the actress is going up against some solid competitors, although the absence of 2022 nominees Kate McKinnon (“Saturday Night Live”) and Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”) frees up some slots in the race. Ahead of Goldberg are last year’s winner Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Abbott Elementary”), 2021 champ Hannah Waddingham (“Ted Lasso”), Janelle James (“Abbott Elementary”), Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”), Juno Temple (“Ted Lasso”), and two-time winner Alex Borstein (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”). Given that Goldberg has been rewarded with a nomination for the role of Sally in 2019, and it’s “Barry’s” goodbye to the audience, she sure should be on voters’ radar for the Emmys in 2023.

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SEE ‘Barry’ season 4 rave reviews: Bill Hader’s direction ‘remains a highlight of any series on TV’

In the fourth season Sally’s at a low point in her life. She had just been exposed to the public as the “entitled cunt girl” that unleashed the full spectrum of rage on her friend/assistant. Looking for comfort at her less-than-caring parents’ house turned out to be a dreadful mistake. Considering these circumstances, it’s unsurprising that she finds safety with Barry, her ex-boyfriend who murdered her acting teacher’s girlfriend. Barry is out of her picture for now, at least physically, so the only other secure place to fall back on for Sally is acting, but there are a lot of obstacles for Goldberg’s character there, too.

The third episode holds nothing back, and neither does Goldberg. Hollywood is no less ruthless than the criminal world, so when her acting manager rejects her, Sally decides to follow in Mr. Cousineau’s (Henry Winkler) footsteps and teach an acting class. However, it turns out that ‌impressionable youth does not care for getting yelled at for the sake of a good scene. In the episode’s climactic moment, Sally tells off the “perfect pair of tits” for her shallowness and vanity. Her monologue is intensified by Hader’s directorial choice of filming Goldberg’s face in an extreme close-up. The actress is so convincing when she communicates Sally’s message that there’s nothing left for the audience but to listen intently — and for aspiring actors to take notes. It’s quite a jaw-dropping moment that nevertheless leaves one student totally impressed and desperate for Sally’s help.

“Barry” rarely misses the target, unlike the podcast assassin brothers who review faulty gadgets. The fourth season is bold, hilarious, and thought-provoking, which builds a good case for many Emmy nominations, and not only for Goldberg. In our combined odds the show ranks fifth for Best Comedy Series after “Ted Lasso”, “Abbott Elementary”, “The Bear”, and “Only Murders in the Building.” Hader is coming in third in the Best Comedy Actor race, just like Henry Winkler for Best Supporting Comedy Actor. Anthony Carrigan is not far behind Winkler in fifth. The more nominations for this show across the board, the higher the likelihood we’ll see Goldberg at this year’s Emmys.

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