It’s TV renewal time. And man, that was fast. HBO‘s “Barry,” starring Bill Hader as a melancholy hitman turned actor, has been renewed for a second season after only two episodes have aired. The cable channel must love what they see. Created by Alec Berg and Hader, “Barry” launched its eight-episode first season March 25. Hader stars in the title role as a depressed, low-rent hitman from the Midwest who finds himself drawn into a community of acting students while on a hit job in L.A. He wants to start a new life, but his criminal past won’t let him walk away. The show also stars Stephen Root, Henry Winkler and Sarah Goldberg.
HBO’s ‘Barry’ Series Premiere Is A Great Start For Writer/Director/Star Bill Hader [Review]
HBO has also renewed their comedy series “Silicon Valley” for a sixth season. A collaboration between Mike Judge and the aforementioned Berg, the Emmy-winning and Golden Globe-nominated “Silicon Valley” returned for its eight-episode fifth season March 25. The show continues to take a comic look at the modern-day epicenter of the high-tech gold rush, where the people most qualified to succeed are the least capable of handling success. An amusing recurring theme this season is essentially one big subtweet at actor T.J. Miller who left the show last year before his recent personal dramas.
“While BARRY has delighted audiences with its deft interplay of comedy and drama, SILICON VALLEY remains as brilliantly and frighteningly prescient as ever,” noted Amy Gravitt, executive vice president, HBO Programming. “We’re thrilled that these two smart, funny shows are returning for another season.”
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Over at Netflix, the streaming company continues to find happiness and success with “Jessica Jones.” The series, about a sarcastic, alcoholic private investigator and reluctant super hero has been renewed for a third season despite tepid reviews of season two (it kind of blows without its main villain). “Luke Cage” season two airs June 22 and that might be it for Marvel/Netflix shows in 2018, but “Iron Fist” and “The Punisher” have been renewed for seasons two, so who knows. Currently, there are no official plans for a second “Defenders” season or a fourth “Daredevil” season, but that could easily change.
While we’re at it in the world of TV, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the comedic genius behind the U.K. show “Fleabag,” has landed a pilot order at HBO for her new show, “Run.” While she won’t star, Waller-Bridge, who will be seen/heard next as a droid in “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” she will have a recurring role. “Run” is a romantic comedic thriller. It centers on two ex-lovers who made a pact 15 years ago that if they ever needed to escape life, they could send each other a simple “RUN” text message and impulsively disappear together. Guess what kicks off the show? [THR]