Barry Season 2 Episode 5 recap: Fuches with super glue is comedy gold

Stephen Root was in tip top form as the perennially entertaining Monroe Fuches on tonight’s Barry episode sprinkling old-school lovable slapstick comedy.

The following recap contains spoilers for Barry Season 2 Episode 5.

There’s more than a few millennials that grew up watching actor Stephen Root on NewsRadio as the hilarious Jimmy James who recently became reacquainted with him on HBO’s breakout series. Root’s Monroe Fuches is one of the key ingredients to Barry’s success both on the show and in real-life, and “ronny/lily” was a showcase of his regal skillset.

Tonight’s Barry went back to its comedy roots after a dramatic set of episodes focusing on PTSD and domestic abuse. The episode started off on a bang after Barry informed Ronny Proxin [Daniel Bernhardt] he was a hitman sent by his girlfriend’s ex Detective Loach to murder him… But he wanted to call an audible on the whole thing! He would allow Ronny to go to Chicago, in fact drive him there, and told him to pack his essentials. Barry implored Ronny to simply stay away for a year and all would be okay.

Ronny seemed to comply silently as a fully masked Barry began to notice medals and trophies in the martial arts field adorning the household. Barry upbeat and positive told Ronny, how it’s impressive, that he could still do that in Chicago… Before receiving a super kick to the chest Liu Kang Mortal Kombat style!

Just as Ronny was phoning the police against his downed intruder, Barry awoke and a grand fight broke out. Akin to something out of Rush Hour, Barry and Ronny would battle it out, stunts and all, with the occasional break like when the hitman-turned-actor noticed he accidentally smashed Ronny’s windpipe. Ronny would seem to pass out, losing air post-nunchucks beatdown on Barry. Incredibly disappointed that he was unable to forgo the hit on Ronny who seemed to die as a result, Barry would remove his mask. Believing the deed done against his better intentions. Just as he was leaving Ronny’s daughter would enter.

A scream and pounce would follow as she tackled Barry, throwing everything in the kitchen at him, including canned food to the noggin. A disoriented Barry would eventually be stabbed during the chaos but Ronny’s daughter would not take him out, instead choosing to run off, jumping across fences, truly animalistic stuff.

Stephen Root’s Monroe Fuches line of the night

Root’s Fuches was on fire all episode, from his lackadaisical stitching of Barry’s stabbed back to superglueing it back up when it reopened. Crooked doctor style. Then he dropped this line amidst sheer horror of why he couldn’t shake off an assailant biting his face, “I can’t… Because I superglued my hands to the steering wheel.” Simply put, comedy gold!

Fuches would comfort Barry at first, thinking he had to put down a youngster, ‘I know why you’re trying to get out. That’s heavy.’ Until he realized his protégé hadn’t finished the job at all, leaving a major link back that saw his face. He would attempt to convince Ronny’s daughter Lily [Jessie Giacomazzi] to come back with him and Barry but the plan failed when she climbed a tree instead.

Monroe Fuches and Lily Proxin in HBO’s Barry – Pictured from left to right: Jessie Giacomazzi and Stephen Root – Screenshot / Photo Credit: HBO

Soon the show delved into a half-satire of Jurassic Park and horror films with Lily on top of the car as the pair pondered where she’d gone. Minor noises on top of the car striking fear into their hearts. Then Lily got in in the car and leap into biting position of Fuches’ face as his superglued hands were stuck to the steering wheel, with Barry unwilling to do anything to a youngster. She would bite part of Fuches’ face off then run away, leading to another comedy heavy hitting line by Fuches. “What are YOU?!”

Barry encounters Ronny: Back seemingly from the dead!

Barry would go to the local pharmacy to try find something to get Fuches hands off the steering wheel when a certain person recognized him… Ronny! Just like that round 2 was set off, as the two embarked on a classic fight at the store. The police would soon arrived and it felt like it was all over for the show’s anti-hero but then in another twist, it was Detective Loach! The disgruntled ex would get the opportunity to shoot down his wife’s new boyfriend himself before turning the gun over on Barry.

Detective Loach would pretend Barry was attacking him, setting him up, bewildering him. Ronny however, would get back up and superkick Loach out cold! Just as Ronny turned his sights on Barry, the rest of the police squad arrived shooting Ronny down in the process. Barry would leave the premises unscathed, fully hooded, as he had a surreal recall of Fuches coming to get him when he finished his overseas tour. Fuches told him to get in the car in real life, asking what was wrong with him? As Barry stared back a million miles away…

Missed last week’s Barry or need a refresher? No worries! Catch up on the events of last week’s episode with The Natural Aristocrat’s Barry review for “What?!” (S02E04).