NoHo Hank, meanwhile, crows about how he fooled the cops to his fellow Chechens, saying that all crimes related to the Chechens or Bolivians from last season can be pinned on Fuches. There’s just one wrinkle, as we see NoHo Hank driving up to his house so he can surprise in the shower … Cristobal (Michael Irby), leader of the Bolivian mob, with whom he now lives in a loving relationship. Of course, the fact that NoHo Hank and Cristobal seem pretty happy with each other probably means they’re not fated to last long (if countless other TV romances are any clue). The only sticking point they have is our title character, who they can’t help but discuss even tangentially. “He killed all my buddies,” Cristobal says of Barry, as Hank tries to get his boyfriend to think less of Barry, and instead plot an expansion in the Western side of the US.
Cristobal doesn’t want to talk further about Barry, which makes sense. NoHo Hank, however, is faced with Barry in the flesh, as the latter appears in his backyard out of nowhere. “You and Cristobal are an item now?” Barry says before all but begging NoHo Hank for proper work. “I’m in a bad spot … I think I’m losing my mind, man,” he said before saying he needs a purpose in life. But NoHo Hank spells it out for Barry: “Forgiveness is something that has to be earned.” The purpose spells itself out soon enough, as Barry is shocked to see an incoming text message from Gene, who requests Barry’s presence at the old acting studio. Barry hopes it’s for good reason, but we know immediately that it’s not: when Gene sees Barry text back, we get a good look at a revolver he’s preparing to use. Now, as ominous as this reveal is, it leads to the absolute funniest moment of “forgiving jeff.” The gun, apparently, was a gift from legendary actor Rip Torn, whose note to Gene reads “Couscous, try not to blow your dick off with this. — Rip (dictated but not read).” As with other episodes of “Barry,” when this goes for the laugh, it goes big.
Joking aside, Gene seems pretty clear-eyed the next morning as he goes to the acting studio, giving his grandson a big hug and saying “It’s all going to be OK” in a manner that implies he’s on a suicide mission and he knows it. When Barry arrives at the acting studio, it’s in a state of abandoned disrepair, with a hand-written sign bidding farewell to Gene’s various students. Gene’s not interested in talking about that, though. “Remember that day in the woods? I’ve been thinking about that day a lot,” he says calmly. He then reminds Barry about “Kenneth Goulet”, AKA Fuches, and wastes no time in stating what he knows: “I know you killed Janice,” Gene says as he reaches for his gun. He gives Barry two choices: turn himself in or “f**king die.”
