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Is Barry's NoHo Hank the Best Villain on TV?

Is Barry's NoHo Hank the Most Lovable Villain on TV Right Now? I Certainly Think So

Image Source: HBO

When my fiancé made me sit down and watch HBO's Barry for the first time, I wasn't sure what to expect. As a diehard Saturday Night Live fan, I was eager to see Bill Hader take on the serious role of a disillusioned hitman trying to get out of an especially shady business and find his place in the LA acting scene. Though I had heard amazing things about this Emmy award-winning dark comedy, nothing in this stratosphere prepared me for the magic that NoHo Hank — played by Anthony Carrigan — brings to the table.

As a rather aloof Chechen mob boss and one of the show's main villains, it's oddly hard not to fall in love with him. In between ordering hits and annoyingly staying on top of Barry's every move, viewers quickly learn that somehow this gangster has a heart of gold. Fans of the show know Noho Hank has a major soft side and some epic one-liners. (Does "Do I not tell you that enough? You are, like, the most evil guy I know!" ring a bell?) Frankly, it's damn near impossible not to chuckle at his hysterical facial expressions.

Without NoHo Hank and all the antics that come from running his woefully inexperienced crime ring, Barry has the potential to take on an overly grim tone. But every time Hank's face graces the screen, I prepare myself for something hilarious to come out of his mouth. In fact, during certain scenes — like when he has Barry train his squad in the desert in season two while dressed in an, um, interesting get-up — I crack up at the mere sight of him. Ahead, you'll find a handful of reasons why NoHo Hank is one of the greatest villains on TV right now.

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