Emmy episode analysis: ‘Barry’ scene-stealer Anthony Carrigan could take out the competition

Anthony Carrigan received his first Emmy nomination this year for playing scene-stealing NoHo Hank, a weirdly exuberant, theatrical but ultimately naive Chechen mobster on HBO’s “Barry.” He co-stars alongside co-creator and leading man Bill Hader, who plays a depressed hit man with aspirations to be an actor and gets caught up in the messy lives of mobster Hank and his ruthless but often incompetent gang of thugs.

Carrigan is contending in the Best Comedy Supporting Actor category against 2018 champ Henry Winkler and his other “Barry” co-star Stephen Root, plus previous winners Tony Hale (“Veep”) and Tony Shalhoub (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) and past nominee Alan Arkin (“The Kominsky Method”).

Carrigan’s Emmy episode submission is “Past = Present x Future Over Yesterday,” which aired April 14 and was the third episode of the show’s second season.

In this episode, NoHo Hank is terrified of Barry after his sniper fails to kill him. Instead of sending him back to Chechnya, Barry offers to train his men and relieve the debt he owes him. In a typically dark episode, the installment showcases Carrigan’s comedic chops as NoHo Hank is his most flamboyant self in scenes with Barry, highlighting the strange innocence of a character that you would expect to be the complete opposite. Can Carrigan take out his competition on his way to the podium on Emmy night? Below, we take a closer look at the pros and cons.

SEE ‘Barry’ interviews: Henry Winkler, Anthony Carrigan, Stephen Root and more

PROS

The comedy categories can be filled with shows and performances that are too dramatic. When a genuinely funny performance breaks through, it often wins. Think Peter MacNicol in “Ally McBeal” back in 2001. Carrigan is credited with elevating the comedic aspects of “Barry,” which is a very dark and often introspective dramedy that can sometimes be short on laugh-out-loud moments. That can only help Carrigan’s chances at taking home the Emmy.

Emmy often loves an underdog scene-stealer, which Carrigan most definitely is. In this category alone, winners like Louie Anderson for “Baskets” (2016) and Jeremy Piven for “Entourage” (2006-2008) won because they stole every scene they were in by virtue of the over-the-top flamboyant and/or memorable roles that they brought to life. This may give him the edge in this category, half of which is taken up by “Barry” actors.

CONS

Vote-splitting is going to be Carrigan’s biggest obstacle to overcome on Emmy night. He’s up against two contenders from his show, Root and Winkler). Arkin, Hale and Shalhoub are the sole representatives from their respective shows, giving them an advantage by not having to compete with co-stars. In order to take down a co-star, one must be far and above the clear choice. With Winkler winning last year, that helps Carrigan if voters want to spread the wealth. But still in his way is Root, a TV veteran who had inexplicably never been nominated until now. Carrigan vs. Root? It’s unclear which will be favored as they both made a huge impact on the show this past season.

There may be a narrative building that Oscar-winning veteran Arkin is overdue. He’s on his fifth nomination, no wins yet. If anyone is going to surprise on Emmy night, it might be him, as Emmy voters might find it hard to resist to hand him a trophy after all this time. Arkin would also complete his Triple Crown.

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