a good man in a storm

that's a difficult thing to do and rally rare to find in contemporary fiction!

so like, even though there are jokes about bluebeard, and objectively marrying a stranger you've only really talked to for like, what, a month? two months? and been on one maybe date with to see a movie-- barney never comes across as a threat. he has actively made himself into 'not a threat' over the course of his ramblings. he doesn't want to conquer the landscape in the 19th century/ early 20th century model of a man-- he's outright rejected the capitalistic extraction of resources way of thinking that he grew up in, and spends all his time in Deerwood trying to understand nature, coexist with it peacefully, and teach others through his writings how to understand it and respect it. the way Barney talks and conducts himself, and the kindness with which he continually and pointedly treats the pariah Cissy Gay, shows that he's never going to kick someone when they're down, especially not a woman who is dying and in a dependent position.

Kate O'Flynn as Patricia

SYLVIXWEEKEND2026