This American Life

Barry is a disillusioned Midwesterner who became a hitman at the urging of Monroe Fuches, an old friend who's become his handler. Sent to LA to kill a young actor, Barry accidentally interrupts an acting class and gets bitten by the acting bug as he bonds with teacher/guru Gene Cousineau and his students, including a pretty girl named Sally Reed.

In the wake of some shocking news, Gene encourages his class to channel their feelings into their work. Resolved to quit his job and put the past behind him, Barry tries not to get pulled back in by Fuches and the Chechens. Sally tries to crack the nut that is Barry.

A frustrated Barry misses an acting class to honor an obligation. Detectives Moss and Loach try to piece together a murder puzzle. Gene presses Barry to take more risks. Sally is thrown for a loop during an audition, and turns to Barry for comfort. The Chechens rejoice when a legendary assassin arrives.

Barry finds that distancing himself from Fuches and the Chechens might be harder than he thought. Sally is dismayed to learn that an audition arranged by a prospective agent has strings attached. Gene promises Ross a bombshell, but only over dinner. Barry invites a Marine buddy and his two pals to a party, where a rising actor threatens Barry's claim on Sally.

Barry looks to hit the reset button with Sally, but a scene from Macbeth triggers a reaction that pushes them farther apart. Moss moves to interrogate members of Gene's acting class after a shooting video surfaces. Barry finds himself in a quandary after having to team up with a reckless new acquaintance named Taylor in a dangerous mission to wipe out a group of Bolivians.

Barry tries to fly solo at a remote airstrip, but Taylor still wants in. Vacha looks to exact revenge on the man who killed his brother, despite Pazar's hands-off orders. Moss tries to end her association with Gene, but finds herself drawn to his classroom at a critical juncture. Sally lobbies for a major acting challenge.

After a deadly shootout at the airstrip, Barry is forced to make a difficult decision in order to evade capture. Pazar blames Fuches for convincing him to declare war on Cristobal Sifuentes, a ruthless yet civilized Bolivian drug lord. Sally fears her performance in the class production of Macbeth will be compromised, ruining her chance to impress another top Hollywood agent.

Barry vows to give up his life of crime, once and for all. Pazar enlists Vacha's replacement to take care of Fuches. Moss and her team close in on a major arrest with hopes of finally cracking the Madison case.