In the first two episodes that aired on Tuesday night, there were references to Atlanta strip clubs (Magic City and Follies), DeKalb County, J.R. Crickets, Edgewood, Fox 5 News, and more, but they aren’t thrown in your face.
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“The series stars revolves around is about two cousins navigating their way through the Atlanta rap scene to improve both their lives and the lives of their families”. Following in the tradition of several prominent Atlanta rappers like Gucci Mane, Paper Boi soon finds himself in trouble with the law. For better, weirder and certainly blunter thoughts about life and everything else, “Atlanta” leans heavily on the comic relief of Darius (Lakeith Stanfield), Alfred’s right-hand man, who is often so stoned he’s on another (sometimes brilliant) plane of logic altogether.
Sleeper Star: Darius (Keith Stanfield), Alfred’s right hand man. When Glover got cast on Community as the big-hearted jock Troy Barnes, it made sense: Glover has the kind of warm charisma that makes him naturally sympathetic in any role.
With parents whose patience has grown thin and a girlfriend (Zazie Beets) and little girl to support, Earn seizes on an idea to make his fortune. Honestly, you could tell me that he’s also a master architect and it wouldn’t shock me because he seems to be good at anything he puts his mind to. But what Alfred does have is a freakish sidekick named Darius.
At the same time Atlanta feels real and naturalistic, a credit to its writing and acting.
Glover, whose stage name is Childish Gambino, is known for bringing a certain awkwardness to the table.
Donald Glover as Earn Marks in Atlanta.
If I was to use one word to describe “Atlanta”, the passion project of the multi-talented Donald Glover, it would be “thoughtful”. By depicting blackness in Atlanta in complex and heartfelt fashion – with the good, the bad, the unusual, and the fantastical – the rapper-writer has created a rich new kind of series about what it’s like to live in a frequently cruel world while constantly hoping for more.
FX has earned a reputation for granting its creators massive leeway, and Atlanta is no exception: The show glows with the wry specificity of Glover’s vision. “She’s just not afraid”, he said, recalling that when she hired him to write for 30 Rock, she said, “I don’t give a f-k”. Earn tries to talk him down, but they end up getting arrested on marijuana charges after an altercation. Whether the show will land with similar joy to those unfamiliar with the city is something I’m not equipped to say, but the level of dedication to scene and place are clear marks of care from Glover and help underscore the social energy and zeitgeist of a city that is clearly in the process of creation.
Atlanta now has a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes with 39 positive reviews. “The best part about this show so far is that Atlanta is actually excited to see it”, he says, adding that they inserted plenty of “inside jokes” that only locals will get. African Americans have more options for quality television unseen since the late ’80s/early ’90s and one can place Atlanta within the same pot as upper echelon shows “Power”, “Black-ish”, “Insecure”, “The Get Down” and “Queen Sugar”. I think it just wouldn’t be fun as much.
Set your DVRs: The first episode of Atlanta premieres on FX tonight, immediately followed by the second.
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One of the highlights of episode one involves a well-dressed man on a bus telling Earn to let the current take him, then demands the young manager take a bit from his sandwich before disappearing into the woods with his dog.
