Atlanta (TV series)
-PNOhmWOkHbFctN8un4iLJ7eWthYZEP)
Atlanta (TV series)
| Atlanta | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy-drama[1] Surreal comedy[2][3] |
| Created by | Donald Glover |
| Starring |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Originallanguage(s) | English |
| No.of seasons | 2 |
| No.of episodes | 21(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executiveproducer(s) |
|
| Production location(s) | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 23–35 minutes |
| Productioncompany(s) | RBA 343 Incorporated MGMT. Entertainment FXP |
| Distributor | 20th Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | FX |
| Original release | September 6, 2016 – present |
| External links | |
| Website [95] | |
Atlanta is an American comedy-drama television series created by and starring Donald Glover, who also serves as a writer, executive producer, and director. Atlanta portrays two cousins navigating the Atlanta rap scene in an effort to improve their lives and the lives of their families. FX ordered the pilot to a 10-episode season in October 2015.[4] Two weeks after the series premiered on September 6, 2016,[5] FX renewed the series for a second season.[6] The second season, titled Atlanta: Robbin' Season, premiered on March 1, 2018.[7] In June 2018, the series was renewed for a third season.[8] In August 2019, the series was renewed for a fourth season.[9]
The show has received critical acclaim and various accolades, including two Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy and Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy for Glover, and two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series. Glover's Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series was the first ever awarded to an African-American.[10][11]
Besides Glover, Atlanta stars Brian Tyree Henry, Lakeith Stanfield, and Zazie Beetz. The series' executive producers are Glover, Dianne McGunigle, and Paul Simms.
| Atlanta | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy-drama[1] Surreal comedy[2][3] |
| Created by | Donald Glover |
| Starring |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Originallanguage(s) | English |
| No.of seasons | 2 |
| No.of episodes | 21(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executiveproducer(s) |
|
| Production location(s) | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 23–35 minutes |
| Productioncompany(s) | RBA 343 Incorporated MGMT. Entertainment FXP |
| Distributor | 20th Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | FX |
| Original release | September 6, 2016 – present |
| External links | |
| Website [95] | |
Plot
The series follows Earn (Donald Glover) during his daily life in Atlanta, Georgia, as he tries to redeem himself in the eyes of his ex-girlfriend, who is the mother of his daughter, as well as his parents and his cousin Alfred (Brian Tyree Henry), who raps under the stage name "Paper Boi". Having dropped out of Princeton University, Earn has no money and no home, and consequently alternates between staying with his parents and his girlfriend. Once he realizes that his cousin is on the verge of stardom, he desperately seeks to reconnect in order to improve his life and the life of his daughter, Lottie.
Cast and characters
Main
Donald Glover as Earnest "Earn" Marks, an early-30 something Princeton dropout turned manager trying to get his cousin Paper Boi's rap career off the ground. Earn is cynical and highly intelligent, yet often makes reckless decisions. He struggles with intermittent homelessness and poverty since the pilot episode.
Brian Tyree Henry as Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles, Earn's cousin and up-and-coming rapper.
Lakeith Stanfield as Darius Epps, Alfred's eccentric right-hand man and visionary. He is a first-generation Nigerian-American. He is a gun enthusiast.
Zazie Beetz as Vanessa "Van" Keefer, Earn's on-again-off-again girlfriend and the mother of their daughter Lottie. Van is a former grade school science teacher. She is a biracial Afro-German woman from Helen, Georgia and fluent in German. The season one episode “Go for Broke” shows her to be a feminist.
Guest and recurring roles
- Introduced in season 1
Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Raleigh Marks, Earn's father and Alfred's uncle.
Myra Lucretia Taylor as Gloria Marks, Earn's mother and Alfred's aunt. Also appears in the Robbin' Season episode "FUBU."
Harold House Moore as Swiff, a co-worker of Earn's.
Griffin Freeman as Dave, an acquaintance of Earn's who works at a prominent radio station and the significant other of Van's childhood friend Christina. Also appears in the Robbin' Season episode "Helen."
Brandon Hirsch as Devyonne Johnson, a famous actor who resides in the Atlanta area. Also appears in the Robbin' Season episode "Champagne Papi."
Emmett Hunter as Ahmad White, a mysterious being who appears to Earn and airs strange advertisements on television.
Cranston Johnson as Deshawn, Alfred's friend and confidante.
Lucius Baston as Chris, a shady club promoter who tries to swindle Earn and Alfred.
Alano Miller as Franklin Montague, a pretentious talk-show host who dislikes Alfred.
Niles Stewart as Antoine Smalls, a young black man who identifies as a 35-year-old white man named Harrison Booth.
Freddie Kuguru as Zan, a chauvinistic internet personality who antagonizes Alfred.
Austin Crute as Justin Bieber, an obnoxious and extremely popular teen pop star.
Offset, Quavo, and Takeoff as the Migos, Alfred's drug suppliers.
- Introduced in Robbin' Season
Khris Davis as Tracy, Alfred's recently paroled friend who is currently staying on their couch. He and Earn often clash personalities. Tracy beats Earn in a fight leaving the latter bruised and in a daze in "North of the Border."
RJ Walker as Clark County, an egotistical, commercialized rapper that Alfred befriends. Darius and Earn view him as an industry plant.
Matthew Barnes as Lucas, Clark's well-connected manager.
Katt Williams as Willie, Earn's uncle. He owns an alligator named Coach, which is the reason for his nickname, "Alligator Man."
Robert Powell as Bibby, Alfred's flakey barber.
Derrick J. Haywood as Benny Hope, a reclusive pianist who Darius attempts to buy a piano from. His brother, Teddy Perkins, was the main antagonist of his titular episode and was played by Donald Glover himself in whiteface.
Kevin Waterman as Florida Man, a sinister entity, referred to by Darius as an “Alt-right Johnny Appleseed,” who commits a variety of strange crimes in Florida as part of a plot to keep black voters out.
Michael Vick as himself, an ex-NFL quarterback who challenges club-goers in "Money Bag Shawty" to foot races against himself. He beats Earn in a race after Earn fails to prove he can stunt.
Jerusha Cavazos as Violet, a college girl who has an obsessive crush on Alfred.
Tim Johnson as Prescott, a frat boy with a fondness for hazing, with whom the characters cross paths. He is a fan of Alfred's and an avid fan of trap music.
Episodes
Series overview
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | ||||
| 1 | 10 | September 6, 2016 | November 1, 2016 | ||
| 2 | 11 | March 1, 2018 | May 10, 2018 | ||
Season 1 (2016)
| No. overall | No.in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "The Big Bang" | Hiro Murai | Donald Glover | September 6, 2016 | XAA01001 | 1.08[13] |
| The series opens with a confrontation between local rapper Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles and a man who breaks off one of the mirrors of Alfred's car. Alfred's cousin Earn tries to mediate the situation whilst stoned sidekick Darius has a sensation of déjà vu. Working a dead-end job and trying to split parenting duties with Vanessa (Van), Earn approaches Alfred about managing the rapper since he has connections. Though Alfred sees Earn as a leech (Earn hadn't spoken to him since the funeral of his mother), Earn finds a way to get his song played on the radio. But just as they listen to the song on Alfred's car radio, a man walking by suddenly snaps off one of the side-view mirror, resulting in the incident at the opening (hence the déjà vu) which culminates in a gunshot. Opening song: "No Hook" by OJ Da Juiceman[12] Closing song: "Paper Boi" by Brian Tyree Henry | |||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Streets on Lock" | Hiro Murai | Stephen Glover | September 6, 2016 | XAA01002 | 0.955[13] |
| Issues like police brutality, homophobia, transphobia, and mental illness are addressed as Earn awaits bail after he and Alfred get arrested for their shooting incident; Alfred, meanwhile, experiences his first tastes of fame immediately after his release from jail. Opening song: "Law" by Yo Gotti[12] Closing song: "Grandma's Hands" by Bill Withers | |||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Go for Broke" | Hiro Murai | Stephen Glover | September 13, 2016 | XAA01003 | 1.07[14] |
| Earn goes on a date with Van even though he's broke, on his payday. Their date goes bad as the restaurant Earn and Van are dining in repeatedly attempts to upsell them, which hinders at Earn's financial situation. At the same time, Alfred and Darius engage in a drug deal with the Migos (playing fictional versions of themselves). Opening song: "Skrt" by Kodak Black[12] Closing song: "Spray the Champagne" by Migos | |||||||
| 4 | 4 | "The Streisand Effect" | Hiro Murai | Donald Glover | September 20, 2016 | XAA01004 | 0.920[15] |
| Alfred deals with social media trolling, internet criticism, and exploitation by an obnoxious social media personality named Zan. While Earn tries to trade his phone for quick cash, Darius sets up a dog-breeding investment for the future (which disappoints Earn who needed the money as soon as possible). Opening song: "Philosophers Throne" by Xavier Wulf[12] Closing song: "Home Again" by Michael Kiwanuka | |||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Nobody Beats the Biebs" | Hiro Murai | Stephen Glover | September 27, 2016 | XAA01005 | 0.860[16] |
| Justin Bieber (who is depicted in this episode as an African-American) makes an appearance in Atlanta at a celebrity basketball game, rubbing Alfred the wrong way. Meanwhile, Earn sneaks his way into a high-profile agents meeting after being mistaken for someone else; and Darius gets involved in an incident at a shooting range, where he is criticized for a questionable choice for a shooting target. Opening song: "Am I Black Enough For You?" by Billy Paul[12] Closing song: "Forget About It" by Donald Glover | |||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Value" | Donald Glover | Donald Glover & Stefani Robinson | October 4, 2016 | XAA01006 | 0.827[17] |
| Van meets her WAG friend Jayde for dinner and they clash over their respective lifestyles. Later, they smoke weed and reconcile, but Van forgets she is scheduled for a drug test the next day. She tries to use her daughter's urine, but spills it, therefore she can't take the test. She finally admits to her boss that she's smoked; she understands but has to fire her anyway. Opening song: "It's Forever" by The Ebonys Closing song: "Hit it and Quit It" by Funkadelic | |||||||
| 7 | 7 | "B.A.N." | Donald Glover | Donald Glover | October 11, 2016 | XAA01007 | 0.770[18] |
| A satirical episode, Alfred features as a guest on a talk show called Montague, being part of a discussion on the media's indictment of black culture and its intersection with the transgender community. Commercial parodies play throughout the episode during the breaks of the talk show. | |||||||
| 8 | 8 | "The Club" | Hiro Murai | Jamal Olori | October 18, 2016 | XAA01008 | 0.948[19] |
| An NBA star named Marcus Miles is in the same club as Alfred, hogging the drinks, women, and limelight, which aggravates Alfred. Additionally, their promoter is avoiding paying Earn, who attempts to chase him down throughout the night. Eventually, Alfred strong-arms him and takes his money. Later, another shooting happens (outside of the club), which the police link to Alfred on the news due to his "armed robbery". Opening song: "Real Sisters" by Future Closing song: "I Can Dig It, Baby" by Little Beaver | |||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Juneteenth" | Janicza Bravo | Stefani Robinson | October 25, 2016 | XAA01009 | 0.651[20] |
| Earn wakes up in another woman's bed and Van comes by to pick him up for a Juneteenth-themed party which she believes will help her establish good networking. The luxury home's owner is a rich white man (who has an anthropological knowledge of African-American culture) and his bourgeois black wife. To impress the party's attendees, Vanessa and Earnest have to pretend they are a married couple who love fine art. Earn ends up going off on the homeowners when the wife insults Paper Boi and his hip hop management career after his real identity is exposed by the event's valets. On the drive back home, Earn and Van have sex in their car. Opening song: "Change of the Guard" by Kamasi Washington Closing song: "Chain Gang" by Sam Cooke | |||||||
| 10 | 10 | "The Jacket" | Hiro Murai | Stephen Glover | November 1, 2016 | XAA01010 | 0.786[21] |
| Earn loses his bomber jacket, which has important items to him, after a night of partying with Alfred and Darius. After retracing his steps from the locations of the partying, he traces it back to the house of their Uber driver (who is a secret drug and weapons dealer) from that night, who has it but ends up getting shot and killed by police while wearing it. Later, Alfred gives Earn a generous 5% pay which he gives to Van. Earn's coworker comes by and returns the important item he desperately needed: a key which unlocks the storage facility space he is living in. Opening song: "Broccoli" by DRAM Closing song: "Elevators (Me & You)" by Outkast | |||||||
Season 2: Robbin' Season (2018)
| No. overall | No.in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "Alligator Man" | Hiro Murai | Donald Glover | March 1, 2018 | XAA02001 | 0.851[22] |
| The episode opens with a robbery of a Mrs. Winner's (which is a secret drug front) committed by two teenagers. Later, sometime before Christmas, Earn is "evicted" from his storage facility space. He then visits Alfred (who is under house arrest) and Darius (who is mutually at odds with Alfred). After Earn reviews the terms of his probation, Earn and Darius then visit Earn's uncle Willie to defuse a domestic disturbance. Willie is antagonistic even when the police arrive but eventually simmers down and flees the house after talking to Earn about not repeating his history of professional and personal mistakes, but not before giving Earn a gold-plated handgun. Earn and Darius then return to Alfred’s house, but Earn chooses not to ask to stay with them after Tracy, one of Alfred’s friends and an ex-con, beats him to it, making him officially homeless. This episode references the Florida Man meme, which is mentioned throughout the episode by Darius and Willie. Opening song: "Did It Again" by Jay Critch & Rich The Kid Closing song: "When Seasons Change" by Curtis Mayfield | |||||||
| 12 | 2 | "Sportin' Waves" | Hiro Murai | Stephen Glover | March 8, 2018 | XAA02002 | 0.714[23] |
| After Alfred gets robbed by his long-time drug dealer and he and Earn return from a failed meeting at a start-up—which involved meeting fellow rapper Clark County and his manager Lucas—Darius gifts Earn his half from the dog breeding operation (from season 1 episode "The Streisand Effect") which Tracy flips into an $8000 gift card. While Alfred and Darius look into getting a new dealer, Earn and Tracy head to the mall for a shopping spree; however, Tracy ends up abandoning Earn to head to a job interview after shoplifting several pairs of shoes and the card is shut down once the mall begins to catch on to their fraud. At his job interview, Tracy is told there are no positions available and he furiously accuses the firm of racism. Opening song: "All There" by Jeezy Closing song: "Paper Boi (Acoustic Cover)" by Amber (Bryce Hitchcock) | |||||||
| 13 | 3 | "Money Bag Shawty" | Hiro Murai | Stephen Glover | March 15, 2018 | XAA02003 | 0.561[24] |
| Along with earning social media attention, Paper Boi's newest single goes gold, so Earn decides to take Van out for a night on the town to celebrate. Meanwhile, Alfred and Darius visit Clark in the studio to record guest verses but are asked to leave by Clark's crew when the audio engineer has technical difficulties with his software, with it being implied the engineer is going to be savagely beaten. Earn and Van's evening is marred by three racist incidents where places believe he's using counterfeit $100 bills or won't let him pay in cash at all, so Earn chooses to go to a strip club with Van, Alfred, Darius and Tracy; the club ends up burning through more money than Earn intended, leaving him frustrated. After some reassurance from Alfred, Earn tries to salvage the night and his pride by racing Michael Vick for cash in the club's parking lot, but ends up losing the footrace. The episode's cold open is an homage to the viral video of a mother reciting and criticizing the lyrics to Vince Staples' "Norf Norf". Opening song: "MF'N Right" by 2 Chainz Closing song: "Marsupial Superstars" by SahBabii | |||||||
| 14 | 4 | "Helen" | Amy Seimetz | Taofik Kolade | March 22, 2018 | XAA02005 | 0.499[27] |
| Earn performs cunnilingus on Van before they take a trip to Helen for a Fastnacht celebration, but Earn's apathy and displeasure towards the bizarre, off-putting festivities (coupled with Van chatting with a German bartender in fluent German) and Van's frustration over his attitude boil over into a profanity-filled argument over their relationship. Later, similar to season 1 episode "Value", Van and her friend Christina, a fellow Afro-German, disagree over their respective identities. She later confides in the bartender that she and Earn are growing apart. As she leaves to use the bathroom, she finds her stolen phone when the Schnappviecher appears behind her; Earn then texts her saying he wants to talk. Van says she feels that Earn only uses her for sex and doesn't value her as a partner, while Earn is fine with the "arrangement"; they decide to settle their differences over a best-of-five game of table tennis, with a victory for Van meaning that the two essentially split outside of Earn providing child support. The explicit outcome is not shown but it is suggested that Van won. Parts of the episode bear similarities to the film Get Out.[25][26] Opening song: "At Sea Again" by Slime Closing song: "My Angel" by Harry Belafonte & Miriam Makeba | |||||||
| 15 | 5 | "Barbershop" | Donald Glover | Stefani Robinson | March 29, 2018 | XAA02004 | 0.607[29] |
| Alfred looks to get his hair cut before a photo shoot for a magazine by his regular barber Bibby, but is instead led through a whirlwind of events involving: visiting one of Bibby's girlfriends, cutting their son's hair before Alfred's, illegally repossessing lumber, chasing down a different, truant son, and inadvertently committing a hit-and-run. Alfred finally gets his haircut upon returning to the barbershop and reluctantly pays Bibby for his services. Sometime later, Alfred comes into the same shop for a haircut but settles for another barber; he then realizes he doesn't understand barber jargon—given he would tell Bibby he wants "the usual"—as he watches Bibby handle a different patron. Musical score by: Flying Lotus and Thundercat[28] | |||||||
| 16 | 6 | "Teddy Perkins" | Hiro Murai | Donald Glover | April 5, 2018 | XAA02006 | 0.776[30] |
| Darius answers an ad off of a message board for a piano and ends up at a mansion owned by a pale, idiosyncratic man with a mask-like face named Theodore "Teddy" Perkins. Teddy cares for a man named Benny Hope, who he claims is his brother. Benny is non-verbal and uses a wheelchair, and Teddy claims that Benny is extremely photosensitive. After being urged by Alfred over the phone to be direct and leave as soon as possible, Darius is eventually granted the piano but is taken to the mansion's basement via elevator where he meets Benny, who communicates with him through a chalkboard that "Teddy [will] kill us both" and that he should retrieve a rifle located in the attic. Darius, nevertheless, plans to leave without dealing with the brothers but is forced to confront Teddy when he blocks the loading bay of Darius' rental truck and he hears a loud sound back inside. Teddy holds Darius at gunpoint and informs him that he plans to kill him and stage the scene to look like a home invasion, but an injured Benny arrives just in time to kill Teddy and then himself. The police haul off the corpses and the piano as Darius drives away. This episode references the psychological pressures and traumas child stars sometimes face, especially ones with abusive and controlling stage parents such as Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Tiger Woods, and Serena Williams. Opening song: "Sweet Little Girl" by Stevie Wonder Closing song: "Evil" by Stevie Wonder | |||||||
| 17 | 7 | "Champagne Papi" | Amy Seimetz | Ibra Ake | April 12, 2018 | XAA02007 | 0.694[31] |
| On New Year's Eve, Van and her friends Candice (Adriyan Rae), Tami (Danielle Deadwyler) and Nadine (Gail Bean) head for a party at a mansion hosted by Drake; Candice looks to spend the party with a boyfriend named DJ and Van wants a photo with Drake to spice up her Instagram. Upon arriving, the ladies meet DJ and take marijuana-infused gummies (sans Candice), but Nadine reacts badly to hers and ends up separated from Van and by a pool speaking with Darius (who was invited to the party because he knows Drake's personal chef). While Van looks for Nadine and Drake throughout the mansion, she stumbles upon a television-lit room with an elderly, Spanish-speaking man (Carlos Guerrero) who claims to be Drake's grandfather and learns that Drake is currently on tour in Europe. She also learns that people are actually just posing with cardboard cutouts of Drake. Van and Tammi then find Nadine and Darius, where they all learn that Candice left with DJ to go to T-Pain's New Year's Eve party and people are being kicked out of the house. The next morning, as the four walk back home, Van has an epiphany that Drake must be Mexican. The episode briefly touches upon the feminine beauty ideal and some negative effects of social media. The Bostrom simulation argument is also mentioned. Part of this episode is later interpolated in the song "In My Feelings" by Drake from the album Scorpion. Opening song: "Never Created, Never Destroyed" by Jlin Closing song: "Cuando suena el bling" (Hotline Bling Spanish Remix) by Fuego | |||||||
| 18 | 8 | "Woods" | Hiro Murai | Stefani Robinson | April 19, 2018 | XAA02008 | 0.595[34] |
| Alfred spends the day with a female friend named Sierra but ends up abandoning her at a nail salon after an argument over the authenticity of his career. On the walk home, he meets three fans who decide to mug him when they realize he's alone. Alfred flees into the woods after narrowly avoiding being shot but finds himself lost. As he looks for a way out and day turns into night, he's followed by an apparently mentally unstable man called Wiley. Although he initially seems innocuous, Wiley eventually holds Alfred at knifepoint and threatens to hunt him down if he doesn't find a way out of the woods. Alfred finds himself at a BP gas station after a mad dash and, after a moment of catharsis, enters to get something cold to numb his wounds. When approached by a fan, he decides to break personal tradition and take some selfies with him. Opening song: "Meditate" by EarthGang In lieu of a closing song, a dedication to Willow Kearse-Rice, Henry's mother, was displayed before the closing credits; she died on May 12, 2016.[32][33] | |||||||
| 19 | 9 | "North of the Border" | Hiro Murai | Jamal Olori | April 26, 2018 | XAA02009 | 0.487[35] |
| Earn, Alfred, Darius and Tracy drive to Statesboro for a university concert and lodge with Violet (Jerusha Cavazos)—a girl Earn and Darius met who also has an obsessive crush on Alfred—in her apartment. After Alfred and Clark's performances at the night-time concert, Violet dumps beer on Alfred for talking to another girl; the situation escalates due to Tracy's brash decision-making and the four flee and end up at a frat house in the middle of a party and hazing ritual. While Darius and Tracy visit the house's gun room, Alfred informs Earn that he's considering dropping him as his manager due to his continuous stinginess and lack of perks and that he's looking into being managed by Lucas. In the morning, the four return to Violet's apartment complex to find Alfred's car vandalized and their belongings stolen and/or damaged. Earn is particularly incensed when he finds his laptop missing and resorts to pulling a fire alarm and unsuccessfully attempting to kick Violet's door in. On the ride home, Tracy mocks Earn's decision-making throughout the entire ordeal and pretend-shoots him with a flintlock that was stolen from the frat house. Earn reaches his breaking point and demands to fight Tracy as Alfred pulls the car over and he and Darius watch. Tracy easily beats Earn into submission and the four re-enter the car without a word. The silk pajamas Earn, Alfred and Darius wear throughout much of the episode bear a strong resemblance to those worn by TLC in the music video for "Creep". Opening song: "Patty Cake" by Kodak Black Closing song: "Am I a Good Man" by Them Two | |||||||
| 20 | 10 | "FUBU" | Donald Glover | Stephen Glover | May 3, 2018 | XAA02010 | 0.694[36] |
| In a flashback to the late 1990s, a middle school-aged Earn (Alkoya Brunson) comes to school wearing a yellow FUBU shirt he ecstatically picked from Marshalls. However, another student named Devin Meyers comes to school wearing an extremely similar shirt and word quickly spreads that one or both are counterfeit; ridicule from upperclassmen also accompany these accusations. Once the school day ends, Earn is close to being exposed but Alfred (Abraham Clinkscales) interjects and deflects the accusations onto Devin. The following day, Earn's homeroom class is informed that Devin committed suicide, with early theories stating that the choice stemmed from trauma from his parents' divorce compounded with the bullying; the latter appears to be unknown to faculty. Earn is guilt-ridden but keeps it to himself. Alfred, alternatively, seems apathetic. Opening song: "Give Me One Reason" by Tracy Chapman Closing song: "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" by Nas | |||||||
| 21 | 11 | "Crabs in a Barrel" | Hiro Murai | Stephen Glover | May 10, 2018 | XAA02011 | 0.553[37] |
| At a parent-teacher conference, Lottie's teacher informs Van and Earn that their daughter is gifted like Earn and requires a transfer to an expensive private school if she wants to reach her full potential. Meanwhile, Alfred and Darius pack to move out of their house and go on a European tour headlined by Clark County. Alfred finds the gun from "Alligator Man" while packing and tells Earn he wants it gone. Thinking nothing of it, Earn puts it in his backpack. Additionally, Darius' passport has expired, but he "knows a guy". While at Darius's passport agency, Earn receives a text from Van that she's thinking of taking Lottie and moving in with her mom. Darius tells Earn that he has seen his improvement as a manager and, even though he may be fired, he's family and will always be taken care of by Alfred. At the airport, the three meet up with Clark and Luke. Earn finds the gun in his carry-on at security and slips it into Clark's bag. On the plane, Alfred tells Earn that he saw what he has done and believes it was planned. However, he isn't angry about it and even compliments the decision; he tells Earn that people only care about themselves in this business but the two of them are different because they watch out for one another. Clark walks down the aisle and, when asked, tells Alfred that Luke couldn't make the trip since he got caught with a gun in his bag. Earn confirms to Alfred that he placed the gun in Clark's bag, not Lucas', solidifying Alfred's feelings about Clark as well as corroborating the talk the two had. The episode addresses the Jewish lawyer stereotype and institutional racism against black lawyers. Opening song: "Walk in the Way" by Ray Barnette & Larry Hall Closing song: "I Shall Be Released" by Nina Simone | |||||||
Production
FX first began developing the show in August 2013,[38] and then the pilot was ordered to series by FX Networks in December 2014.[39] It was directed by Hiro Murai and shot in Atlanta.[40] It got picked up to series with a 10-episode order in October 2015.[4] Glover, who grew up in Atlanta and also works as a musician, stated that "the city influenced the tone of the show".[41]
The series is also notable for having an all-black writing staff, which is virtually unheard of in American television. The writer's room consists of Glover himself, his brother Stephen Glover, and members of his rap collective 'Royalty' including Fam Udeorji (Glover's manager), Ibra Ake (Glover's longtime photographer), and Jamal Olori. Stefani Robinson, a writer for Man Seeking Woman, and Taofik Kolade round out the writer's room.[42][43] During an interview with The New Yorker, Glover stated the characters smoke cannabis because "they have PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). — every black person does".[44]
In January 2017, the series was renewed for a second season; however, FX announced the series would not return until 2018 due to Glover's busy production schedule.[45] Glover revealed that the second season takes inspiration from Tiny Toon Adventures, specifically Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation.[46]
A third season was announced in June 2018, which was originally planned for a 2019 premiere,[8] but has been delayed due to scheduling conflicts.[47] In August 2019, FX renewed the series for a fourth season and announced that the third and fourth seasons would begin filming in early 2020, with each season consisting of eight episodes.[9]
Reception
Critical response
| Season | Critical response | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | ||
| 1 | 97% (67 reviews) | 90 (36 reviews) | |
| 2 | 99% (50 reviews) | 97 (28 reviews) | |
Atlanta has received widespread acclaim from television critics. The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the first season an approval rating of 97% based on 67 reviews, with an average rating of 8.56/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Ambitious and refreshing, Atlanta offers a unique vehicle for star and series creator Donald Glover's eccentric brand of humor—as well as a number of timely, trenchant observations."[48] On Metacritic, the first season has a score of 90 out of 100, based on reviews from 36 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[49]
David Wiegand of the San Francisco Chronicle gave it a highly positive review, writing: "The scripts for the four episodes made available to critics are as richly nuanced as anything you'll see on TV or, to be sure, in a movie theater. You will not only know these characters after only one episode, you'll be hooked on them, as well. In so many areas, Atlanta sets the bar exceptionally high."[50] Sonia Saraiya of Variety also praised the series, declaring it a "finished, cinematic, and beautiful production that may be one of the best new shows of the fall."[51]
The second season received further critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 99%, based on 50 reviews, with an average rating of 9.08/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Donald Glover continues to subvert expectations with a sophomore season of Atlanta that proves as excellent as it is eccentric."[52] On Metacritic, the second season has a score of 97 out of 100, based on 28 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[53]
In 2019, Atlanta was ranked 10th on The Guardian's list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century.[54]
Ratings
Season 1 (2016)
| No. | Title | Air date | Rating (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | DVR (18–49) | DVR viewers (millions) | Total (18–49) | Total viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Big Bang" | September 6, 2016 | 0.5 | 1.08[13] | 0.4 | N/A | 0.9[55]1 | N/A |
| 2 | "Streets on Lock" | September 6, 2016 | 0.5 | 0.955[13] | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 3 | "Go for Broke" | September 13, 2016 | 0.6 | 1.07[14] | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 4 | "The Streisand Effect" | September 20, 2016 | 0.5 | 0.920[15] | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 5 | "Nobody Beats the Biebs" | September 27, 2016 | 0.4 | 0.860[16] | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 6 | "Value" | October 4, 2016 | 0.4 | 0.827[17] | 0.4 | N/A | 0.8[56] | N/A |
| 7 | "B.A.N." | October 11, 2016 | 0.4 | 0.770[18] | 0.6 | 1.05 | 1.0 | 1.82[57] |
| 8 | "The Club" | October 18, 2016 | 0.4 | 0.948[19] | 0.6 | 0.97 | 1.0 | 1.92[58] |
| 9 | "Juneteenth" | October 25, 2016 | 0.3 | 0.651[20] | 0.6 | 0.97 | 0.9 | 1.62[59] |
| 10 | "The Jacket" | November 1, 2016 | 0.4 | 0.786[21] | 0.6 | 0.87 | 1.0 | 1.66[60] |
^1 Live +7 ratings were not available, so Live +3 ratings have been used instead.
Season 2 (2018)
| No. | Title | Air date | Rating (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | DVR (18–49) | DVR viewers (millions) | Total (18–49) | Total viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Alligator Man" | March 1, 2018 | 0.4 | 0.851[22] | 0.7 | 1.11 | 1.1 | 1.97[61] |
| 2 | "Sportin' Waves" | March 8, 2018 | 0.4 | 0.714[23] | 0.5 | 0.90 | 0.9 | 1.61[62] |
| 3 | "Money Bag Shawty" | March 15, 2018 | 0.3 | 0.561[24] | 0.5 | 0.85 | 0.8 | 1.41[63] |
| 4 | "Helen" | March 22, 2018 | 0.3 | 0.499[27] | 0.4 | 0.75 | 0.7 | 1.25[64] |
| 5 | "Barbershop" | March 29, 2018 | 0.3 | 0.607[29] | 0.5 | 0.78 | 0.8 | 1.39[65] |
| 6 | "Teddy Perkins" | April 5, 2018 | 0.4 | 0.776[30] | 0.6 | 0.99 | 1.0 | 1.77[66] |
| 7 | "Champagne Papi" | April 12, 2018 | 0.4 | 0.694[31] | 0.4 | 0.76 | 0.8 | 1.45[67] |
| 8 | "Woods" | April 19, 2018 | 0.3 | 0.595[34] | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 9 | "North of the Border" | April 26, 2018 | 0.2 | 0.487[35] | 0.5 | 0.71 | 0.7 | 1.20[68] |
| 10 | "FUBU" | May 3, 2018 | 0.4 | 0.694[36] | N/A | N/A | TBD | N/A |
| 11 | "Crabs in a Barrel" | May 10, 2018 | 0.3 | 0.553[37] | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Accolades
Season 1
| Award | Category | Nominees | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Film Institute Awards | Top 10 Television Programs | Atlanta | Won | [69] |
| Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Comedy Series | Nominated | [70] | |
| Best Actor in a Comedy Series | Donald Glover | Won | ||
| Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement for a Comedy Series | Donald Glover (for "B.A.N.") | Nominated | [71] |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy | Atlanta | Won | [72] |
| Best Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy | Donald Glover | Won | ||
| Gotham Independent Film Awards | Breakthrough Series – Long Form | Atlanta | Won | [73] |
| MTV Movie & TV Awards | Show of the Year | Atlanta | Nominated | [74] |
| Best Actor in a Show | Donald Glover | Nominated | ||
| Best Duo | Brian Tyree Henry and Keith Stanfield | Nominated | ||
| NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Comedy Series | Atlanta | Nominated | [75] |
| Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series | Donald Glover | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series | Won | |||
| Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |||
| Peabody Awards | Area of Excellence | Atlanta | Won | [76] |
| People's Choice Awards | Favorite Cable TV Comedy | Nominated | [77] | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Comedy Series | Atlanta | Nominated | [78] |
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Donald Glover | Won | ||
| Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series | Donald Glover (for "B.A.N.") | Won | ||
| Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series | Donald Glover (for "B.A.N.") | Nominated | ||
| Stephen Glover (for "Streets on Lock") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series | Alexa L. Fogel, Tara Feldstein Bennett, Chase Paris | Nominated | ||
| Producers Guild of America Awards | Episodic Television, Comedy | Donald Glover, Dianne McGunigle, Paul Simms, Hiro Murai, Alex Orr | Won | [79] |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Comedy Series | Donald Glover, Stephen Glover, Stefani Robinson, Paul Simms | Won | [80] |
| New Series | Won | |||
| Episodic Comedy | Stephen Glover (for "Streets on Lock") | Nominated | ||
| TCA Awards | Program of the Year | Atlanta | Nominated | [81] |
| Outstanding Achievement in Comedy | Won | |||
| Outstanding New Program | Nominated | |||
| Individual Achievement in Comedy | Donald Glover | Won |
Season 2
| Award | Category | Nominees | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Cinema Editors Awards | Best Edited Comedy Series for Commercial Television | Isaac Hagy (for "Alligator Man") | Nominated | [82] |
| Kyle Reiter (for "Teddy Perkins") | Won | |||
| American Film Institute Awards | Top 10 TV Programs of the Year | Atlanta | Won | [83] |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy | Donald Glover | Nominated | [84] |
| People's Choice Awards | The Comedy TV Star of 2018 | Donald Glover | Nominated | [85] |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Comedy Series | Atlanta | Nominated | [86] |
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | Donald Glover | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Brian Tyree Henry | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Zazie Beetz | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | Katt Williams | Won | ||
| Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series | Donald Glover (for "FUBU") | Nominated | ||
| Hiro Murai (for "Teddy Perkins") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series | Donald Glover (for "Alligator Man") | Nominated | ||
| Stefani Robinson (for "Barbershop") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series | Alexa L. Fogel, Tara Feldstein Bennett, Chase Paris | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour) | Christian Sprenger (for "Teddy Perkins") | Won | ||
| Outstanding Music Supervision | Jen Malone and Fam Udeorji (for "Alligator Man") | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour or Less) | Timothy O'Brien, Taylor Mosbey, Aimee Athnos (for "Teddy Perkins") | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series | Isaac Hagy (for "Alligator Man") | Nominated | ||
| Kyle Reiter (for "Teddy Perkins") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation | Trevor Gates, Jason Dotts, David Barbee, Jordan McClain, Tara Blume, Matt Salib (for "Teddy Perkins") | Won | ||
| Satellite Awards | Best Comedy Series | Atlanta | Nominated | [87] |
| Best Actor in a Comedy Series | Donald Glover | Nominated | ||
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Khris Davis, Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, and Lakeith Stanfield | Nominated | [88] |
| TCA Awards | Program of the Year | Atlanta | Nominated | [89] |
| Outstanding Achievement in Comedy | Nominated | |||
| Individual Achievement in Comedy | Donald Glover | Nominated | ||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Comedy Series | Ibra Ake, Donald Glover, Stephen Glover, Taofik Kolade, Jamal Olori, Stefani Robinson, Paul Simms | Nominated | [90] |