‘Atlanta’: the television show with an important conversation
Donald Glover is the creator and star of “Atlanta,” which airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. Photo by: fxnetworks.com
By Liz Reichart// A&E Editor
Is there anything that actor, writer, rapper, creative, wunderkind Donald Glover cannot do? The former comedy writer for “30 Rock” has not only the deft chops of a writer with twice his experience, but he has the ability to perform. Glover starred on “Community” as Troy Barnes in addition to releasing music under the nom de plume, or rather, nom de microphone drop Childish Gambino. I know I’m perhaps overstating his value, but who is to say that in ten years, Glover won’t be the next renaissance we ogle over on the front of Vanity Fair? It seems everything the guy touches turns to gold, and his recently premiered show “Atlanta” on FX is the single greatest show currently on television, and it has Glover’s fingerprints all over it.
The show follows a Princeton dropout, Earn (played by Glover) who returns home to Atlanta to care for his unexpected child with ex-girlfriend Van (played masterfully by Zazie Beetz). Earn works a job that ironically doesn’t “earn” him much at all: selling credit cards at an airport terminal where he can’t get anyone to bite, and is paid on commission. Earn takes up a position managing a fledgling local rap star, who also happens to be his cousin, known in the show as Alfred or Paper Boi (played by Brian Tyree Henry). He is, much like his name and theme song suggests, “all about that paper, boi,” but can’t seem to get his hands on a substantial amount of it as a novice on the Atlanta music scene. He makes up for this deficit by dealing copious amounts of drugs on the side, and thus, the hijinks of “Atlanta” ensue.
The masterful structure of a show is more of a novel’s construction than a television program. Glover drops his characters in the most bizarre situations, like the waiting room of a police station, to tackle issues like gender identity, sexuality, and the surreal nature of the human experience. The show is magnificently shot thanks to Hiro Murai, who brings his music video background to the direction of the first four episodes.
What makes “Atlanta” so refreshing is seeing such an engaging depiction of “the hustle”- a group of young black men trying to break into the rap and hip-hop business, while also confronting larger issues that arise around hip-hop culture. Shows like “Empire” portray music moguls making it big, whereas the stars of “Atlanta” are content to make it average.
Glover’s natural charisma makes him a light on the screen; his comedy chops and sharp writing surely make the FX show a stepping stone for Glover to be heralded as a Hollywood darling in years to come. Is the charisma toned down from his previous role as Troy Barnes on “Community?” Absolutely, but Glover’s new charm seems more grounded in the reality of a good kid in a mad city, trying to get his girlfriend to order the cheapest menu items at a fancy restaurant because he only has $32 to his name. We root for these imperfect characters because we are all in some way or another, hustling, striving for the top. The issues the episodes tackle have a universal appeal while also being unapologetically black in focus. “Atlanta” comes at a time when the country’s relationship with race is tumultuous at best, and this show is defiant in showing the black experience in America today. An episode that highlights this the most poignantly is “B.A.N.,” when Paper Boi goes on a talk show geared towards African Americans to discuss transgender issues. When asked about Caitlyn Jenner, Paper Boi says, “It’s hard for me to care about this when nobody cares about me as a black, human man…I don’t have a problem with gay people, trans people, because that’s tolerance. But where’s tolerance for people like me?” The comments are hilarious in the context of the episode, because that’s how Glover sets it up, but Paper Boi also brought to the forefront an exploration of racial identity.
“Atlanta” may just be getting off the ground, but come awards season, do not be surprised to see Glover and his writing team (that is, by the way, entirely African-American, a refreshing change of pace in an industry so perceptibly dominated by white men) racking up nominations. The show is so witty, daring, and unlike anything else you’ve ever seen that you too will be blown away by the on and off screen talent.