Donald Glover, actor, comedian, rapper, created the FX original series "Atlanta."
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FX has had a solid track record for original television series, from dramas like “The Americans” to comedies like “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” Fortunately, the network looks like it wants to keep the programming hot-streak alive with one of its latest shows, “Atlanta,” created by and starring actor, writer, comedian, and rapper Donald Glover. Now in its second season, “Atlanta” is a masterclass “dramedy,” showing how to balance the tragic moments of life with moments of pure laughter. Known for his comedic chops, Glover delivers on an above average comedy centered around the city of Atlanta, Georgia, known for its hip-hop heritage, rampant crime, and urban poverty.
“Atlanta” follows Earnest “Earn” Marks (Donald Glover), a Princeton University drop-out who is now broke, homeless, and looking for a break, which he finds in his cousin Alfred (Brian Tyree Henry). An up-and-coming rapper, Alfred found sudden success with the release of his first single, “Paper Boi,” a moniker he has now taken for himself in his underground hip-hop career. Giving his younger cousin a chance despite his reservations, Alfred takes in Earn as his manager, opening the door for this comedic trip through the characters’ struggle to find success in the music industry and survive their rough environment. “Atlanta’s” intelligently written script also teems with political commentary, grappling with issues such as racism, stereotypes, poverty, gang violence, and the prison system, with varying degrees of subtlety and without a preachy tone.
While this sounds heavy, “Atlanta” is at its heart a comedy. Described by Glover himself as a melding of “Twin Peaks” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” but with rappers, “Atlanta” demonstrates the unpredictability of life with surreal, unexpected moments. From characters experiencing actual déjà vu, to a rapper with an invisible car, to a man that keeps an alligator in his bathtub, the series is filled with hilarious and head-scratching moments that leaves every episode feeling fresh. It does not focus on the punchline, but the bizarre and shocking journey to it. Despite the characters’ often rough and tragic situations, much of the humor in “Atlanta” is found in the crazy things Earn and his friends do to skate around poverty and live lives not bound by their unfortunate circumstances.
Season two takes the show in a new direction. Some time has passed, and Paper Boi is now huge, landing he and Earn bigger opportunities and paychecks. Subtitled “Robbin’ Season,” season two explores both the incredible perks and dangerous drawbacks of this newfound success.
One of the series’ greatest strengths is in the writing and performances. Throughout the show, we’re reminded that Earn “could’ve been something,” but for some unknown reason he threw his prospects away to return to his hometown of Atlanta, where he can now barely scrape together enough cash to buy a kid’s meal at a fast food restaurant. Homeless, Earn drifts between Alfred’s apartment and his on-again, off-again girlfriend Vanessa’s (Zazie Beetz) place to see the lapsed couple’s daughter Lottie. Vanessa, on the other hand, has a steadier life as a teacher and attentive mother to Lottie. She craves a normal, domestic life outside of a stereotypical broken family, which she cannot find in Earn’s constant dissatisfaction. Alfred, who has found the most success, grapples with the societal expectations for an underground Atlantan rapper. While he enjoys the perks of this newfound notoriety, he is afraid of what the world wants him to be–a hard, drug-dealing, gun-wielding thug–and has a hard time playing the part. Alfred is also accompanied by his right-hand-man and roommate Darius (Lakeith Stanfield), who provides much of the humor of the show through his crazy yet surprisingly philosophical ramblings about life and the goings-on of Atlanta.
These are the kind of nuanced characters you would not expect to find in a comedy, and yet “Atlanta” continues to deliver. Through its eclectic characters and bizarre situations, Glover finds a way to balance comedy and drama, perfectly melding a world of pain and laughter and always leaving you walking away from the show feeling something. Do not sleep on this dreamlike “dramedy.” You can catch season two on FX Thursdays at 10 p.m., and season one can be streamed on Hulu.