Atlanta returns to its roots in an excellent two-episode premiere
To kick off its last season, the show finds the crew back in town and reckoning with how it's evolved
TV Reviews Atlanta
After one head-trip of a European tour, Atlanta has finally come back to Atlanta. Season three came out this spring, dropping its characters into several outlandish situations on another continent—that is, when it wasn’t taking audiences away from the main foursome entirely. Season four, then, focuses on what happens when Earn, Alfred, Darius, and Van get back home and resume lives they may have outgrown. Based on this premiere two-parter, fans can breathe a sigh of relief that the final season will be back-to-basics yet perfectly elevated by the weight of what the characters have gone through.
By the way, this is my first time recapping for The A.V. Club. (Hi! Nice to meet y’all.) So I should let you know that I’m one of the fans who quickly lost interest with season three’s standalone episodes. They seemed to be a way for the show to continue to comment on America without the characters actually being in America, but once the surprise wore off, the rapid pull away from the main foursome ended up being a disservice to the show. Atlanta is at its best when it shows the characters’ responses to surrealist situations. Its earliest departures from the everyday (“B.A.N.” and “Teddy Perkins”) presented Al and Darius as audience surrogates; we had a strong sense of how they would respond and could delight in them either saying what we’ve been waiting for or riding the scenario all the way to its end, respectively. When season three dropped viewers into character studies on reparations or “the culture of Black in America” without our known surrogates, there wasn’t enough to hold us in.
GRADE FOR “THE HOMELIEST LITTLE HORSE” (SEASON 4, EPISODE 2): A-
On the other hand, the plot in season’s four’s first episode (“The Most Atlanta”) between Darius and the hyper-determined property protector is so Darius that it completely works. Of course this man who we’ve seen be slightly out of sync with the world to the point of ignoring flashing warning signs would waltz into a Target stand-in during a looting to return a gift for cash. And of course, even though he’s not involved to the point that he’s ridiculous, the woman would zero in on him because he’s carrying a symbol of middle-class aspiration. Once the set-up is there (and why wouldn’t this exact set of circumstances happen in the world of Atlanta?), the sequence devolves into pure black comedy as this woman’s preternatural determination sends her all over the city to stab a man for stealing an air fryer.
While Darius is out-walking his assailant, Earn and Van are trapped among their exes. So many exurb dwellers have that one mall they won’t go to because if they do, they’ll run into everyone they know. (My dad started avoiding one mall when he was dating my mom, and it continues to this day.) “The Most Atlanta” turns that concept into a full-fledged horror in a way that’s so visceral and so Atlanta that I plan to show clips of it to anyone who asks, “So what’s that series about?” Plus, the sequence gives Earn and Van a chance to affirm their partnership, that neither of them will be sent to the ex-graveyard by the other. It’s not enough of a sequence to flesh out an entire episode, but it’s important and impressive and visually compelling, with Hiro Murai returns to the director’s chair.
Meanwhile, Al’s journey in “The Most Atlanta” reckons with the legacy of another local superstar. Scavenger hunts designed around new music releases aren’t a new concept at all. (Glover even set up an online search for a secret Childish Gambino track in 2014.) Social-media platforms have taken the exercise mainstream and global to the point where the hunt can be a corny PR stunt, but Atlanta pulls the exercise back to its lo-fi roots to show Al embark on an exploration of what are presumably Blueblood’s favorite places in his city. A menu item at a barbecue spot, a broken dryer at a laundromat, an original comic book, and even a 3D movie set a path through an end-of-life celebration. Every part of Blueblood’s death and funeral are intentional, from the three-months-late statement to his most devoted fans taking a symbolic piece of him with them. Not that many people will see his final mystery, but the most important people will, and that’s a powerful message for Al to have as he’s approaching mainstream stardom.
If the first episode went classic Atlanta, “The Homeliest Little Horse” displays how the series—and Glover’s performance—have evolved. If I heard at any point in season one that a later episode would revolve around a therapy session, I’d have responded with a healthy dose of skepticism (and probably would’ve felt the same at any point pre-”Teddy Perkins” and “Three Slaps.” This exploration into Earn’s self-professed love of pettiness comes at a perfect time in the series and not just because it answers questions about Earn’s motivations that fans have held since 2016. It feels warranted instead of navel-gazey, and this show has always been about the slow game.
I’ll stay relatively spoiler-free about the episode’s big reveal in case anyone is reading this before watching (note: don’t do that!), but the way the episode hinted towards one possibility for the white woman’s connection to Earn before revealing the truth had me looking at his actions in a whole new light. The manager’s plan is pettiness at its highest degree, but at this point he’s been dragged as far down, probably even further, than the object of his revenge. Also, this may be the most sympathetic portrayal of a white person on a show where often white people are the villains. I couldn’t help but feel sympathetic for this woman as she’s obviously getting scammed (though that’s probably the aspiring novelist connection).
Atlanta is playing a long game with what it says about wealth and power in American society: Parts of season three showed white people having the advantage (see “The Old Man and the Tree”), and two of the standalones portrayed what could happen if Black people got a taste. Now, Earn’s the one fucking with white people and, as the show continues to explore the gray areas of cultural dynamics, that may not be good for him. Every member of the main quartet will likely reckon with the feeling that they’ve come back home different than when they left. Be it in their pockets, their mindsets, or their literal locations, Earn, Van, Al, and Darius are moving on up to…something.
Stray observations
- I can’t stress this enough: Darius was trying to return an air fryer he got as a gift. That’s a brilliant added layer of “oh, he got money now” behavior for this scene.
- I grew up in L.A., but stories of Atlanta’s traffic strike fear into my heart.
- It’s great that Van’s ex who works at the cell phone store shows up before “The Most Atlanta” reveals the full horror of that location. Maybe his life just hasn’t moved on the same trajectory that Van’s has.
- Deborah Cox’s “Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here” playing over the mall speakers is *chef’s kiss.*
- Sorry to the man who will now live with the eternal moniker, “The Last American White I’ve Kissed.”
- I highly encourage any Atlanta natives/residents to leave their stories of Atlanta Station in the comments; I’d love to learn if the mall is really the Blair Witch Project forest but for exes.
- My favorite part of the scavenger hunt is when Al has to play a shooter game for a specific amount of tickets to get the T-shirt.
- The absolutely perfect logline for “The Homeliest Little Horse” reads, “We got grown men out here being this petty. Y’all really need therapy. I don’t cuz I already know what’s wrong with me.”
- We probably won’t get the full explanation of the second incident that took Earn from Princeton student to essentially homeless person, and the therapy sequences are so good that we don’t need to know anything more. Glover’s performance leaves us with the massive effect it had on Earn.
- I fully see Darius as Al’s platonic life partner, so an interesting later storyline could explore one wanting to leave and the other wanting to stay.
34 Comments
Now THAT is Atlanta. Don’t get me wrong, Season 3 was entertaining and had its good points, but it just felt different (and not just because they did half the episodes without the main cast). Everything that makes this show special, the cast, the vibe, the jokes, the commentary, it was all there in these two episodes. What a great way to kick off the final season
One thing I thought about with the lady “chasing” Darius was eventually her chair would run out of power, and I’m surprised it lasted that long. But, considering this is Atlanta and normal rules don’t apply, perhaps the chair was powered by her spite?
She showed up in her personal mobility chair, so fully charged maybe a 17-25 mile range at best? Everyone ended up in the same parking lot at the end by Atlanta rules, so it’s safe to say even if Darius took the high ground her chair had more than spite reserves to spare. She wasn’t bluffing.
I just kept thinking it was a play on “It Follows.” What a great 2-part premier.
Definately got “It Follows” vibes from the situation. Complete with ‘passing it on’ to someone else. I loved it
That’s funny, and you’re 100% right. I can’t believe I missed it
I actually watched It Follows again right after I watched this episode for this very reason!
I really liked Season 3 because it felt different, which totally makes sense when you leave Atlanta and fly to an entire different continent (don’t forget peak COVID filming mandates, so c’mon already). I like it when a show takes chances rather than settle for consistent journeyman plotting for future seasons.
That said, the moment I saw Darius walking in with an Air Fryer Very Good Condition in Box, I instantly knew he was there to return it. That’s why it’s good to be home in Season 4.
Darius is such a kind, wise soul that we immediately (and correctly) think the best of him every time he pops up on screen. I often think of the episode “Champagne Papi” when Van’s friend Nadine reacts badly to some edibles, freaks out, and disappears. The next time we see her, she’s sitting next to a pool with Darius, and we immediately know she’s going to be ok—Darius is going to talk her through it.Seriously, he’s one of my all-time favorite TV characters.
Same here. And the best part about his appearance in that episode, is that there is zero explanation why he’s at the party. Nor does there need to be, other than…he’s the guy.
“I can’t tell if this is extreme, extreme pettiness….. or terrorism”. So good.
Just watched these two episodes, so amazing. I’m a native ATL – I indeed remember getting lost trying to get out of the AS parking deck, both on foot and in my car, and I got flashbacks watching this.If you didn’t know, Atlantic Station is adjacent to Midtown and Georgia Tech, not some suburban/exurban mall.
I actually preferred the second episode to the first because wow did I not see THAT coming. And true, while white people are typically some form of antagonist in this show (hard to blame them) I truly felt heartbroken for Earn’s victim. Even Al and Darius couldn’t stomach it, and I don’t ever remember either of them expressing some special love for white people. Both were superb episodes. Welcome back, Atlanta! Back just in time now that Better Call Saul has called it a wrap.
The moment I saw Tracy as the receptionist I knew something was up, but I don’t really feel bad for Lisa who entered the B plot eating a hard boiled egg while she watches her TSA coworker who won’t even say hello to her (for obvious reasons) undress. Yes, Earn spent an exorbitant amount of money just to get revenge on Lisa for fucking with his super important trip to NY out of her everyday unspecified spite. Him being driven by a similar feeling of spite (which we’ve only addressed openly in S4:E2) for entirely different reasons and motivations leads to the moment where he still hasn’t addressed the Van & Lottie situation but is taking a break from therapy to focus.Lisa quit her job at the airport as Terminal Check-In Head Racist to pursue her fulltime dream of being the next J.K. Rowling and all it took was ditching her friend who suddenly didn’t have 500 bucks a month as her solo best friend/patron (who sure as shit paid your brunch). Her demanding TELL ME YOU LIKE MY WRITING brought me straight to The Lighthouse.That said, the entire dovetail of Earn working through his feelings of spite in therapy just in time to quit an execute his revenge plot to the point where Darius can’t tell if he should applaud or be horrified really drives home Earn sitting alone celebrating his pyrrhic against a complete stranger. Time to bring back the floor pillow to therapy.
Blueblood sure sounds like Earl.
It was Earl Sweatshirt. And I’m like 98% sure Blueblood is a nod to MF Doom
Like… without a doubt
– Pretty dark reveal about Earn being abused as a child. Also hope that dude does go back to therapy. That petty terrorism shit was no joke.
– The actor playing the therapist is the guy who does the voice over for the show intro “FX Presents… Atlanta”- Blueblood was a nod to MF Doom, right?- Got a good laugh at 1) Earn figuring out Al’s password from highschool and 2) his favorite movie (at the time) being Mulan.
– What’s crazy is the knife lady was based on a real thing. During the Floyd protests some lady was blocking a Target door in a scooter with a knife and they shot fire extinguishers at her.
I thought the lady getting sprayed with the fire extinguisher was some kinda comment on her extreme whiteness… but no, Atlanta just has to dip into the “fucked up reality” bin again to find this stuff.
Blueblood was a nod to MF Doom, right?That was my impression, from the 3 month delayed death announcement, the “normal” real name (Greg for Blueblood, Daniel for Doom), and the whole “your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper” vibe from Al in response to the news.
As an Atlantan who now lives in LA, I can say Atlant(ic) Station is basically just our Grove/Americana. It opened in 2005, which makes it a little younger than the former and a little older than the latter. Just your typical Caruso-esque outdoor mall, but in a city with a few less million people, I’d say you’re probably more likely to run into people you know there on a weekend. It’s also where our IKEA is which I guess also makes it our Burbank.
the way the scavenger hunt clues were smoothly (but not so subtly) integrated into the songs was absolutely hilarious
“The Homeliest Little Horse” is an immediate classic for me. Incredible ending.Also, this review is very good
Great start to the season, but i’m on Lisa’s side. that was petty and terrorism.After rewatching s3 (along with s1/2 before s4), i enjoyed the stand alones more. originally i was annoyed because it took screentime away from the core 4, but when viewed big picture, they still feel part of the Atlanta world.my fave moment from ep2 was when Lisa continues to read whilst the book scout with the hat leaves and then we hear the sound of the alarm for a emergency door go off. super-lol. last thing, i’ve always thought Now You See Me 2 SHOULD have been called Now You See Me, Now You Don’t. They’re bad films, please don’t watch.
As someone with a kid (and not even having to face issues of racial politics head on every day), I’m 100% with Earn. I’d bury a bitch if she put my daughter through that shit.
The show spent a lot of time on it, so I wish you dug into the Paper Boi plot line. Blueblood is clearly an MF DOOM inspired character (rapped by Earl Sweatshirt, a real life MF DOOM contemporary, by all accounts). There was something genuine and touching there about the loss of an inspirational figure in your life the show observed. Couldn’t have picked a better subject, though I’m sure they had to avoid the real artist for lawyer-ey reasons.
It felt nice to watch an episode of Atlanta and recognize multiple locations in Atlanta again. I haven’t had the same “avoiding my exes” issue with Atlantic Station, but I did use to avoid another mall for the same reason. However, yeah, wow, they nailed what walking around Atlantic Station feels like.I connected less with the traffic aspect. A lot of the awful traffic is on the interstate going North. Sure, it can get congested on the surface roads within the actual city, but if you know what you’re doing (as I imagine Paper Boi would) you can at least keep moving. I think that’s how Paper Boi goes from being trapped in the same spot for what seems like an hour to going on a scavenger hunt across town with no issues.Sorry, I feel like that Lisa lady got what was coming to her. I mean, Earn definitely needs to go back to therapy. That’s an incredible amount of energy (and money) to expend on revenge, but she’s a racist asshole. I don’t feel sorry for her.
I lost it at Al’s reaction to Earn seeing a therapist. Hard laughter, followed by “you see how much money I make you? Hey Darius, I made him so rich he’s just giving money away!”
This Atlanta therapy session is good but I also can’t stop thinking Donald Glover faking an almost identical situation in Community
I put off watching these for a bit because I really hated the last season but damn alright the first two were pretty good.
Man…this show. Words fail me.
Just watched this episode last night. It was sooooooo Atlanta. I can relate the being lost at Atlantic Station. I used to practically live at that place in the when it first opened and it was different that it is now. I remember when I started dating my now wife and we went out on a date there and we kept running into exes there lol. So that part is so true. Also, the car thing is true. I had to park my car in the same place every time otherwise I was lost. I love the homage to MF DOOM! Who lived in Atlanta though he is known as a NYC rapper when he was Zev Love X. He did indeed die of cancer and his wife let the world know per his last wish as a supervillain on December 31st 2021, three months after his actual death. The cadence of Blueblood is definitely similar to Doom’s flow.I know that it is Earl Sweatshirt performing and Odd Future like a lot of other rappers like Paper Boi revered him. If you haven’t listened to him you should. I also love the use of Debra Cox. This was some real ATL shit. Bravo all around.
I don’t know – I still have the little boy taking part in the call-and-response (half a beat behind the others) at the funeral still front and center in my mind. That’s some powerful TeeVee right there
“Maybe his life just hasn’t moved on the same trajectory that Van’s has.”Van’s “trajectory” was: ignored by felon babydaddy, fired from teaching for being a druggie, abandoned daughter and became drifter/prostitute in Europe.The guy at the cell phone store is doing pretty well by comparison.