Photo courtesy of FX
JOSÉ ROMERO
editor-in-chief
collegian.editor@tccd.edu
It’s been a long wait, but Season Three of “Atlanta” is finally here, and it’s as profound as ever.
Season Two premiered in 2018, sending the main slew of characters to Europe. The season was the culmination of Donald Glover’s character Earn. He had been trying to continuously prove to his cousin that he can be his manager, yielding no results. It wasn’t until the end of the season when he pulled a stunt that finally got his cousin to notice his worth.
So, that’s where the story begins. Four years have passed for us, but it hasn’t been too long for them. At the time of writing, there are two episodes out, and they mostly deliver.
The first episode is reminiscent of last season’s “Teddy Perkins.” It’s obscure, threading the line between reality and fiction. It follows Loquareeous, a boy who is having behavioral issues at school. Because of the faculty’s concern, they call Child Protective Services, having them take him away to another family.
It’s an odd premise, considering the show is about rapper Paper Boi, played by Brian Tyree Henry, rising in the ranks. That’s the brilliance of “Atlanta.” It’s a curveball of a show. The tone and style are mostly consistent until it isn’t. Rather than spoon-feeding conclusions, viewers’ thoughts are left marinating, resulting in theories that are rarely answered. The ambiguity of these types of episodes makes them as memorable as they are.
Although the episode is good, it delays what most have been waiting for, and that’s finding out where the main characters are.
This episode feels as if it should’ve been saved for later in the season. Even if it had been omitted not much would’ve been lost.
Again, not to say it’s a bad episode, but Glover made it clear that the show is ending later this year with Season Four. Having episodes like this takes time away from the fantastic main crew.
Episode Two understands this and provides an update on everyone’s whereabouts.
Alfred/Paper Boi finds himself locked up in a European prison. Earn, as usual, is in a rush because he’s late for a meeting. He also needs to bail Paper Boi out. Darius and Vanessa, played by LaKeith Stanfield and Zazie Beetz, go on an adventure together, ending up at some end-of-life ceremony.
Having the groups separated like this was a great choice. It makes it easier to focus on what they’ve each been up to without overwhelming the viewer with too much information.
It helps that everyone’s dialogue feels natural. Each of them has a tangible relationship, even the ones that aren’t too close like Darius and Van. The way things are shot by Hiro Murai beautifully compliments the quality of dialogue on screen.
Seeing Paper Boi finally getting the success he was thriving toward is great, but it does make the plot feel somewhat aimless.
Paper Boi finally accomplished what he sought to do, so what now? There’s a warm feeling to seeing all of these characters again, but as of right now, ending with Season Two might have been wise.
It’s way too early to tell, and my opinion could change with the coming episodes.
Season Three is off to a strong start but desperately needs to prove why it was made. “Atlanta” is one of the best comedy shows ever and it deserves the praise it has received. It deserves a worthy conclusion.
