Up Next

Television

Donald Glover’s ‘Atlanta’ is already addictive

Friendship, wings, realistic conversations — this is a show we can truly relate to

Up Next From Culture

    atl_pilot_0723_043d
    ATLANTA — ÒThe Big BangÓ — Episode 101 (Airs Tuesday, September 6, 10:00 pm e/p) Pictured: Donald Glover as Earnest Marks. CR: Guy D’Alema/FX
    By @KofieYeboah

    There was only one thing I was saying over and over in my head when I was mentally preparing for FX’s Atlanta. “Earnest Marks is not Childish Gambino. Earnest ‘Earn’ Marks is not Donald Glover.”

    I’m going to go on the record and say that I’m a huge fan of Donald Glover. I’m a fan of the standup comedy, the music (for which he’s known as Childish Gambino) and the acting he’s done in the past. I’ve seen Glover play and be himself for so long that it’s going to be a process when it comes to just seeing him as Earnest Marks. I was delighted to see that this show is already making some steps to help the transition. Instead of seeing Glover on a TV show, I just saw him as a character in a pretty balanced first episode. The best part so far? The dialogue seems effortless and like an actual conversation that you’d have with your homies/co-workers.

    Atlanta touched on white people saying the N-word, up-and-coming rappers trying to stay out of trouble, as well as being broke with a kid. I like the overall vibe from Earnest, Alfred and Darius, as it just seems like three guys in Atlanta trying to make it in the world. It was, though, impossible to watch certain parts of Atlanta without having old Gambino lyrics swirling in your head. For example, when I first saw Earn in short shorts I had the line from his 2011 Backpackers looping in my head:

    Black male in short shorts / I’m double suspect

    And Earnest’s interaction with the white dude who only said the N-word around him reminded me of the lyric in 2011’s Outside when Gambino talked about being a black kid in a white kid.

    And I hate it there / They all make fun of my clothes and wanna touch my hair

    Being one of few black kids in an all-white school, I could relate to how it felt when a white guy felt compelled and comfortable to say the N-word around you … and just you.

    Where Atlanta seems to separate itself from the popular shows such as Power and Empire is that a lot of stuff seems very relatable.

    https://twitter.com/vetementsboots/status/773357922193670144

    You might not be making drug deals with crime syndicates, but you do know some dude who is trying to make it in the rap game.

    And we all like getting the hookup on wings.

    From a character standpoint, the chemistry between Alfred and Darius had me laughing so hard. When Darius was two seconds away from holding Earn at knifepoint and then offered him a cookie two seconds later, it was absolutely hilarious.

    While this show seems lighthearted and casual, there were some serious undertones in the first two episodes, such as the part when the policeman beat up a mentally ill man in the jail even though he was known as a harmless regular.

    From the lighthearted events to the serious topics and issues, Atlanta is showcasing its potential to be a very versatile show.

    This is only the beginning. I can’t wait for the rest of the episodes.

    https://twitter.com/PlainOlCamm/status/773358358703251456

     

    Kofie Yeboah asks for Sweet Tea at every restaurant and recites approximately 2.5 Spongebob lines per hour.

    This Story Tagged: Atlanta Television Donald Glover FX