Guy D’Alema/FX
Atlanta has seen its share of highs and lows since it first aired on FX in 2016. In its first two seasons, the comedy series and its creator and star Donald Glover became critical darlings, earning widespread acclaim and some fancy hardware, including two Emmys and Golden Globes. However, its highly anticipated third season was delayed nearly four years due to scheduling conflicts with the show’s increasingly in-demand cast and, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. So, it was disappointing to realize, when the show returned in March, that none of its gags, social commentary, and typically well-done standalone episodes were really worth the wait.
Now, in its fourth and final season, Atlanta has a little bit more to prove than it did a few years ago. Will Glover and the rest of the series’ writers be able to remove the bad taste they left in viewers’ mouths? And will a show so prone to distractions and narrative excursions be able to provide satisfying endings for its main characters?
In Season 4’s first three episodes at least, Atlanta has found its footing again. It helps that the writers have brought the show’s main protagonists Earn (Glover), Al (Brian Tyree Henry), Darius (LaKeith Stanfield) and Van (Zazie Beetz) back to their usual stomping grounds in the U.S. where they can’t escape their often depressing and disappointing realities. Despite an interesting setting in Europe last season, where Paper Boi embarked on a fairly successful tour, the writers often veered away from the unique perspectives of its ensemble to explore a myriad of Big Issues like passing, reparations, domestic work and, in general, whiteness with little payoff.