Atlanta, created and written by the multi-talented Donald Glover presents an intriguing, dynamic chemistry between an enigmatic Earn Marks (Donald Glover) and the stern, hostile, hood-driven city of Atlanta. A college drop out, Earn Marks seems to be living life at the bottom of a pit; a broke father, estranged by his parents and engaged with an absurd relationship with a girlfriend who mothers his daughter (unclear) - everything seems bleak. However, when news breaks out that his cousin Alfred 'Paper Boi' Miles (Brian Tyree Henry) is now the new hot rapper on the block, Earn drops everything he is doing to pursue the job of being Paper Boi's manager.
Even after having watched 3 episodes of the TV show, I still find it tough to pinpoint exactly what genre this absurdly riveting series falls under. While it pushes towards the drama section, the show is ridden with comedic bits. From the cinematography, to the acting, to the script, so far I have nothing but praise for Atlanta. Moreover, I cannot understate the rounded quality of the characters, to which I cannot end this short review of Atlanta without mentioning Darius (Keith Stanfield).
The eccentric nature of Darius is precisely exemplified by the first meeting between Earn and Darius in Episode One (The Big Bang): Darius holding a plate of cookies, wearing a cooking robe and a bandanna, with a knife ready to attack in case of an intruder. Even though he is consistently under the influence of cannabis, from time to time, Darius exudes of intellectual and spiritual wisdom. As in Episode Two (Streets on Lock) when speaking about the violent altercation of the previous night, Darius explains "As humans we are always close to destruction, life is (selfish) but a series of close calls
I mean how would you know if you were alive, unless you are willing to die."
The TV Show Atlanta is an avant-garde in the African-American film industry and seems to be following the same footsteps of top quality shows like Power and How to Get Away With Murder. Donald Glover has created a grabbing story which only begs for more.
