Helen

While the rest of Atlanta is an entertaining black sitcom, this episode feels slightly out of place. While the need to push the subtle racism experienced by a black community is part of what makes Atlanta great, some instances in this episode (like a white Bavarian dressed American mistaking Daniel Glover for a minstrel) seem like the show was actually reaching with unrealistic acts of subtle racism.

Other small details, like Fasnacht actually being a predominantly Swiss form of carnival (see: Basel Fasnacht) or masks and costumes used in Fasnacht having a specific aesthetic (with a cultural significance) that a "scream mask" doesn't really cover, makes the whole episode feel off somehow.

The evening feels like an amalgamation of European folk law that made me feel like I was watching "white face".

As this episode is all about how out of place the protagonist feels, I too felt out of place in this episode unsure of what story was trying to be told which might have been the intention but it didn't pay off.

I really like the show, but seeing this "Fastnacht" which is supposed to be carnival here getting confused with the Oktoberfest feels just so off. As a German it's normal that American shows and movies like to make us all seem like either Bavarians or Nazis but this episode is just wrong in so many ways.

F.e. I never heard of a blackfacing tradition in Germany or Bavarians having carnival in a Oktoberfest setting (Fastnacht is in February not October).

People don't like earn in this episode but I think that the viewer is supposed to feel uncomfortable (about him) all the time. So I think the episode is quite good apart from the setting.

This episode examines the nature of Earn 's and Van's complicated relationship.

Van uses Earn for sex when see needs to. They both have a daughter and he financially provides for her.

Van takes Earn to celebrate Fasnacht. A Bavarian festival she celebrated as a child. Van speaks fluent German.

Earn feels out of place with the peculiarities of the festivities. It is just all too silly for him. This agitates Van.

The episode was more dramatic, the comedy certainly more bleak. It certainly was a contrast from the previous episode of season 2.

Everyone in this episode is unbearable I get that's the point but it didn't even feel the same to me it felt like I was just waiting for this to end only good part was ping pong.

I really disliked Ern in this episode. Why go to a party if you aren't going to enjoy yourself. Everyone there tried to make him a part of the festivities and he just wasn't having it.

A rare miss for this excellent series.