The man behind the lyrical genius Childish Gambino, Donald Glover, is at it again. Aside from music, 32-year-old Glover dabbles in comedy, writing and acting and his newest project, "Atlanta" proves yet again that Glover's talent extends beyond the recording studio.
The 10-episode series first aired on Sep. 6, though it's been in the works since October of 2013, as ordered by FX.The series stars Donald Glover in the role of Earnest "Earn" Marks, a young Princeton dropout who struggles to find a way to provide for his daughter and her mother. As fame creeps up on Earn's cousin, a rapper under the name of Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry), Earn decides to put in his city connections and attempt to manage the rapper's rising career. Along with Darius (Keith Stanfield), the unexpectedly profound right-hand man of Paper Boi, the three scheme up their way to fame and success in the city of Atlanta, Georgia.
In the five episodes that have been released, the show manages to accurately portray the life of black youth in Atlanta by touching on timely and relevant topics such as police brutality and socioeconomic inequality. This is done in such a delicate and humorous way, however, that the natural, easy-going feel of the series is unchanged. The quick, yet complex development and growing familiarity between the main characters adds sensitive touches to the otherwise thick-skinned characters.
Most of the episodes were written, created and produced by Donald Glover himself, which is clearly shown in the unique and subtle outcome of the final product. Glover himself is from Stone Mountain, Georgia, a small town east of Atlanta, so his interpretation of the city life is personal and more or less subjective. Regardless, Glover undeniably succeeds at creating, developing and maintaining an interesting and relevant plot line.
The visual delivery of the series is phenomenal, with touches of surrealism, thought-provoking scenes and a pleasant sense of confusion. The artistic aesthetic is devised by no other than Hiro Murai, the Japanese director behind Childish Gambino's music videos for "3005" and "Sweatpants." His shooting style is easily recognizable through the frequent use of over-the-shoulder shots and conceptual framing. These methods of visual arrangement harvest a personal, intimate feeling within viewers and their effectiveness in "Atlanta" is apparent.
The entirety of "Atlanta" is sincere, playful and well-timed. The show accurately represents its given genre of comedic drama; without unnecessary tension or facetiousness, the series is effortlessly captivating, cultural and even informative. The collective concept of Murai and Glover, along with proficient acting and execution results in the polished product under the name of "Atlanta." Allow the two creative geniuses to
The first episode of "Atlanta" is available on FX's channel on Youtube. The consecutive episodes air on FX Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. Eastern time.
