After Donald Glover left NBC’s Community partway though the show’s fifth season, many wondered what he’d do next. A standup, an actor, and a musician, each more interesting than the last, Glover is a man of many talents and essentially had a blank slate in front of him. Once word got out that he was planning his own show for FX, excitement and anticipation were at an all-time high. Little did audiences know just how great that show would be.
Glover’s Atlanta, which premiered in 2016, is an all-out masterwork. Teaming with frequent collaborator Hiro Murai, Glover and team created the greatest and most original comedy currently on television. Based in Atlanta, Glover plays a character named Earn. He and his cousin Alfred, a rapper, are hoping to make their way up in the world. It’s a social commentary, a surreal comedy, and a gripping drama all at once, dealing with social and economic issues such as race relations, poverty, love, status, and parenting. The show is superb, and certain episodes manage to leave lasting impressions.
Teddy Perkins (Season Two, Episode Six)
Season two’s extended sixth episode sees Darius, played by up-and-coming star Lakeith Stanfield, heading to a strange man’s house to pick up a piano. The man, played by Donald Glover, resembles the late Michael Jackson: he has bleached skin, a soft-spoken voice, and an indescribably eerie feel. It functions both as an exceptional episode of the show and as a sublime short film, honestly.
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B.A.N. (Season One, Episode Seven)
Another one-off episode, this time from the first season, “B.A.N.” follows Earn’s cousin Paper Boi as he takes a guest spot on a late night talk show. He’s a panelist for a discussion on race, which proves to be increasingly tedious for Paper Boi. It’s both funny and poignant, managing to earn itself an Emmy for outstanding direction.
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Alligator Man (Season Two, Episode One)
Season two’s premiere sets the tone for an incredible sophomore season — the stereotypical slump is nowhere to be found, and “Alligator Man” is proof of that. Earn and Darius visit Earn’s uncle, the two of them witnessing one of the strangest and most surreal days of their lives, no doubt. Katt Williams guest stars, remaining one of the best guest stars in the show’s history.
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Barbershop (Season Two, Episode Five)
Season two’s fifth episode is all about Paper Boi: He’s just trying to get a haircut, but his barber seems to be too distracted to make it happen. The obstacles the two face over the course of the day grow more and more absurd, resulting in the most frustratingly hilarious episode yet. Brian Tyree Henry is a rising star in Hollywood, and episodes like “Barbershop” show just how much he deserves the acclaim.
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North of the Border (Season Two, Episode Nine)
This episode follows Earn, Paper Boi, and Darius up to a college town in Canada. It seems like no big deal at first, but nothing is ever as it seems on Atlanta. The episode is incredibly captivating, drawing the viewer in as the three try to make it to the show and back in one piece. Glover and Murai have a lot to be proud of with Atlanta — no other show could pull off what this one does.
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