When talking to friends or new acquaintances about TV, I’ll get asked about the shows I actually enjoy. Because we’ve been rebooted and revisioned to hell, I love creatively different stuff.
And Atlanta has been arguably the most creatively different show over the past few years (right there with “Barry”).
Still, the show is approaching it’s conclusion, with its now internationally acclaimed cast of Donald Glover, Zazie Beetz, Lakeith Stanfield and Brian Tyree Henry all earning accolades in recent years. We’re lucky we had them together this long.
And no one is talking about it.
Despite the fact that in its final season, its taken some chances that have paid off. The Thomas Washington, Disney Executive episode from last week was great. Earn’s episode featuring the shrink and the kid’s book author was thought provoking. And Paper Boi trying to recruit a YWA was proof that it could still make us laugh. This just months after its season in Europe, when some of the best episodes in the series were produced.
Of course, I always ask myself “Why? Why does this excellent TV show get ignored?”
The first thought is the way it was marketed by FX. It wasn’t until this season that the promo team really engaged the weird and wonderful universe this is all playing out in. Commercials in previous years never tried to tell us how different this show actually was.
It was also broadcasted on crowded nights. Atlanta ran against Grey’s Anatomy, Law and Order, Thursday Night Football. The ratings giants.
Maybe some thought that Atlanta wanted to preach to them about racism, when in fact it completely turned the room upside down in the way it discussed the topic. It never preached. It did make us think differently in super entertaining ways.
So what now? Well, it might be too late.
Atlanta could end up being this generation’s “Firefly” or “Arrested Development”. Fun and sharp television that never got it’s full due.
Or maybe it just went over everyone’s head and you and I are fortunate enough to have understood what this show was trying to get us to understand.
Either way, I’m going to miss it when it’s gone.
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