Are you a member of the Television Academy?
Rain down the Emmy nominations onAtlanta.
Every episode of the FX series' second season has been an event.
Credit: Curtis Baker/FX
Star-creator Donald Glover should win Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for “Teddy Perkins.”
The great Zazie Beetz took center stage in two Van-focused episodes.
Lakeith Stanfield continues to be television’s ranking zen philosopher of one-liners.
Regular episode director Hiro Murai shoots with a dreamy wonder that can trend hilarious or horrific within seconds.
Atlanta: Robbin' Seasonstarts with Earn’s cousin Alfred ascending.
He’s recognized everywhere now.
Success hasn’t been easy.
He can’t trust drug dealers anymore.
They rob him, they give his number to their girlfriends, they post Paper Boi selfies on Insta.
This last part troubles Al the most.
He’s an ambitious man.
But the wages of contemporary music fame don’t interest him.
She suggested it was time for them to merge brands.
She told him he had to post more on Instagram, man.
“I ain’t into all that fake s,” Al said.
“I’m just tryin' to stay real.”
One brilliant episodesaw Al trapped on a meandering quest with his barber (guest-star Robert S. Powell III).
All Al ever wanted was a haircut; he was wearing his barber cape the whole time.
With a flick of his arm, Henry actuallydoessuggest a magician performing a flourish-yill-uuuuu-sion.
But the overall tone of “Woods” was minor-key.
Was this progress, an act of forward momentum carrying Al higher into celebrity?
Or was it an act of giving in?
Henry’s rueful face offered many interpretations, few easy answers.
Has fame ever looked more embarrassing?
OnAtlanta, it always falls to Al to make the hard decisions.
“I think we need to talk about a real problem,” Al told Earn.
His cousin’s not delivering as a manager, can’t take Paper Boi to the next level.
“I gotta make my next moves my best moves, man,” Al said.
“I don’t think you cut out for it.”
A lesser show, lesser actors, might’ve gone for melodrama.
And Glover’s performance was demolishing, another bad day for Earn in a bad year.
But Henry gave Al a tough, wounded grace here.
You felt that Al was making a straightforward business transaction,andthe most important decision of his life.
OnAtlanta: Robbin' Season, all Henry’s moves are his best.
