The overwhelming success Atlanta has had since its premiere in the fall of 2016 could not have been predicted. Anyone who was watching Donald Glover closely over the past few years would have realized, though, that when the multi-hyphenate uber-talented individual touches something, it turns to gold. Atlanta was no different.
The FX show exceeded all expectations after its release. Each episode was a short story; a poignant observation of race, class, parenting, money, culture. Sometimes, it was all of these packed into one, like the infamous "B.A.N" episode. It picked up two Golden Globes (for Best Series, Musical or Comedy as well as Best Actor for Glover) and earned six Emmy Nominations - it was 2016’s best new show.
When Atlanta returns for its second season this spring, the hype for it would’ve lasted for more than a year. A second season was announced by FX in early 2017, but with Donald Glover being so damn busy with other projects (he’s playing a young Lando Calrissian in the upcoming Han Solo movie), it took a while for production to begin. The hype for it has only increased in recent weeks with the release of more details and a (somewhat) comprehensive trailer as well. We decided to break down what we know about Atlanta (so far).
“It’ll Be Robbin’ Season”
The show’s second season will be titled “Robbin’” season. It refers to “the time before Christmas in Atlanta where there’s more criminal activity than normal,” according to executive producer/writer Stephen Glover.
As reported by IndieWire earlier, Glover said, “it’s the end of the year, there are a lot of people with gifts, there’s a lot of robberies going on because people have nice stuff at the time or trying to make money for Christmas or during that end of the year period, kind of like a vibe in Atlanta during that time.”
“Robbin’” season will have 11-episodes and premiere on 1 March via FX.
“Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation”
While conceiving the second season, the executive producers were constantly referencing the Tiny Toons movie, How I Spent My Vacation. The Steven Spielberg ‘90s cartoon will play a big part in how the season shapes out. Both Stephen and Donald Glover are on record referencing the cartoon with director and executive producer Hiro Murai also backing up their claims.
Donald Glover also told The Hollywood Reporter that his writing process is influenced by Planet Earth and animal attacks, "I just think it's amazing that you can have something that has violence and sex, and you can show it to children and be like, 'Yeah, that's just what it is. And that's what I want to do with this show. Like, 'This is life; it's not us trying to be provocative.'"
The Characters Will Be The Focus
Those looking for episodes similar to that of iconic "B.A.N" episode will be left disappointed. Robbin’ Season promises to be much more linear. Following the characters and their lives, you can expect main characters Earn, Van, Alfred and Darius have stories that progress further than they did in the first season.
Things will still be experimental (another Black Justin Bieber, maybe?) and strange, expect to get uncomfortable as the season progresses.
Earn and Van Continue Their On-Again/Off-Again Relationship
Raising a child is no easy task. For Earn and Van, that struggle continues. Whether they are as tumultuous as last season remains to be seen. Expect a lot of cosy times, though, as evidenced by the most recent trailer released by FX. The two of them share an intimate moment in the back of a cab with Lottie, their child, missing entirely from the trailer.
that new trailer hype. Atlanta 3.1 #AtlantaFX pic.twitter.com/CJwJ5o1ft8
Earn Finally Comes Into Some Money
The last two seconds of the trailer said a lot. With Van and Earn lying on the bed head-to-toe, Van’s reading a letter - maybe one Earn previously opens in the trailer - and exclaims, “you’re going to get us robbed”. Earn then mischievously laughs.
Last season ended with Paper Boi’s career on the rise. He hands Earn a stack of bills in the season finale and that success clearly continues into the second season.
The Second Season Mirrors Alfred’s Success
According to a panel the actors sat on, the second season reflects how the cast and crew felt in going back to Atlanta to start production. Recognizable faces now, Brian Tyree Henry, who plays Paper Boi, even stated that everybody recognizes him and greets him as “Paper Boi.” He’s finding that he can’t do normal things anonymously anymore, unfortunately.
In Atlanta, fame doesn’t equal an instant upgrade. Rather, it’s about navigating a new kind of lifestyle in a city that once felt familiar.
The Show Reflects Reality
If anyone ever questioned Atlanta’s realistic portrayal of the city and its inhabitants, talk to Zazzie Beetz, who plays Van on the show. “There was a shooting outside my house,” she said. “We stopped shooting one night because there was a shootout, and I live a block from there.”
Expect the Grammy-winning show to reflect the reality the city's inhabitants live on a daily basis.