To be honest, I haven’t watched all the episodes of season three (which I intend to do, at some point) but I watched enough to say I didn’t find it that entertaining. One of the things I like about the show is the storyline surrounding the main characters. However, this season four of the ten episodes don’t feature them.
The departure from the show’s main storyline has been somewhat explained by Stephen Glover, who is a writer and producer on the show and Donald Glover’s little brother. In an interview with Complex, he explained the motive behind the creative process of the show. “I’m not trying to say I’m Elon Musk and I want everyone to say everything they want all the time,” he says. “But I’m just saying: As far as creative ideas, people need to step outside the box. And people want that, but at the same time, we’re punishing anyone who makes a mistake.”
Atlanta is known for having a clever and fresh approach to pointing out race relations and topics that concern the Black community. However, from my perspective, it seems this season is trying a little too hard to make those points evident. According to executive producer and writer Stefani Robinson, there is a method behind the madness of the show. In an interview with POPSUGAR, she says the charm of “Atlanta” lies in enjoying the unknown and the show’s ambiguous way of making sophisticated points about Black culture.
“I feel like the fun of a show like ‘Atlanta’ is that you can fill in what it means to you,” she said. Maybe their right, I might need to appreciate the wit of the show and take it for what it is. On the other hand, I could be right, and just want more of the same things that made me like the show in the first place.