"Atlanta" is already a Treasure

I have always been a big fan of Donald Glover's. Whether it was his lovable character Troy Barnes on Community, or his rapping as Childish Gambino, I have always enjoyed the product that Glover is a part of. That is why I was so excited when I first heard that he would be creating a show about my hometown "Atlanta" on FX. Well after much anticipation and waiting, the premier of the show was last week, and after watching the first two episodes that were released back to back, I am very excited for what the future of the show has for us.

Courtesy: Jones Magazine

The story of the show follows Earnest "Earn" Marks (Glover) and his cousin Alfred Miles "Paper Boi" (Brian Tyree Henry) where Paper Boi is an up and coming rapper in the always competitive Atlanta rap scene. I won't give away any spoilers, but the first two episodes do a lot of laying the foundation for the relationship between the two cousins, and what motivates them to succeed in their lives. 

When I tell people from Atlanta, I always have to preface it with the fact that on a good day I'm 45 minutes north of the city. For people that know Atlanta, I'm definitely OTP, and nowhere near ITP. But with that said, I have always identified with the city itself. After moving from Jacksonville before 1st Grade, Metro Atlanta has been my home. It is where I've grown up, and to be honest I don't really remember most of my life before living there. With all of that said, "Atlanta" the show is definitely ITP. For all of the luxury and comfort I have lived my entire life with, the show and the lives of the characters is pretty close to the exact opposite of my growing up. My exposure to the actual city of Atlanta and its inhabitants has been pretty sheltered. For the most part, the most exposure I've gotten in the city would be walking through Five Points on my way to the Braves Shuttle, numerous visits to The Varsity, and the many flights in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

For all of these reasons, this is why I enjoy the show so much. Even in the first two episodes, I've been exposed to a different Atlanta, not one full of suburbia and country clubs, but the gritty underbelly of the city that I call home. For all of those times I've been to The Varsity, I've never gone in to JR Crickets right down the street. For all of the times I've been to the airport, my interactions with workers have been more out of necessity than choice. And for all of the times I've driven through the city I love so much I haven't even dreamed of venturing into "The Projects".

"Atlanta" from the standpoint of television is an incredible show. The actors seemed to be chosen perfectly for their roles, the writing is fantastic, and the show balances humor with real life problems and dilemmas. But all of these reasons are just ancillary to why I have already enjoyed this show so much. This show has given me a lens, and entirely new lens, of how to view the city that I call home, and I cannot wait to see what else is in store.

Duncan Hensley

Indiana University

Kelley School of Business '18