Ahh, Autumn. The season of change. School begins. Weather shifts. We look to settle into new (or return to pre-summer) habits. Wardrobes morph in anticipation of the cooling climate. & new shows bombard us from every network in the land. Of course, the new model for programming has changed with the rise of Amazon, Netflix, HBO, Hulu, etc. But for the most part, the major broadcasters still stick to the fall-season starting formula they invented so many years ago with just a sprinkle of new releases throughout the year to stay relevant.
Shows get more & more daring with each season. Not necessarily in structure, but certainly in content & boundaries. Moreover, TV has become increasingly better at reflecting our current world in context of race, archetypes & stereotypes. Still far from balanced or truly accurate, but that’s a different post…
Still, television now presents a much more diverse & interesting world than in the past & there’s no shortage of shows available if you are willing to pay the price cable & specialty networks are asking for access to their wares. A bevy of highly-touted candidates started premiering & will continue to in the coming weeks like Westworld, Conviction, Frequency, Divorce, The Real O’Neals, Life in Pieces & People of Earth. Based on previews & synopses, many may seem like familiar scenarios for most viewers, just different faces on screen. Or not. Like the comedy Kevin Can Wait for example (insert yawn here). Not to mention the return of the current usual suspects Big Bang Theory, Elementary, Chicago Fire, Shameless, 2 Broke Girls, etc.
The one show that’s been the most captivating so far is FX’s series from Donald Glover, Atlanta. Atlanta is an easy half-hour dramedy that so far has touched on significantly important social issues as it follows its characters through their seemingly menial lives. Which should make a viewer uncomfortable to think being unemployed, immersed in drug-dealing & hustling by any means necessary just to get by is a normal reality for some. There’s a gravity to Atlanta that hides in plain sight between the amusing yet completely real-feeling everyday interactions of Earnest, Alfred, Vanessa & Darius with those they encounter on any given day. It’s well written characters and smooth narrative keep it moving, light & fun while still giving you something to think about. For those who care to, of course. Donald Glover is a terrific writer so it shouldn’t be a surprise this show is good. Glad to see him getting the recognition he has earned with Atlanta. Add it to your watchlist. You won’t even realize you’ve been drawn in by the end of the first episode. & isn’t that what a good show should do? Get you without you even knowing you been got?