Atlanta (TV Series) Work Ethic! (2022) User Reviews

Hilarious, sharp satire

[Jayemofficial · 9/10 · 9 October 2022]

This episode took an easy stab at a heavily critiqued celebrity: Tyler Perry. It's style of critique is similar to that of The boondocks season 3 episode 8 ("pause"). Instead of Winston Jerome from the boondocks we have Mr Chocolate; in enigmatic television and film writer who owns a large movie studio in Atlanta (much like the real Tyler Perry). It points out Tyler Perry's colorism he was so known for in his earlier works such as portraying light skinned people as good and dark skinned people as evil. It also pointed out his obsessions with using negative black sterotypes for drama and portraying black women as constant victims. (There is a hilarious scene where a dark skinned black woman literally eats a crack sandwich).

This was a perfect episode for a show that takes place in Atlanta, since Tyler perry owns a studio there. It's title (work ethic) comes from a Tyler Perry quote showing how he is able to write so many movies and television episodes in such a quick amount of time. Throughout the episode it shows the low quality of Tyler's work while still being a very Atlanta episode. We finally get to see Van with her daughter after her stint in season three of living in Paris. She struggles to protect her daughter from racial exploitation of Mr Chocolate (Donald glover in prosthetics giving cartoony comical performance) who wants to keep casting her in his shows in movies because he likes her sassy attitude on set. There is also a very meta element on the series. Overall it ties in perfectly with the final season which earlier dealt with colorism in the form of Earns Aunt.

Chocolate Land

[dannylee-78082 · 8/10 · 18 February 2023]

1. Van and Lottie go filming 2. Van loses Lottie 3. Van throws grit

So I didn't know that this was a Tyler Perry parody as I didn't even know about the man. Having the context makes it appreciate more but even before that, I thought it. Was a very fun episode. Set in this mysterious giant sets of studios, the showrunners give more time to Van and Lottie (who by the way has been excellent). I think including Lottie more as an actual character is a very good choice because she's been just getting referred to instead of actually appearing on screen.

I always love a good Van episode. While this episode comments on the Tyler Perry style black content, it also serves as Van's commitment to motherhood as she's had her ups and downs ever since she got fired. It shows how much she does care for Lottie and the lengths she will go to protect her. I also wanted to add that Donald Glover was excellent as Mr. Chocolate. Hilarious. Overall, a very fun, mysterious, creepy episode which is all we ask from Atlanta.

Subliminal yet Literal Hammer & Nail Messaging

[jtraemusic · 10/10 · 9 October 2022]

These types of episodes are probably my favorite kind out of the series. Seeing the jokes of the show be actual real life situations that many people miss.

The cast does an amazing job and I'm glad this episode focused on Vanessa and Lottie. I really get the sense that this season is snowballing into one of the greatest series finales we'll ever see.

Donald kills it as Mr. Kirk Chocolate. And you can tell Vanessa uses her wisdom gained from her experiences in Europe. It's subtle, but you can tell she's not afraid to take initiative anymore.

Overall, the episode's message is spot on. Protect our children from being thrown into something that will cause stereotypical exploitation so that it doesn't cause cyclical behaviors that the culture has seen countless times over.

Season 4's "Teddy Perkins"

[itsahoverboard · 10/10 · 18 October 2022]

This is a 10 just based on the ambition. Another weird and genius episode. Touches on #metoo with all the dudes pestering Van at her first day on set, on generational gaps with the old woman criticizing Van over her lack of faith, on the soulless Hollywood vacuum with Van's daughter instantly craving the spotlight against Van's will. Especially well articulates a specific tension within Black culture on the golf cart, as Van asks what the cost of dogmatic loyalty to Black culture is (referencing a polarizing figure like OJ).

Apart from this, it's just a funny and weird episode. Maybe not as funny as the next one about the Crank Dat killer, but still very entertaining. You Know Who appears in another transformative appearance again at the end as "Mr. Chocolate," and even if the thematic material here doesn't hit as hard as Teddy Perkins, it was still quite a hoot and very smart.