Atlanta Season 3 Ep 8 | Liam Neeson and Nepalese Space Cakes

[@rosannag7778]

Lorraine represents his subconscious & fears, which are heightened by the space cakes...and yes, the hat is fire.

[@magneticqubzian6902]

I agree

[@jamesjones4309]

Where was Darius

[@napppstar0]

It's also why she dogs on the hat. Al is insecure about the hat, his friends, his future as a rapper and finally his control over his body. It was a hell of a trip, getting to actually meet your fear.

[@ricoambro]

I thought she was the media, she looks like a compilation of todays western culture, judging everything, telling him whats wrong and right, she dogs his world view like the internet does

[@jeremyw9640]

She was the only one real with him. The hat most definitely wasn’t fire. Bruh looked like aloe blacc and he’s supposed to be gangsta 😂

[@booftube79]

Man....Lorraine said become what you fear. And puts the Goofy hat over her face. What a great connection to THE GOOF WHO SAT BY THE DOOR. I love this show

[@alexanderthegreat1270]

Great spotting. I think over the course of Atlanta, Goofy represents the “Uncle Tom” character, a black man viewed as not being ‘real’ and sucking up to white folk. Tom pointed out how Mickey has Pluto on a leash, and Goofy doesn’t make him stop. It’s the fear of that which consumes Tom Washington and kills him. However, Lorraine is able to point out to him that the only person in life he’s truly responsible for is himself, and that ‘selling out’ to secure himself financially isn’t actually a bad thing. You just have to look at Blueblood to see where a life of being real gets you

[@juniorjames7076]

No one has mentioned this so I guess I will. The thing about this Season that I am really enjoying is seeing Black people traveling and having adventures in Europe. Seeing our protagonists navigate foreign cities, outside of American culture. From 2013 to 2021 I was teaching university students English in Istanbul, Budapest and Prague, and it was always a joy to run into Brothas and Sistas backpacking through those cities and connect, compare notes, or just kick it. I love seeing our Black people OUTSIDE the U.S.!!

[@giovannivalencia9933]

Definitely. Did you catch that the episode when he loses his phone, all of the white people were in on it???????????? Yeah I want to go back to Europe and just enjoy it as a minority. Get involved into shit instead of just being a "black person" isolating himself from everything

[@tiredofbeing]

Bro what 😭😭

[@DaveG425]

Its niggaz in Paris bro

[@miss.l.1563]

Wtf are you on about!? 😂😂.

[@xenobell2475]

Ngl this sounds crazy asf

[@mohamedromih1036]

I think Lorraine's apartment being a place for rappers means most rappers have mommy issues in general

[@Cinnahawk]

That's why they fuck trans women? 😂

[@19main89]

I like this theory

[@andrephillips3448]

No rappers have generational slavery issues.

[@warrengosling]

Huh??

[@CodeeXD]

@@andrephillips3448 lmfaoooooo ok. No they have mommy and masculinity issues because most don't have fathers

[@prolificnesss]

I think that the stage scene in the Cancel Club was Al escaping being cancelled. The White Fashion episode had the Reinvest in Yo Hood campaign being seen as a way for Paperboi to be cancelled in the rap community as a sellout. Lorraine was the only one that could have gotten him out of there to avoid being cancelled. She says that "They don't let you say no" meaning that once you get called on and get up there you're cancelled. This explains why Liam Neeson just walked out of the club, he hasn't been cancelled yet cause he's still getting movie roles. Idk, but this is easily my favorite episode of the season!

[@AllieMaggie4]

That was a good perspective!

[@kyledamons4242]

That's a good take. Anyone else getting David Lynch vibes from the club in general and that stage scene in particular? Excellent atmosphere on this season🔥

[@principalitycidade4323]

Reinvest in yo hood! They all lives mattered my s@#! 😂

[@SilentGig1]

Dont forget how Alfred had tears in his eyes when hes calling for Lorraine in the RLD.

[@Spacialjones]

I noticed that too but I wasn’t sure.

[@ms.miwitdatbul520]

He is a really good actor the way he emote emotion.

[@spambamkeija634]

Fr. Shi was concerning. Like a lost child looking for their parent. Dude is a great actor.

[@MsNotzi]

First off, I liked the hat. I thought Al looked cool wearing it. Secondly, this episode was definitely a call back to "Woods." Third, I really don't think Ern was lying when he said that Al owns his masters. Ern may have had some missteps as a manager, but he's improved tremendously since season 2 (it seems like hardly anyone is discussing that), and aside from that, he's always had Al's back regardless. I mean, Ern took the time to peel Al off the street, change his clothes and get him into bed after having that bad trip! Not only that, Ern stayed by Al's side until he woke up. Those don't look like the actions of someone that's trying to his cousin dirty. I believe him.

[@someguy2504]

For me, Lorraine was a manifestation of everything Alfred had bundled up inside. He was tripping on this experience, and thought about so many things as someone with crippling anxiety would. Lorraine (Inner voice Al) made some bad calls. Such as making him feel insecure about his style and talking down on him and making him feel bad for trying to take the narrative of his life. Your inner voice is your inner b**** at times. The mind is a jungle, sometimes you are watching the waterfall peacefully (Al listening to streolab) the next you are being chased by anaconda, and that anaconda is just you (Lorraine being one of his inside voices) However that being said, the voice inside of us can also be right, and Lorraine was spot on about Darius leeching off PaperBoi. Darius has a good heart, but pissed me off this episode. It will be interesting to see how the relationship between Al and him continues

[@Lazarus1108]

I was thinking the same concept! Al has been doing things in his career that most rappers would feel as selling out or losing street cred. Such as the white guilt apology for the designer as well as the show with everyone in black face that he feels may land him in the cancel club.

[@Cinnahawk]

Remember that off screen fight Al had with Darius? So far the focus has been on Earn and even Tracy freeloading off of Al's success but no one mentions how Darius has been on that leech grind since the jump

[@someguy2504]

dallascowboysfan1998 thanks for the reminder!! I hope this time we don’t get tension brushed off quickly.

[@aaronlittle5478]

This is probably a simple interpretation, but along these same lines I think Lorraine is a red-light girl because of that conversation Al had with Zan, who called him out for exploiting his own experience for his rap career - i.e. selling himself. If she represents all of his insecurities, including those regarding his own mother, then this fits in line with rest.

[@timmykov]

you're spot on mate. this is 100% how I understood the episode and I'd hate a space cake an hour before it 😂

[@KasaiFilms8]

Lorraine ( A trans actor) represents an amalgam of PaperBoi's conscious - The Id, ego and super ego all rolled into one. He literally got lost within his deepest thoughts. His mind was Amsterdam. Every door he went into was a different dark thought that he wrestled with. - fame, relationships, career, etc. All his thoughts manifested until he broke and passed out. Fantastically directed and written!!

[@monicaruiz9924]

Lorraine is the trip!!!!! She represents how hallucinogens can show you your unconscious thoughts and parts about yourself…

[@Cole_Thiago]

She's like the personification of paranoia

[@TheBlademan-]

the Liam Neeson appearance was unexpected and such a subversion it was hilarious

[@johnjr578]

No lie, Tracy woulda spotted socks off jump and get heem outta here

[@NineNerdYards]

No question about it.

[@annahafren]

In the pilot, Al says "I aint seen or heard from you since my mom's funeral" so we know Ern was there.

[@peacefulzoodle]

This might be one of my fav episodes. Paperboi’s character is pure emoting of emotion. I believe this was his Ego death, Lorraine was his fear state ego. But before the “session” Darius at the first coffee shop says he’s fasting before the space cake and also loves his hat. So there’s no bill to split. Also it was a few dollars for coffee?? I took that as a pure love compliment about the hat and brotherly love fuking around with money. And Darius also told Paperboi before the space cake how much he loved him. At the end it was so touching Ern waiting for PB to wake like a mother would. Changed his clothes. Got him food and water. All his fears was the ego lens. It wasn’t the reality.

[@mfninja5190]

So I picked up on something in this episode you didn’t cover. Lorraine took Al to the Cancel Club. Well, I personally picked up on her mannerisms as being LGBTQ, particularly trans. To me that read as a criticism of the rap community. Her friends state that she hooks up with rappers and her apartment is “106 & park.” To me that’s a statement to the assumption that there are many gay, bi and pansexual male rappers out there who regularly but discretely have sex with gay or trans sex workers. But the stigma towards lgbtq people is still within the culture so even being seen with a trans woman is considered taboo and creates the assumption that you’re having sex with them. That’s why the one friend said “they’re definitely fucking” as Al walked away. He’d be canceled in the rap game to be seen at a dark club with a trans woman. That may even be why Lorraine told him to take off the purple hat so he doesn’t get recognized. And why she knows so much about the music business . And it makes sense that she would introduce him as “new jazz” as to not use his “famous” name; something she’s clearly done before and several people know about. Now, why Al would hallucinate all of that is the big question.

[@Cinnahawk]

Yeah Glover was just taking a shot at the rap community and black culture in general for all the DL activity with trans people while being outspokenly against LGBTQ as a whole.

[@mfninja5190]

Thinking even more about this. As pointed out this is their second time in Europe. Could it be possible that Al has hooked up with a trans woman in the red light district before and is worried it could come out, which is why he imagines the “cancel club?” And could furthermore be a factor behind why he wants his phone back so bad a couple episodes prior. Possibly incriminating photos or texts? There feels like too much to this.

[@BryantSwindle]

Also reminds me of the Montague episode, when the professor said that Al’s lyrics were “pro sexual spectrum” and he acted surprised (along with most of the other things that she said)

[@Cinnahawk]

@@mfninja5190 The guy above mentioned the B.A.N. Montague segment on trans, even the dude with the half fro in jail talking about his "girl" while everyone roasted him. It's an underrated reoccurring theme, hopefully it goes somewhere. No one wants to talk about this kinda stuff lol

[@corneliusrawness]

@@Cinnahawk Donald glover is an LGBTQ ally dude

[@Jazalena]

Also I loved the hat believe Lorraine saying the hat was dumb was his own self doubt about the hat

[@Cinnahawk]

Good take. The whole show has been about Al's internal struggle with staying true to the streets while being famous. Def wouldn't have worn that on the block in past seasons.

[@gravityfel7896]

@@Jazalena Al asking Darrius if the hat looked good on him should've been the strongest hint that Al had some insecurities about it and was asking Darrius for affirmation.

[@cinemaghost3149]

I think the cancel club quote is more on the fact that alot of the men in the cancel club are accused/convicted rapists so "they don't let you say no" is a double entendre . Love this episode, great analysis bro

[@talethiashareef3690]

He went to jail too but episode only shows the ladies fighting according to Al and then at the table together

[@AllieMaggie4]

Ouuuuu .. that’s interesting!!!

[@TheRayvolution]

Yoooooooo….mind. Blown.

[@lauraramirez338]

The fear of paper boi with those kids, he has trauma from the woods episode...

[@davidcovarrubias8687]

This episode aswell as the hat, was fire, I could also notice some similarities to the 3 Slaps episode, especially with the advice the mom gave the boy and how mom and son relationships can sometimes be not so conventional but with a more pragmatic way of taking care of each other. Lorraine is that anxious subconscious part of Al that I'm sure his mother instilled by raising him in a way where he doubted everyone in order to survive.

[@reven175]

People missing the point that lorraine was a manifestation of his mother

[@badguy150]

@@reven175this is the comment I was looking for🔥

[@seethewaitofficial5137]

Legit my first thought after watching a new episode of Atlanta is when will ninenerdyards post about this!

[@corneliusrawness]

Same! It’s the go to channel for Atlanta analysis!

[@chasep1310]

All part of it now

[@KillahkiddRPCrecords]

I literally just got done watching the episode and came here to look for it. It was the first thing that popped up in recommended.

[@amandaabbott7536]

Lol me toooo!!!!!!

[@simonetizza4858]

Same!

[@TheAwash]

Thanks for the great breakdowns. I appreciate you taking your time to make quality connections. The scene in the 2nd episode (Sinterklaas) when the promoter ‘fake-chased’ Earn, grabbed the first person in blackface that he saw, and beat him down, stuck out to me as the first Liam Neeson reference immediately. I’d forgotten about the name drop in Socks’ rant. This show is genius. I can’t wait for the rest of the episodes and your breakdowns fam.

[@KingLex87]

The hat is 🔥🔥🔥 My grandad passed away 3 years before I was born and he used to rock those hats in every photo he took so now I rock them just to have a little part of him besides his name.

[@ruvimbojae7471]

Finally!!! I enjoy Atlanta and your commentary has literally become an integral part of the whole experience this season for me. Keep up the good work.

[@christiangomez320]

Yeah me too. It seems no one is talking about season 3.

[@jackiebishop2177]

@@christiangomez320 Oh sure they are. Check out a channel by 'Movie Files'. He has great Atlana reviews.

[@NineNerdYards]

Movie Files really does have great reviews and he quick as hell with them. I should ask him to collab with me 🤔

[@nate51593]

Earn’s delivery at the end, to me, seems like he’s shocked that Al would ask that. Like, how does he know about masters but also, why would he think he would try to steal Al’s money.

[@olwethumkhize2438]

Damn I really wonder if this season will show what happened to Clark County at the airport and where he is and I didn’t notice the RIP sticker on the table. Thanks for that bro, always love your reviews about Atlanta keep going🔥🔥

[@LordHaveMurcielago]

Bruh, my man has to be watching this show at -0.5x speed to be catching all these Easter eggs.

[@yoambria3747]

Well we know what happen at the airport Earn tried to pin the gun on Clark then Clark turned around an pinned the gun on his assistant that was with him. His assistant stayed behind because he got hemmed up with security I’m sure. Clark boarded the plain with AL, Darius and Ern. Their exchange hinted that Clark knew exactly what Ern did. I think after that something happens to him during their first time in Europe.

[@robesdebah4811]

Was watching an interview with the writers' at a premier of season three and Donald Glover said one of the themes of this season is the tragedy of being white and how our systems fuck them up by reinforcing ignorance. He was talking about the opening ghost story to the crowd, but it totally tracks with what Liam says is the best and worst thing about being white. Shit hits hard, and you can really find it in every episode. (I'm very white, btw)

[@Cinnahawk]

Last episode was a great example of that. The kid was too young (at least in the show's continuity) to look down on Sylvia already the way his parents did and so he's able to genuinely appreciate her love and culture. Being born with the notion that you're better than most of the population and having that idea reinforced not only by other whites but also by self hating minorities creates a monster.

[@TheBiggestMoronYouKnow]

Poor whites. 😒

[@michaelacosta7604]

The correlation between the episode being titled, "New Jazz," and the episode taking place in the red light district. I think this a good time to plug Sidney Bechet's autobiography, "Treat It Gentle." "You know there's people, they got the wrong idea of Jazz. They think it's all that red-light business. But that's not so. And the real story...It's Jazz." (Treat It Gentle, Page One). Jazz is often said to have been created in a whorehouse and been named after white people trying to ridicule black performers by calling their music 'Jass.' Bechet argues against this by saying that Jazz doesn't begin or end anywhere or with anyone and it will always be around. When Alfred ask's Lorraine what New Jazz means, she says: "We're all New Jazz here, baby." There are many points that can be related from the first few chapters of this book to the themes of this season. The book begins with a patron asking Bechet what Jazz is after a show to which he explains that he believes he got his music from it being something inherited like stories handed down from his father and Grandfather. Those anecdotes of his grandfather and father are Chapter Two and Three, which I highly recommend to read. He later ascribes in Chapter Three that Jazz was something that African-American people clung onto closely after Emancipation. He says that most people of color had no idea what to do during Emancipation and most did not know what being free meant or what the difference was. "All those people who had been slaves needed music more than ever, as if they were trying to figure out what to do with this freedom. Playing the music and listening to it - waiting for it to express what they needed to learn, once they had learned it wasn't just white people the music had to reach to, nor even to their own people, but straight out to life and to what a man does with his life when it finally is his." (Treat It Gentle, Page 50). Furthermore, I saw a preseason reddit theory by user, 'Jermaine_Cole788,' after the first teaser was released. The teaser was of Alfred sitting in a shot inspired by the Jodarowski film, "The Holy Mountain." That scene is is now Episode Six, "White Fashion," where Alfred suggests Earn's 'Reinvest In Your Hood Campaign' idea to a brand's board of diversity experts. Alfred wears a shirt that says 'phake' and a hat. In Episode Three, at Nando's, there was a white woman running around the house that steals Alfred's hat and Sox returns it for him at the end. This reddit user predicted that Alfred will meet this shows version of Vivendi, a French business conglomerate that owns and controls the masters/publishing of a large percentage of the music industry. That Alfred will come face to face with the entity that owns him and his music career. Based on how this episode ended, this theory may have merit. In Atlanta Season Two, Episode One, Uncle Willy (Katt Williams) warns Earn about managing Alfred with a story about his Uncle Jarvis who managed another relative named Damian when he was in an R&B group: "Now, they don't even talk no more! Because you find out...family is business." In this episode too, it began with a rift between Darius and Alfred. And by the end of the episode, one of Alfred's freeloading friends is introduced (Tracy). Uncle Willy also adds that Earn needs to be on Al's good side now because Alfred is bringing in the money. Uncle Willy then hands Earn a gun, saying he's going to need it for the music business. In the final episode of Atlanta Season Two, before Team Paperboi and Clark County board a plane to go on tour in Europe, Earn finds this same gun in his backpack before they enter security. Earn uses sleight of hand to slip it into Clark County's backpack, but Clark County uses his sleight of hand to put in his manager's backpack. Season Two left on a cliffhanger with Earn's managerial role with Alfred in doubt. Before the plane takes off, Alfred said he saw what happened and that is exactly why there is doubt. However, he needs somebody that cares and there will always be a role for that. But, Paperboi was talking to Lucas, Clark County's manager, before he was arrested at the airport and couldn't make the tour. Most likely, Earn had to step up and replace him, learning his role, allowing for things like him negotiating Alfred's record deal. It would not surprise me if it comes out that Alfred only own's a percentage of his masters, Earn's shirt in the final scene of this episode is what I believe is a director chair telling a beer named jim 'imma put you on the silver screen.' If Uncle Willy doesn't give Earn that gun, Earn doesn't manifest Uncle Willy's cautious tale about achieving this level of success (Uncle Willy's gun is what shot Earn to managerial success). Edit: I did not peep the R.I.P. Clark County sticker! The implications of that are just wow...I mean Tupac was killed by Sinterklaas and Clark did say that there is only one room for one rapper in the game. Lastly, it was established in the first episode that the one-off episodes are dream episodes with Earn waking up at the end of Episode One, "Three Slaps." There is also a recurring Earnest character, White Earn, that delivers season three's chilling tone setting opening monologue about white being a curse too. Earn is having dreams (or nightmares) of being white and black wealth. Mainstream success in Rap can be seen as popularity among a white demographic that obsesses over black culture without any care for it. Alfred literally sells a show out to a crowd of blackface in Episode Two. Mainstream success in Rap (or anything) can also mean navigating predominantly white spaces like Europe and for a person of color, W.E.B. Du Bois idea of Double Consciousness is implicated throughout these environments implicitly (maybe a correlation between this and the Double Consciousness of this season being split between dream and reality too). Additionally, it takes a certain literacy or understanding to navigate these predominantly white spaces comfortably - why Earn succeeds in his role within these spaces and Alfred is uncomfortable by them. In the beginning of Episode Three, "The Old Man And The Tree," Earn pitches the idea of getting in front of more millionaires like Fernando to Alfred and Darius so they can fund their ideas. The group all make fun of Earn and take on their white voices like in the 2018 film, "Sorry To Bother You" ("Hey guys, this is my white voice, where's the blow at man" - Earn "That's just how you normally talk" - Group) . DuBois suggests that Double Consciousness is a specific phenomenon to those who are most fully caught between the white world and world of color. Mainstream success in Rap can also be seen as white exploitation or appropriation of black culture for profit like in Episode Six, "White Fashion," or like in many other episodes of this show, and even this episode where Alfred almost performs to a bunch of old white men in the Cancel Club - where they don't let you say no. This episode culminates with Alfred being told he is white by Lorraine because he can't see the truth, nor does he want too, and he doesn't feel anything before passing out and seeing himself walk by. I commented this on another video and thought I would share here since there are so many theories on what New Jazz means. It can easily be interpreted as Contemporary Rap alone and how it endears the same struggles as Jazz musicians did because it does inherently. But, Lorraine saying we are all New Jazz makes me think that we shouldn't completely exclude ourselves from conceptualizing New Jazz's definition.This show also does a great job in subtly painting no differentiation between slavery and wage slavery like Sebastian's mom talking about the new maid she wants in the previous episode or the couple in "Three Slaps," making all their adopted children of color to work their garden with no food and sing slave songs. The structures of slavery are still present in different forms.

[@calebsanchez4861]

Which video did you comment on? Was it just another video essay on this ep? Curious cause how you were able to correlate everything you wrote

[@chrisrowe2845]

Phenomenal write up!

[@michaelacosta7604]

@@calebsanchez4861 Excellent question and thank you so much! I originally wrote this comment up on the movie files video essay of this episode then was feeling myself a bit and posted this same bit on this video when I saw it dropped, and one other. In that video, movie files said he didn't know if the term New Jazz meant anything deeper and said to let him know what we think it means in the comments. Same with the meaning of the red light district. I think New Jazz meaning rap can be discerned since that is the name Lorainne uses for any guest she brings into the cancel club, most of which are rappers. Along with rappers often having relations with trans people that is hidden for fear of cancellation or negative social judgement and maybe Alfred's guilt of so. However, I distinctly remembered the opening line of one of the books I had to read for a class I took on Jazz literature that related an explanation of Jazz's root with the red light business. Along with other parts of that book and was surprised no one commented Jazz being rooted in the red light business too. But that's all I can really speak on. There is so much more discussion to be made and these comment sections have been very insightful. Most of these episodes I'm still processing and going back too. Like I feel that there is still so much more to be discovered in the Teddy Perkins episode. The Vivendi Theory was also just something I remembered from before the season started, when I was looking for any spoilers or reasonable theories. When Lorainne asked Al if he owns his masters, I immediately recalled that and was like 'oh sh*t, they were right.' I also watch this series a lot because you have to have seek your own interpretations and I picked up on Uncle Willy's anecdote in the first episode of Season Two recently after watching this one. Same with the first 'crossover' to the other side in Season Two, Episode Two, when Alfred is supposed to perform for a Spotify-type office of mainly white people and refuses. I also have some minor experience in the music industry and it is not that far off. I had a friend who was exactly like Clark County, a D*f J*m industry plant who was a big asshole. I kid you not, he did the same thing Clark County did in Season Two, Episode Three, where he threatens his engineer after the DAW crashes. I also run a digital imprint based in NY of a college-market label that is a subsidiary of Disruptor Records. So my commentary on mainstream success equating to reaching a large white audience and navigating white spaces comes from relating my personal experience to the show. I would overhear conference calls of D*f J*m's executives and I can quote this being said verbatim, (on D*f J*m's 2021 creative direction) "So, are we really going to be a hip-hop label again."

[@olivemashala258]

@@michaelacosta7604 love your insights on the industry, jazz and the episodes. It truly catches me off guard how we could all be watching the same show yet have multiple interpretations! Circling back to your pondering on the Teddy Perkins episode, if I were to make a connection to White Jazz, I’d relate Teddy to Earn and Benny to Al. I think something terrible will transpire between the two and Darius will be there to witness it.

[@michaelacosta7604]

​@@olivemashala258 WOW. That is an amazing catch. My heart just dropped because I completely believe that foreshadowing. Alfred is going through writer's block and Teddy wanted an album out of Benny's pain, killing him in the process. I can feel this show building towards something bad happening. I'll have to rewatch now with that connection! Someone pin her comment to the top please.

[@SofaKingOverThisIsh]

Your coverage of ATL is always perfect. Keep up the good work!

[@Spacialjones]

Man, when you pointed out that Paper Boi was yelling his Mom’s name while he was tripping….messed me up. He’s really going through it these last two seasons and compartmentalizing a lot.

[@GraduatedMoney]

11:54 mans said, “I love old 106 & park.” Then proceeds to show a clip of Terrence & Rocsi 😭😭😭😭😭 Shout out to the 90’s babies, AJ & Free on mines 🤣🙌🏼

[@AllieMaggie4]

Let’s take it back to the beginning tho with Free and A.J 🏆

[@gothkragor]

The Teddy Perkins chapter and this chapter have blown my mind, now they are my favorites

[@hoozy6919]

I don't think it's in Ern's character to lie about the masters. In season 1 when Al talks to Ern's dad about him, Ern's dad says that when he does something he does it his way. Now that he represents Al I'd like to think he would do the same for him too. But I interpreted how he answered Al's question different to the video. To me, the way he said it seemed natural and honest. I'm hoping that long pause was for dramatic effect ;-;

[@AWEhardy]

I think the long pause and earn asking “what” was just a case of confusion as Al probably has never asked or questioned about his masters before this moment

[@JayVulture]

Honestly, I think that pause and response was more like a “why wouldn’t you own your masters?” Kind of tone. With all of the news in the last few years of artist getting trapped by their labels, I believe Glover went through that as well. This adds even more credence to this interpretation.

[@dashfriday974]

That’s how I understood it as well.

[@elisha2358]

I agree

[@eski_truv]

Man nah it’s something shady there😂 even the simple “you do”. I think if Ern was answering genuinely he would’ve went into more detail about how he structured the deal and how exactly Al gets to own his masters despite that being an almost impossible thing to do when signing with a record label. I believe Ern structured something so that he could benefit off the masters more than he thinks Al would like him to. Remember they were struggling at the time the deal was made, so Ern probably made a more selfish move due to him being hungry at that time and can’t bring himself to tell Al exactly how the deal went down especially now that they’re successful and happier. If anything can cause a real rift between them, it will be this ownership of masters conversation as that’s exactly how a lot of artists and managers start having problems with one another or stop doing business together.

[@Cinnahawk]

I like how the writers are expanding on the subtle foreshadowing of all this from the first season. You mentioned when Earn tried to be Al's manager and he said "I haven't seen or head from you since my mom's funeral and the first thing out your mouth is 'Let's get rich.'" Plus even Earn in that scene was like "Who is this dude" "Is he your manager" in regards to Darius just being there taking up space. Yeah Earn stepped up since S2 as a manager but it doesn't mean he has Al's best interest at heart. Def Woods pt.2. "You family man and I'm trying to ride with you but sometimes that shi ain't enough." Nice catch on the poster, really hope Clark didn't catch the fade tho. Man was a perfect villain. Yoohoo!

[@nicholassmith5611]

The hat IS fire. And I was pretty surprised someone who came from the underground like Al wouldn’t know what masters are as well.

[@bebeenderson7863]

I’ve seen a couple of theories about the rat…sick/dying rats are considered a sign of betrayal…so this can imply that someone around Al will or already has betrayed him (I hope the writers right that off as him finding out about Sox) …I’ve also heard an interesting theory that when Darius says “maybe it’s sick” about the rat, this maybe be a sign he knows something that the others don’t know…..that maybe Van is sick, or dying….this would explain her irrational behavior this season and since they spent the day together (and maybe a night 🙃) Van probably vented to Darius about this and had him promise to tell no one.

[@myvettebeauty]

I don’t think it’s Sox, I think it’s Earn. Esp with the masters conversation.

[@SofaKingOverThisIsh]

I fear something similar about Van.. I hope not but her whole presence this season is almost ethereal

[@myvettebeauty]

@@SofaKingOverThisIsh I never thought about her being sick but I def don’t think it’s that. She seems like she’s just on a journey to re-find herself, but may be battling depression ?? But I don’t get sickness.

[@AllieMaggie4]

Interesting!!!!

[@AllieMaggie4]

@@myvettebeauty did you not see Sox with Alfred’s phone at the end of that one episode? It very well could be him

[@biblebreakdownpodcast]

Al being scolded on gender norms (“Chanel is for girls”) is super interesting coming from a trans woman. This show is too good. The hat is amazing and clothes aren’t inherently gendered.

[@abdillahihaibe1036]

The moment Al enters the door into the museum, I will argue, is when we are taken into the subconscious of Al. the first thing we see is an extension of the scene we saw outside, which is a white woman crying, however, the difference now is, it's performative, which could be a take on the “white women tears”. When Lorraine first appears, she comments on his hat being stupid, Which I believe is the first sign that she is the physical manifestation of Al's deepest fear and insecurities. Furthermore, Lorraine being transgender might allude to Al also carrying the inherited fears of his mothers as well as the inability of a black man to show any form of emotions or action that can be viewed as feminine, which also defeats the purpose of his masculine persona, Paperboi. This is also why Lorraine says "i hate rappers...i most of all hate how y'all say P**Sy" indicating that they should say it softer, more feminine, she then continues about how rappers don't know anything about themselves, which is a continuing theme for Al's character. Lorraine plays into Al's fears of not knowing where his money is and how everyone around him are all there for their own benefit, which further plays into his feeling of loneliness in this season. Sidenote, the Mickey mouse hats are an interesting symbol, I believe outside of the commentary on the Disney acquisition of FX, Mickey Mouse largely represents children's entertainment. So, maybe, Lorraine telling Al to put on the Mickey hat and embrace what he fears is him allowing his inner child to be vulnerable, which is why, when they leave the museum he is in awe of the streets life but then later on when he loses Lorraine, his overcome by the fear of abandonment and quite literally screams for his mother. The canceled club scene is self-explanatory but when they leave the club and is daytime, Al is forced to accept all of his internal battles but he refuses to do so by rejecting Lorraine's embrace. An argument ensues and Al shares his grievance with Lorraine but she tells him he needs her, as she is the only one being honest with him. AL's continual refusal to embrace his inner emotion, leaves Lorraine, saying *my n*gga you don't feel shit" meaning his so emotionally guarded that he has become emotionally numb to his own feelings. Al loses the inner battle with himself, his inner emotion (Lorraine) becomes the victor and takes control of his body, forcing his whole body to become numb. Finally, Al's main goal in this episode was to hide but it turns out that his been hiding so well, that even when looking at himself, his unable to recognize himself.

[@olivemashala258]

What an amazing take!👏🏽

[@ayashakur]

Good viewpoint. It makes a lot of sense. And with your analogy about his inner child, he was walking through and smiling, like he was amazed before he lost her and started panicking, like a feeling of abandonment.

[@AllieMaggie4]

Bro.. do you have a channel?? This was good.

[@menzinkosi9869]

Love this. The hats he wears denote different the different roles he plays. like the saying "Let me put on my thinking hat". He wears the hat to try and obscure his identity. The hats represent many his different selves, or different performances of self

[@slimtonthegreen]

“If you leave Mickey, you gon end up with a Goofy”

[@manfredimelodia111]

honestly the scene of the 3 bullies that play with the baby, remind me a scene of "Them" tv show

[@jazzoski7048]

When Lorraine says that the cancel club doesn’t let you say no and you have to perform speaks to how a celebrity must apologize and cowtow to the people they have offended if they want to continue being successful. You can’t have a unpopular opinion, you can’t be honest about how you feel if it doesn’t align with the mainstream. Sidebar: Ghosts seems to be a reoccurring theme in these episodes.

[@EM-ht9rx...ht9rx...ht9rx...]

By far my favorite episode of season 3 that features the main cast

[@DrOSami]

Loved the hat and loved Paper Boi's reply. OMG!!! "I ain't ask your ass!"

[@andrewstephens5885]

That subtle echo when he yells Lorraine was really chilling, for an episode with an obnoxious character this is still a pretty subtle show.

[@hahajaxsontv]

Lorraine was Al's Anima 1. PSYCHOANALYSIS (in Jungian psychology) the feminine part of a man's personality. 2. HISTORICAL•PHILOSOPHY the soul, especially the irrational part of the soul as distinguished from the rational mind. Basicly psychology 101 He sees it as the ghost of his mom. Which is the only voice he will listen to

[@kennycooper294]

yeah dont get me started on jung

[@mizsab365]

@@kennycooper294 Do tell..

[@PlushPapito]

Just gonna say. I literally ignore everyone else’s videos on Atlanta and wait for yours! Keep up the good work.

[@blackhole9215]

Me too

[@mizsab365]

@@blackhole9215 Me Three!

[@jordanbrown3887]

same!! They're really not as good

[@SensetiveKaiju]

So about the hat, it's a great hat and a sign of growth and becoming. This is speculation but I feel as though the Lorraine manifestation being portrayed by a trans actor wasn't sheer coincidence. (As wonderful as the representation is) I believe that the Lorraine manifestation is an amalgamation of the toxic self isolation mentality from his own mental space mixed with the feminine maternal motherly aspects which can also be toxic at some points. The events that brought on the manifestation were his initial longing for compassionate feminine companionship that exists outside of his fame. The helpless dying rat alone. The woods ptsd being triggered. All of these culminate in Lorraine. Who reprimands him for not being real, something he struggles with intally. Makes fun of him for wearing "feminine" clothing. Something a black parent raised in the 60s would do. Tell him about managing him finances, something a mother would do. Critique his use of language, like a mother would. Trigger feelings that you're being used by the people around you that love you the most, a mixture of feelings from single mother and his own insecurities most likely. I think it's no mistake Lorraine, a walking pile of toxic insecurities would bring him to the cancel club. I think Lorraine is an incredible character played by a lovely actress and I wish we would see more of her but I doubt it. I do think Darius could make his own income if he tries. The only one with malicious intent I worry about sometimes is Earn. Simply because out of all his personal attachments he has no clear rankings of affection. Sorry for the long comment. Side note: mentioning Da Baby and Dua Lipa at the cancel club is funny because Da baby is always bring canceled to the point where dua Lipa has spoken out against him. Also people have attempted to cancel dua Lipa over a racist map and a allegedly stolen song.

[@dashfriday974]

Thanks for sharing! When you talk about Darius not pulling his weight, it reminded me of the conversation Darius had with Earn in the final episode of season 2 about Al not wanting Earn failing in his life when Al was considering firing Earn.

[@MONET8iAM]

And the direct link between Dua Lipa and DaBaby is that he was on the remix on her hit song Levitating, so in a time of being considered being an enabler by association, she kinda had to do that.

[@edgarcmtz]

I was also gonna bring up dababy and Dua Lipa at the cancel club. Glad to know I wasn’t reaching

[@Hellythep]

White Hennessy is harder to find in the US, I think that’s why it’s touched upon so much this season! To further add to the plot that they’re in Europe.

[@wiiplaya25]

Much smoother than regular henny, I’ll say that

[@joncliffmckinley5868]

its only available for retail in Europe. the US variant is Hennessy Black. either one is intended for cocktails primarily

[@LQC13]

Your take on his mom having some sort of personality disorder hit me bro. My mom is bipolar and seeing what Al went through if his mom had some shit like that... Hit me differently than my first watch and made it heart breaking for me

[@JDigg99]

"Losing time like Moon Knight" lol😂

[@Khail707]

The White Hennessy thing was a reference to black people goin on vacation and buying it &/or reselling it when they get back stateside.

[@g4brielb0nfim]

The hat suited him very well, that was the first thing I thought while watching the episode lol Edit: Btw, I am sure the dude in a dalmatian costume is a reference to the Community character Craig Pelton

[@JohnRapheal7]

Naw I'm 100% sure that it's a Shining reference. Community is to goofy and it woulda been out of place, but the Shining is creepy and weird and you cant really tell what is reality and what isnt. Which is kind of like this episode, did he truly experience those events or was he just tripping balls or a combo of the two?

[@darkseedfile]

it’s a reference to another fx show buying them a drink or a toast,the show was also canceled after season 4 hence it being in the club(atlanta also ends after season4 ) but idk if that’s true at all tbh

[@g4brielb0nfim]

@@JohnRapheal7 Yeah, I didn't express very well. I think it might be referencing more than one thing at the same time, it 100% is a Shining reference as well

[@tommymoriarty829]

Oh! Totally forgot about the dean's dalmatian fetish 😂

[@JohnRapheal7]

@@g4brielb0nfim you prob right tho. Since Donald Glover is Comminitu alum, they just killed two birds with one stone

[@kinyuapeter278]

Let's not forget that Ern is an avid music lover and it's been mention that he went to good white majoring schools so I think he's familiar with the masters issue so maybe he did have Al's best interest in the negotiations

[@Dig.it.thadope1]

I legit think Lorraine is a mix of Paperboy's sub conscious and his missing his mom. It's like the woods episode when he dreamed of him mom in "The Woods", she was directly addressing him.l, telling him to wake up. But Lorraine pointed out his hat, something he was subconsciously insecure about. He is scared of cancel culture. He is afraid of looking "Goofy" by standing out.

[@Dig.it.thadope1]

He is moving away from "what would my mom think" to "how should I handle this" but still leaning on him mom's values. I think has why Lorraine is a trans woman... A mix of him and his mom.

[@saymusiclover]

This is EXACTLY what I thought about the hat too! He didn’t want to look “Goofy”. He’s insecure about his fire 🔥 purple hat, and thinks “the hood” would say,he looks goofy.

[@unfriendlyblkhottie444]

And Lorraine told him to "become what you fear." He's afraid of looking goofy and she's encouraging him to literally look like GOOFY (or wear Goofy).

[@SenorbryanA]

Mind blowing. Fucking poetic, ugh.

[@NickiSincerely]

The groovy black girl gave a cute slight smile 😊. She saw him and he saw her.

[@NineNerdYards]

What do you think was the significance of that moment?

[@mwood341]

Wow great breakdown, I remember this episode and I remember feeling that it was one of Atlanta’s most abstract episodes ever

[@johnofark]

THAT HAT IS FUCKING FIRE

[@mando8540]

The dog and man couple who paid for the drinks could also be a reference to his old show community where the dean had a dalmation fetish and images of men dressed as dalmations were common for that season

[@HorseJoint]

It's funny. If you peep the shoes on the "Guy" who was spassing out on the ground when they were walking pass. Same shoes as AL, same build as him, then. Then the hat.

[@andrechris6518]

Also noticed my second time watching that Lorraine comments on Al's hat without even looking at him.

[@grandmastazed2104]

Al started tripping when he started seeing black people around Amsterdam, he first saw the girl on the bridge and he started seeing more throughout his trip. Even Darius commented on the lack of black people in the city when they were going through the RLD, Al replied "what're you talking about, there is one right...." And then got interrupted when he told him "you gonna be my security?" Even Lorraine's way of speaking was extremely similar to Al's, using the same AAV.

[@TheDavPan]

‘I’m the white Liam Neeson’ 🤣🤣

[@armanclark]

What started off as a show about being a rapper's cousin ended up being black American horror story and I love it

[@antgotguap6951]

Darius really said “thank u fate”😂😭😂

[@theorderofthebees7308]

😂😂😂

[@katdujka4760]

this show just reminds me that Donald glover and the Atlanta team are genius.

[@frederickdixon8528]

Episode was a masterpiece

[@nyceflix]

I dug the hat. Lorraine was a manifestation of Al's doubts (friends, business, etc) "Not saying no": In order to be back in "the industry" and come back from being cancelled you have to perform, apology tours there is no saying no if you want back in. I think Al & Darius were up to something nefarious other than getting baked. Something Earn says regarding insurance kind of tipped that. And when he's got Al back he says something about it 'working out better'.

[@airpegasus5167]

I never noticed the RIP Clark County sticker 😯

[@vnessa33]

Lorraine is the inner manifestation of all his insecurities including being with a man... thats why they laughed when he kept saying "we not F*****"....Hat is pretty fire.. but of course his insecurity is making him second guess it...

[@actualnotanewbie]

I think Alred being in "cancel club" foreshadows him possibly getting canceled by "the streets" like Earn warned earlier this season.

[@mizsab365]

Another amazing breakdown, the hidden details, parallels and connections you touched on were spot on! When I saw Liam Neeson, I automatically had a flashback of your review of the episode 5 when you played LH's clip admitting he was looking to attack a black person - that's how you know your reviews are golden! This episode was a vibe! and the fact season 4 is out in the fall, makes me even more excited! Keep doing you!

[@drejones2426]

I wish I could watch this episode for the first time again💯

[@flammea_]

You know how couple of people mix up into one in your dreams? I think Al in his dreamy state imagined and mixed up her mom with a random European girl. There were parts where she was her mother and the parts where she was not. At least I think that was the implication and it's not a hint at Al's weird relationship with his mother. I don't know about your views on Ern either. He seemed pretty honest to me. It's weird that the first thing a friend asks you after a bad trip is 'who owns my masters'. It was unexpected, that's All. They emphasized in that moment how much Ern cares about Al. His answer showed us (and Al) that the last moment with Lorraine when he was numb was his paranoia, sort of his doubts amplified at once.

[@5324man1]

These were my thoughts as well

[@solomoon3083]

The minds behind this NEVER EVER cease to amaze. This show is for thinkers. Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep thinkers.

[@s1w0i0t4]

11:07 is an easter egg too referencing a character from Community where Donald Glover starred. It’s also one of the more surreal episodes of Community.

[@tysharfner1301]

Darrius makes the comment that cat is underrated because it was released that lakeith stanfield auditioned online for a roll in the play at the beginning of his career

[@alaxes]

I dug the hat. Also, I really feel like the question after you’ve been taking care of someone that just came down from a super high, and being passed out for 10 hours “who owns my masters”would cause pause. Like “what?” Uh you. I feel like these episodes have showed us that Earn is really the best manager for his cousin/artist. 🤷🏽‍♀️LOVE your channel!

[@Gambit2483]

Whoever played Loraine did an amazing job, especially as a relatively unknown

[@MegaVern1]

Been checking out your breakdowns of Atlanta and iota well done. Appreciate your time to share with us

[@ningning1196]

That moment at the bridge a read somewhere it's the representation of Al and Darius going to the other side because after that he starts tripping, although he thinks he is fine

[@RadicalSystem]

I actually thought/ hoped someone would notice ! The Cancel Club is actually filmed inside a real life club called "the Box" in London. The reason why it is unrecognisible is because no one is allowed to take pictures on the inside. The club is regarded as one of the most exclusive clubs in London with even Prince Harry visiting it regularly. Furthermore, it is also swamped with scandals maybe that is why Liam Neeson ask what did you do to get inside this club ! No one says no in that club refers to the fact that the artists / performers in that club have been known to do the most scandaleous things.. They have been known to have sex on stage, eat actual human shit, etc... That reference is soooooo hidden and if you if recognise the club and the background to the club it makes them being there even more trippy !!!

[@NineNerdYards]

That’s crazy!!!

[@psizwei]

This channel is fire. Glad I found it, I missed so many details. Thanks for doing this man

[@fernandobonannosa1431]

i’m so glad that you brought that reference from The Shining!! The guy in the bear suit and the other one in the smoking were so creepy

[@asia2807]

I’m late to the party, and I’m not sure if anyone has already brought it up ( I apologize if it has), but my husband thinks the reason why Lorraine is trans is because of the way that Al grew up. I know from personal experience that my mom used to tell me, “ I’m your mother and your father.” So maybe Al saw his mom (Lorraine) as his mother and father.

[@dwaniscool]

Thank you for picking up on that "The Shining" vibe with that dog and the man in the suit!!! Great observation!

[@dubbthamayor9485]

You are the best KZbinr who breaks down Atlanta. Everyone just gives commentary no real breakdown. 💯

[@jonlamanch]

Dude-your commentary is exactly what I was looking for.

[@godiswithyou.5358]

His hat was fire and I STAND by that. Love it on him.

[@finkretana]

When lorraine took alfred out of the cancel club, it feels like lorraine (whatever she was) took alfred away from do or say something that would get him cancelled, also thats why she present him as new jazz, paper boi is not cancelled (yet) he couldn't have get in. i like to think that lorraine was a manifestation of his mother's personality, a lot of conversations felt like mother and son talk.

[@Cinnahawk]

"You the last real rapper man. Don't let me down. If you let me down, I don't know what I'd do." Whole show has been building up to whether Al will continue to "keep it real" or succumb to fame, start dressing different, and promote for white companies like the Central Park 5 episode. Lorraine is telling him to wake up, inverse of the Woods episode where that influencer was saying that he has to start acting rich and do all the fake shi.

[@PurpleHeeler3]

I actually really like Loraine. She's coming back to give Al some tough love, just like she probably did when she was alive. She's wrong about the hat tho. It's fire!

[@deathhzrd]

I think that everything after the art space wasn’t real, like when you trip really hard sometimes you kinda “visit spaces” so to speak, maybe the cancel club is just one of those Black David Lynch moments. Just some psychedelic metaphor. I think that Lorraine represents all of Al’s fears and insecurities: that he stands out, that his friends and family are taking advantage of him, his memories of losing his mother, etc (I think even the kids at the beginning may be a representation of his PTSD but that may be a stretch) I also think that Al does own his masters, we really don’t have any reason not to believe Earn, if Earn was acting shady this season maybe, but Earn since episode one of for the most part a trust worthy dude, and this season it’s showing him stepping up as a manager completely. I think that scene at the end is supposed to settle the anxiety that was built up over the episode I think this is possibly my favorite episode of the season so far. They just keep out doing themselves

[@png.thomaz]

Bro, great video! After this season, Atlanta has become one of my favorite TV shows. Cheers!

[@JohnIrwin]

L haven't seen l the rest of the season yet but really enjoying using your videos as a kind of guided tour to the things I didn't notice. That said, I'm 100% certain that this season falls into Darius's understanding of non-linear time. This is the time that they visited Amsterdam 'before' that Earn was talking about in a previous episode.

[@barbosa8498]

Damn. I just sat to watch just one video about the episode trini 2 de bone, and this video is the 4th in a roll. Lol You got so much details that i couldn't have realized. Nice job. 'Um salve' from Brazil!! Pz

[@benjaminbryant3721]

The hat was fire 🔥 & your breakdown of this episode was great im catching up Atlanta & this was episode had me on my toes

[@treytimez8682]

I think the reason ern responded that way was because he put in his contract for paperboy to earn his master's over time but he doesn't own as yet but his wondering why he would ask him out of no where after all this time

[@MsNieshaBean]

I absolutely LOVE your breakdowns!!

[@kievmiddeton2656]

Bro I said the same thing when Loraine asked was he high yet even tho he never mentioned eating a space cake! Lol I was high watching this episode and every scene after the baby tossing I had to remember that Al was zoo’ted!

[@lewlootpack4459]

Ooh was I waiting for this one. I always like any time Earn has screen time, he reminds me too much of me (practical, analyzing his surroundings, a former lost sense of purpose regained). Darius was dropping jewels the whole episode, and Mr. Niessen was a mindblower. But I finished it feeling empty, like those were the two elements to keep this one going. So I needed a breakdown for sure.

[@kaij2309]

This was by far my favourite episode of the season and possibly my favourite episode of TV this year. With Barry and Better Call Saul currently airing as well, that's a pretty high bar. Donald Gloved fucking killed it, he always penning the best entries. Loved the video too