FX’s Atlanta has the most cryptic episode descriptions since Mad Men. Here’s what the Hulu summary for the season two finale reads: “Sometimes you gotta go where the money goes. But it be feeling like something is holding me back. Like I can’t leave.”
That’s maybe not the most helpful recap for when you’re trying to remember what happened in an episode that aired nearly four years ago. But don’t worry, ahead of the season three premiere (finally!) this Thursday, we’ve got you covered.
After taking a meeting with an entertainment lawyer ahead of a European tour, Alfred, a.k.a. Paper Boi (played by Brian Tyree Henry), instructs Earn (Donald Glover) to get rid of the “golden gun” that his uncle (Katt Williams) gave him earlier in the season. Earn puts the firearm into his backpack, but forgets about it after accompanying Darius (Lakeith Stanfield) to a passport agency to get his expired passport renewed. He’s preoccupied by Van (Zazie Beetz) potentially moving back in with her mother with their daughter and that Alfred may fire him. “I see you, man. I see you.. learning,” Darius comforts him. “But learning requires failure. Al just trying to make sure you ain’t failing in his life.”
Earn proves his worth at the airport. After realizing he still has the gun on his possession, he discreetly slips it into a bag belonging to rapper Clark County (RJ Walker) before going through security. His quick thinking does not go undetected by Alfred. “I saw what you did,” he says on the plane. “Just know that’s exactly what I’m talking about.” Alfred is impressed because they have to do “whatever they got to do to survive, ’cause [we] ain’t go no choice.” Earn might be a f*ck up, but “you give a f*ck.”
That’s enough for Alfred heading into season three.
Atlanta returns to FX on March 24 with a two-episode premiere.