(SPOILERS for this week’s Atlanta will be found below.)
Season three of Atlanta was set overseas as Paper Boi conducted a tour following his stateside success. Earn, Darius, and Van accompanied for what amounted to ten episodes of wacky events that we’ve come to expect from Atlanta, just with a European twist. For the show’s fourth and final season, the gang returned to Atlanta where things are certainly different than how they left the city. Seeing the world has caused them to see their home in a new way.
In episode four of the new season, titled Light Skinned-ed, Earn spends a Sunday with his family. What initially began as a trip to church together, quickly turned into a chaotic day thanks to family drama that finds Earn and Paper Boi in the middle of it.
Here are some of the biggest takeaways we have after season four’s fourth episode.
It’s Okay To Be Selfish About Your ‘You Time’
We all have busy lives nowadays and as much as it’s important to get through our daily and weekly tasks, it’s also important to make sure you carve out time for yourself to unwind, reset, and refocus. That’s what Earn’s dad makes clear at the beginning of this week’s episode. For just three hours every Sunday, Earn’s father’s free time consists of spending time at the mall during its early morning quiet hours. He doesn’t let Earn rag him into the family drama, but he, unfortunately, lets a lady at a hat kiosk in the mall distract him from his agenda for the day. Earn’s father’s frustration with that is clear, but they’re also understandable. It’s okay to be selfish about your “you time,” just maybe not to the point where family is ignored.
Make Sure There’s Always A Second Way Out
Earn eventually drags Paper Boi into his family drama as he brings his aunt to the studio where Paper Boi was hanging out with Gunna (!!!) and friends. Earn’s aunt throws everyone but Earn and Paper Boi to continue her fit about Earn’s mom running off (or as she calls it, “kidnapping”) their father. Arguments are had and the cops are called, and despite Earn’s grandfather being deemed as safe and sound, it’s still not enough for Earn’s aunt. Soon enough, Earn and Paper Boi decide to make a break for it and it’s here that they discover their studio building actually has two exits. They slip out to freedom from the second exit which allows them to carry on with their days. The government requires two exits for every public space, and it’s something that came in handy for Earn and Paper Boi. They were unaware of the exits, so take this as a reminder to be aware of yours. You know, for the next time you need an exit from family drama or something else of the sort.
Nobody Wins When The Family Feuds
Earn and his family could’ve had a peaceful Sunday together. It should’ve been a calm day of church together and then brunch or dinner later on. Unfortunately, their quarrels made their Sunday anything but a relaxing day. Earn’s mom and sister are at odds over the care of their father, and as a result, everyone gets dragged into the mess. Even Earn’s uncle, played by Katt Williams, gets brought into the mess which distracts from his Sunday grilling. Arguments and disagreements among families are common, but when they linger and grow into disdain for each other, it makes gatherings unenjoyable and makes people not even want to hang out with each other. Nobody wins when the family feuds — it amounts to unnecessary stress and life is too short for that.
Don’t Ever Leave Without The Bread
Remember that one social media debate that said there’s a certain amount of time to wait for that before diving into the free bread when you’re at a restaurant? There was plenty of commentary around that, but everyone indirectly agreed that there should at least be bread at the table. Earn and his family are ready to make their way home after getting dinner together when Earn’s mother realizes that they were never brought a basket of bread. She requests that it be brought out, and while the waiter fusses about it a bit, a scold from Earn’s dad ensures that their bread will be brought out. Bread is essential and it’s comforting to see that Earn’s family agrees. Don’t ever leave without your bread, and if they don’t bring it out, do everything you can to make sure you get it.
FX’s ‘Atlanta’ airs on Thursdays at 10:00pm EST.
Gunna is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.