Donald Glover’s creation is always good at seeing the future. A new standalone episode analyzes reparations at a time when they are becoming a real possibility in California.
For many , reparation — which , in this instance , would be payments that calamitous people would experience today because their ancestors suffered as slave — feel like a outstanding idea that they ’d never see manifest in their lifetime . Where would the fund even come from ? Who would be eligible ? The latter interrogation is on the dot what ’s being discussed in California , wherereportsfrom March 30 state that California ’s reparations task force vote that Black Californians who can establish a unmediated lineage to enslaved ancestors would be able to take part in a groundbreaking initiative into reparation , which their motions enounce is “ determined by an individual being an African American descendant of a movable enslaved somebody or the descendant of a free pitch-black soul subsist in the US prior to the end of the 19th century . ”
Two years ago , a billauthored by Assemblymember Shirley Weber ( who is now California ’s secretary of state ) was signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom , giving “ special retainer ” to Black Americans who are interrelate to enslaved ancestors . There ’s still a ways to go before actual cash could potentially strike mass ’s hands , with the reparations task force coiffure to release a proposal of marriage in June 2023 ; there still is n’t a firm apprehension of how any Black Americans in California who can show their parentage would get paid , but that ’s whereAtlantacomes in .
While not a dreaming - within - a - dreaming à la the Season 3 opener “ Three Slaps , ” “ The Big Payback ” and the time of year premiere both take station outside of the main fib involving Earn ( Glover ) , Alfred ( Brian Tyree Henry ) , Darius ( LaKeith Stanfield ) , and Van ( Zazie Beetz ) , throwing us into an Atlanta of quite possibly a not - so - aloof hereafter . The episode keep an eye on Marshall — perfectly played by Justin Bartha of theHangovertrilogy andThe New Normal — during a time when CEOs are running scared after successful reparations cases are hitting the news . On the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. Marshall successfully shoplifts some cooky and understand positive inroads in his estranged human relationship with his wife , he finds out an awful Sojourner Truth : his kinfolk owned slaves , with his great - corking - grandad have the great - great - grandfather of Sheniqua ( Melissa Youngblood ) , who has been calling his phone and following him throughout the day .
Illustration by Chineme Elobuike/Thrillist; photos courtesy of FX
Marshall ’s life hit a 180 : His wife wants to nail down their divorce ( so her cash in hand do n’t take a strike ) , Marshall has to look over his shoulder before leaving his job or his home , and he has a $ 3 million note dangle over his head , which he find out unfair because he ’s being punish for poppycock he did n’t do . ( The satire being that pitch-dark people — anyone who was n’t born one fussy way — are immediately judged and mistreated due to things they did n’t do , like pick their race or gender or gender . ) Marshall has to pay the genus Piper at the end of the twenty-four hours — mend for slaveryarelegal , you make love — in installments ( think paying back a college loan , only as a server and with the power to interchange the percent when you want ) and we ’re left study , “ Well , hell , maybe there is a future where reparations for slavery is a part of our society . ”
For those pay attention , Atlantahas long been setting up for occasional excursions like “ The Big Payback . ” From“B.A.N.”to “ Teddy Perkins,”Atlantahas been force consultation to remove themselves from the main story . reward admit acavalcade of commercialsthat perfectly animate the drivel you ’re fed during the day , or a horrific story that refer on parental abuse and the ailment of celebrity . Neither of those episodes furthered the main tale , and both have been accepted as some ofAtlanta ’s near . The ante has been upped in Season 3 , where we ’ve already alternate ahead in time and are reacquainting ourselves with the new Earn , Alfred , Van , and Darius . fan may want to get to their story ASAP , but like Biggie said , “ The more money you make , the more problems you get . ” The question is , wheredo these episodes live ? “ Three Slaps ” was a dream Earn was have ; could “ The Big Payback ” exist in his head as well , another “ contraband fairy tale ” he ’s having while living lavishly ( and unrealised ) in Europe ? We have the rest of Season 3 — and potentially parts of time of year 4 — to receive out .
“ The Big Payback , ” which was written by Francesca Sloane ( who is also work on Glover’sMr . and Mrs. Smithseries for Amazon Prime Video ) , and “ Three Slaps ” findAtlantapushing the bound for a series that already felt unconfined . Almost midway through this penultimate time of year , viewing audience are unsure what to bear on the other side of that inhuman open air . That ’s a testament to the risks Glover and bunch are uncoerced to take to get these stories heard . Black shows have tackle the reparations conversation before , but never to this grade . It ’s backbreaking to think of a serial on television receiver right now that would dare go this far , and when you couple that with the fact that these conversations are get down to in reality pop up in your news feeds , it ’s hard to say if any show can matchAtlanta ’s prophetic brilliance .
Justin Bartha as Marshall Johnson.|FX Networks
