The Big Bang (Atlanta)

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"The Big Bang"
Atlanta episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 1
Directed by Hiro Murai
Written by Donald Glover
Production codeXAA01001
Original air dateSeptember 6, 2016 (2016-09-06)
Running time27 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"Streets on Lock"
Atlanta (season 1)
List of episodes

"The Big Bang" is the pilot episode of American comedy-drama television series Atlanta . It originally aired on FX on September 6, 2016, back-to-back with the second episode "Streets on Lock". The pilot episode focuses on Earn Marks trying to convince his rapper cousin Alfred to let him be his manager. The episode was written by series creator Donald Glover (who also plays Earn) and directed by Hiro Murai. On September 7, 2016, FX released the first two episodes of Atlanta on YouTube for free. [1]

Contents

Plot

The series opens with a confrontation between local Atlanta rapper Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles (Brian Tyree Henry) and a man who damages Alfred's car for no apparent reason. Alfred's cousin Earnest "Earn" Marks (Donald Glover) tries to mediate the situation whilst stoned sidekick Darius (Lakeith Stanfield) has a sensation of déjà vu. The episode flashes back to earlier in the day where the life of Earn is shown. Earn is a homeless Princeton dropout, living with his daughter's mother Vanessa "Van" Keefer (Zazie Beetz) after being kicked out of his parents' house. He is working a dead-end job signing passengers up for credit cards at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport when he learns his cousin Alfred had released a new mixtape under the rap name "Paper Boi." Earn visits Alfred, and offers to act as his manager. Alfred initially sees Earn as a leech, noting that he hadn't spoken to him since the funeral of Alfred's mother and questioning his financial incentive. Earn attempts to prove himself by going to a local radio station and bribing the DJ to play Paper Boi's song. Later, just as they listen to the song on Alfred's car radio, a man walking by suddenly snaps off one of the side-view mirrors, resulting in the incident at the opening scene which ultimately culminates with a shootout. Earn and Alfred are promptly arrested, while Darius escapes the scene.

Production

In 2013, Deadline announced that Donald Glover would be developing a new series about Atlanta for FX. [2] In 2014, FX ordered a pilot for the series. [3]

"The Big Bang" was filmed in July 2015 at various locations around the Atlanta metropolitan area. [4] Airport scenes set at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport were actually filmed at Infinite Energy Arena in Duluth, Georgia. [5]

Reception

The episode received mainly positive reviews from critics. IGN called the episode "a comedic slow burn" [6] while Indiewire stated that the series was "on the cusp of something great". [7]

The pilot was viewed by 1.08 million viewers during its premiere and earned an 18-49 rating of 0.5. [8]

After submitting "The Big Bang" to Emmy voters for consideration, Glover won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series on September 17, 2017; [9] this made him the first black man to win the award since Robert Guillaume in 1985. [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Atlanta</i> (TV series) American television comedy series

Atlanta is an American comedy-drama television series created by Donald Glover. The series follows college dropout and music manager Earnest "Earn" Marks (Glover) and rapper Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles as they navigate a strange, seemingly otherworldly Atlanta hip hop scene. Atlanta also stars LaKeith Stanfield as Darius, Earn and Alfred's eccentric friend, and Zazie Beetz as Vanessa "Van" Kiefer, Earn's on-again-off-again girlfriend and the mother of his daughter.

"The Club" is the eighth episode of the first season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. The episode was written by Jamal Olori, and directed by producer Hiro Murai. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on October 18, 2016.

"B.A.N." is the seventh episode in the first season of the FX series Atlanta. The episode depicts Paper Boi being interviewed on Montague, a talk show on the fictional Black American Network (B.A.N). The entire episode is shot in the style of a block of television programming and includes both footage from the talk show and fake commercials.

"Streets on Lock" is the second episode of the first season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. The episode was written by story editor Stephen Glover, and directed by producer Hiro Murai. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on September 6, 2016, airing back-to-back with the previous episode, "The Big Bang".

"Go for Broke" is the third episode of the first season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. The episode was written by story editor Stephen Glover, and directed by producer Hiro Murai. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on September 13, 2016.

"The Streisand Effect" is the fourth episode of the first season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. The episode was written by series creator and main actor Donald Glover, and directed by producer Hiro Murai. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on September 20, 2016.

"Nobody Beats the Biebs" is the fifth episode of the first season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. The episode was written by story editor Stephen Glover, and directed by producer Hiro Murai. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on September 27, 2016.

"The Jacket" is the tenth episode and season finale of the first season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. The episode was written by story editor Stephen Glover, and directed by producer Hiro Murai. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on November 1, 2016.

"Sportin' Waves" is the second episode of the second season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. It is the 12th overall episode of the series and was written by executive producer Stephen Glover, and directed by co-executive producer Hiro Murai. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on March 8, 2018.

"Woods" is the eighth episode of the second season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. It is the 18th overall episode of the series and was written by producer Stefani Robinson, and directed by co-executive producer Hiro Murai. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on April 19, 2018.

"North of the Border" is the ninth episode of the second season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. It is the 19th overall episode of the series and was written by Jamal Olori, and directed by executive producer Hiro Murai. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on April 26, 2018.

"FUBU" is the tenth episode of the second season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. It is the 20th overall episode of the series and was written by executive producer Stephen Glover, and directed by series creator and main actor Donald Glover. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on May 3, 2018.

"Crabs in a Barrel" is the eleventh episode and season finale of the second season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. It is the 21st overall episode of the series and was written by executive producer Stephen Glover, and directed by executive producer Hiro Murai. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on May 10, 2018.

<i>Atlanta</i> (season 1) Season of television series

The first season of the American television series Atlanta premiered on September 6, 2016. The season is produced by RBA, 343 Incorporated, MGMT. Entertainment, and FXP, with Donald Glover, Paul Simms, and Dianne McGunigle, serving as executive producers. Glover serves as creator and wrote four episodes for the season.

<i>Atlanta</i> (season 3) Season of television series

The third season of the American television series Atlanta premiered on March 24, 2022, on FX. The season is produced by Gilga, 343 Incorporated, MGMT. Entertainment, and FXP, with Donald Glover, Paul Simms, Dianne McGunigle, Stephen Glover, Hiro Murai, and Stefani Robinson serving as executive producers. Donald Glover serves as creator and showrunner, writing two episodes and directing three episodes of the season.

"Sinterklaas is Coming to Town" is the second episode of the third season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. It is the 23rd overall episode of the series and was written by co-executive producer Janine Nabers, and directed by executive producer Hiro Murai. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on March 24, 2022, airing back-to-back with the previous episode, "Three Slaps".

"Cancer Attack" is the fifth episode of the third season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. It is the 26th overall episode of the series and was written by supervising producer Jamal Olori, and directed by executive producer Hiro Murai. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on April 14, 2022.

"New Jazz" is the eighth episode of the third season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. It is the 29th overall episode of the series and was written by series creator and main actor Donald Glover and directed by executive producer Hiro Murai. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on May 5, 2022.

"Born to Die" is the third episode of the fourth season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. It is the 34th overall episode of the series and was written by supervising producer Jamal Olori, and directed by Adamma Ebo. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on September 22, 2022.

"It Was All a Dream" is the series finale of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. It is the tenth episode of the fourth season and is the 41st overall episode of the series. The episode was written by series creator and main actor Donald Glover, and directed by executive producer Hiro Murai. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on November 10, 2022.

References

  1. ↑ Strauss, Matthew (September 7, 2016). "Watch the First Episode of Donald Glover's (Childish Gambino) New TV Show "Atlanta"". Pitchfork.
  2. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (August 6, 2013). "Donald Glover To Create And Star In Music-Themed FX Comedy Series Project". Deadline Hollywood.
  3. ↑ O'Connell, Michael (December 12, 2014). "FX Orders Donald Glover Pilot 'Atlanta'". The Hollywood Reporter.
  4. ↑ Quinlan, Healher (July 2, 2015). "Donald Glover's FX Pilot 'Atlanta' Gets Cast". Backstage.
  5. ↑ "See Atlanta through Donald Glover's Lens". Georgia Department of Economic Development. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  6. ↑ Goldman, Eric (September 2, 2016). "Atlanta: "The Big Bang" Review". IGN.
  7. ↑ Travers, Ben (September 2, 2016). "'Atlanta' Review: Donald Glover's First Series Is Already Essential Viewing". IndieWire.
  8. ↑ Porter, Rick (September 8, 2016). "Tuesday cable ratings: 'Queen Sugar' and 'Atlanta' get off to good starts". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 8, 2016.
  9. ↑ Ruiz, Tony (July 27, 2017). "Glover ('Atlanta') wonders if he'll ever catch a break in 'The Big Bang'". Gold Derby.
  10. ↑ Landau, Neil (2018). TV Writing On Demand: Creating Great Content in the Digital Era. Taylor & Francis. ISBN   9781351784207.
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