Why 'Atlanta' is TV's cleverest version of an 'American Horror Story'

The writers for "Atlanta" have long been inspired by a message scrawled on their office whiteboard: Do what others cannot.

That theme is evident in the Season 3 premiere, airing at 9 a.m. March 24 on FX. In the episode, the first new one in nearly four years, almost none of the regular cast members make an appearance. Instead, the story evolves around a Black teenager who finds himself trapped in a foster home that could be in the neighborhood from "Get Out."

In the second episode, also airing this week on FX and Hulu, viewers are subjected to one of the oddest death scenes in TV history, as well as an action sequence populated with Dutch people in blackface.

"Atlanta" may contend for awards in comedy categories but it's always gotten more inspiration from "The Twilight Zone" than "I Love Lucy."

"I'm not really a horror fan, but I like things that scare me or thrillers where you're kind of creeped out or not sure where to place your feelings," said star and creator Donald Glover last month during a virtual news conference with TV critics.

Most of the new season takes place in Europe, where Glover's character, Earn Marks, is trying to manage his cousin Paper Boi's red-hot rap career while dealing with an unshakable case of jet lag.

Being sleepy is the least of his problems. The setting for him and his friends seems so foreign that they might as well be touring Mars.

"It's kind of a fish-out-of-water story," said co-executive producer Hiro Murai, who directed the first episode. "We play a lot with ambiguity. I think that's our lane, a lot of interactions that kind of hit you in a weird way and you don't know how to take it. I think we lean into that a little bit more this season."

The cast and crew had a few surreal moments of their own while shooting overseas last year. Because of COVID restrictions in London, Amsterdam and Paris, they often had hotels and museums to themselves. When they did run into people, it wasn't always pleasant.

During a press event, the cast cracked one another up remembering a late-night encounter with Londoners who were convinced that all Black Americans carry hammers in their pockets and that the visitors were on the verge of raping their female friend.

But overall, the group seemed to have a positive experience, even though it knew the show was coming to an end. Season 4, which will be the last, has already been shot. Those final episodes are expected to drop this fall.

Glover admitted that he originally planned on ending the series after just two seasons. He changed his mind after the writers convinced him there was enough material for two more.

"I'm really glad that we are ending on what feels like a peak and not letting it just peter out," said Zazie Beetz, who plays Earn's ex-girlfriend Van. "I'm glad I knew it was ending because I think I could really lean into the relationships, knowing this was my last chance to play her. I do think Van changed my life, and I love her. I don't want to say farewell, because she'll always be there in a way, but it's like, 'I'm going to put you in the back for now.'"

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