Four years. That’s nearly how long it’s been since the last episode of the Emmy award-winning TV series, Atlanta was released. That's the length of a U.S. presidency; enough time for
a newborn to learn to speak full sentences; the period between your first day of high school and leaving for college. Needless to say, it's been a long time. After quite the dramatic pause, the critically acclaimed surrealist comedy-drama, Atlanta, is finally back.
Season 2 of the highly anticipated series left off with Earn (Donald Glover), Alfred a.k.a. Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry), Darius (LaKeith Stanfield), and Van (Zazie Beetz) jetting off to Amsterdam for Paper Boi’s rap tour. Season 3 was slated to be shot almost entirely in Europe. In that respect, you can't blame them for the pandemic significantly postponing their production plans.
Will the wait be worth it? According to Glover, the show's creator and star, it will be. The actor, rapper, singer, writer, director, producer, and comedian claimed in a since-deleted tweet from 2020 that Season 3 of Atlanta will be “some of the best television ever made.”
What does Season 3 of Atlanta bring to the table?
This wonderfully bizarre season crosses comedy with surrealism for a captivating blend that verges on the edge of horror. Glover expressed that he intended for this season to feel like “a Black fairytale.” Perhaps this is why the episodes adhere to a dream-like feel that evokes both wonder and unease.
In a recent Television Critics Association winter press tour, Glover explained, “I think funny and scary touch very much. We’ve always kind of been into dream logic because dreams always feel like something bad can happen, even when nothing bad happens.”
Okay, but how can I watch season 3 of Atlanta?
The first two episodes of Atlanta Season 3 premiered on March 24 on FX. Subsequent episodes will be released on FX proper each Thursday and become available to stream the next day on Hulu. Here's a brief overview of where and when you can expect each episode.
- Episode 1 & 2: Aired on FX on Thursday, March 24th at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, and now streaming on Hulu.
- Episode 3: Airs on FX on Thursday, March 31 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, and starts streaming on Hulu on Friday, April 1 at 3:01 a.m. PST/6:01 a.m. EST.
- Episode 4: Airs on FX on Thursday, April 7 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, and starts streaming on Hulu on Friday, April 8 at 3:01 a.m. PST/6:01 a.m. EST.
- Episode 5: Airs on FX on Thursday, April 14 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, and starts streaming on Hulu on Friday, April 15 at 3:01 a.m. PST/6:01 a.m. EST.
- Episode 6: Airs on FX on Thursday, April 21 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, and starts streaming on Hulu on Friday, April 22 at 3:01 a.m. PST/6:01 a.m. EST.
- Episode 7: Airs on FX on Thursday, April 28 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, and starts streaming on Hulu on Friday, April 29 at 3:01 a.m. PST/6:01 a.m. EST.
- Episode 8: Airs on FX on Thursday, May 5 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, and starts streaming on Hulu on Friday, May 6 at 3:01 a.m. PST/6:01 a.m. EST.
- Episode 9: Airs on FX on Thursday, May 12 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, and starts streaming on Hulu on Friday, May 13 at 3:01 a.m. PST/6:01 a.m. EST.
- Episode 10: Airs on FX on Thursday, May 19 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, and starts streaming on Hulu on Friday, May 20 at 3:01 a.m. PST/6:01 a.m. EST.
You can watch the third season of Atlanta on FX or online at FX Now by signing in with your cable provider. You can also watch on Hulu with a subscription, which starts at just $6.99 per month (or $69.99 per year) with ads or 12.99 per month without ads. If you are a student, you can get an ad-supported Hulu subscription for $1.99 per month.
What's next after Season 3?
There's both good news and bad news. The good news is you won’t have to wait another four years until the next season of Atlanta is released. In fact, Season 4 has already been shot. There is no premiere date set in stone, but it is set to arrive in the fall.
The bad news is the network officially announced that the fourth season will be Atlanta's last. Donald Glover said he was at peace with the decision to end the show, adding “to be honest, I wanted to end it after Season 2, and I think we had talked about that for a minute. I think it ends perfectly,” he said.
This post will be updated.