What I’m Watching: Atlanta

Atlanta: Season 2, Episode 5 “Barbershop” (C+)

This was a pretty absurd episode. This show often does this kind of thing, zoning in on one or two of its characters and blocking out the rest of the world as they experience something utterly ridiculous. We spent a whole lot of time with Paper Boi as he had a hellish time trying to get a haircut, first blown off by the guy who came in later for the appointment because he was on the phone with someone else he felt the need to apologize to for not being right on time. Calling Paper Boi hostile was a bit premature since our musician protagonist put up with a whole lot throughout this half-hour, with it all getting progressively worse. Things seemed to be somewhat purposeful at first, with Bibby commenting on the complete lack of black people on movie posters, but then it was all derailed when he started eating a piece of fruit instead of giving him the haircut when he knew he was in a rush. Taking him to give a kid a haircut while getting yelled at by his “girl” for not paying any of the bills was just the start of their outrageous road trip, complete with some grand theft lumber and a car accident that Bibby was audacious enough to ask Paper Boi to take the heat for. If we know one thing that bothers the musician, it’s when people ask him for favors, and therefore having Bibby’s son ask him to put his tape on the air was the last straw. Being asked for payment came way too late, and it’s a wonder that he even came back to the same barbershop even if he found himself a new chair to sit in with someone slightly more attentive to cut his hair.