Atlanta Season 4 Episode 5 Review: Work Ethic!
Atlanta Season 4 Episode 5, “Work Ethic!” is a Van-centric episode that finds Van and Lottie embarking on a surrealist, horror-tinged film set adventure that takes an unexpected turn. As usual, Zazie Beetz shines in this outing.
First thing’s first — “Work Ethic!” is not subtle in its parodying of Tyler Perry films. From when Van first pulls into Kirkwood Chocolate’s sprawling movie studio and sees many posters decorating the walls to the varying opinions on Mr. Chocolate’s body of work, the satire is all there, plain as day.
It seems like this episode might be a typical day for Van and Lottie, as the former works as a day player to make a quick buck. However, this is Atlanta, and we all know “normal” isn’t part of the show’s vernacular. That’s part of what makes it so brilliant.
“Work Ethic!” takes such a delightfully bizarre turn, as this show is wont to do, toying with our perception of reality and dancing on the edges of surrealism. There are even some horror elements as Van tries desperately to reunite with Lottie. One of the most terrifying moments is when Van moves toward her daughter after Mr. Chocolate cuts the scene, but Lottie disappears instantly, having been shuffled from one set to the next.
The episode asks us whether it’s okay to throw our support behind someone only because they’re opening doors for marginalized communities. What if the quality of work isn’t up to par? Do we support substandard art? Opening doors for more diversity is crucial, but we should also make space for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ voices to create great art. Atlanta, as usual, deftly addresses this topic with its trademark biting wit and creativity.
Additionally, “Work Ethic!” is a remark on child actors in the entertainment industry. Lottie quickly morphs from watching Van on the sidelines to getting offered a children’s TV series at the end of the day. Mr. Chocolate orders his crew to put Lottie in more scenes, creating distance between Van and her daughter.
Hollywood loves to chew up child actors and spit them out, as we’ve seen countless times over the decades, played out as gut-wrenching cautionary tales in the media. Van worries for Lottie’s sense of agency — she’s too young to understand the ramifications and bigger picture of becoming an A-list star.
Van comes into her own in this episode even though “Work Ethic!” doesn’t focus on Van’s growth per se. We see her fight tooth and nail to protect Lottie. Her apology to Lottie when the madness is over is so sweet. It showcases Van’s overall development since Atlanta began. Glover’s work at the end as Kirkwood Chocolate is reminiscent of his transformation into Teddy Perkins in Season 2. Glover’s truly a chameleon, and it shows here.
Mr. Chocolate feels larger than life, like a Willy Wonka-esque character, hiding away in his tower while untouched by reality. Glover plays into Chocolate’s bizarre, eclectic personality as the episode deviates from surrealist horror to slapstick comedy. Atlanta knows how to mine those genre departures with ease, sometimes switching between multiple genres in a single episode.
“Work Ethic!” is another solid installment for Atlanta. Glover’s direction is seamless, and the performances are top-notch. This show will be missed when it’s off the air. Nobody does it like Atlanta, and nobody ever will again.
Stray Observations:
- It would be no surprise if Donald Glover’s next project featured him playing every character. He’s just that talented. Watching him portray Kirkwood Chocolate is such a departure from Troy Barnes.
- Austin Elle Fisher might be the cutest kid to ever cute. Put her in everything.
- The episode title came from a Tyler Perry quote in 2020 wherein he mentions he pens all of his scripts.
- Could you imagine working on a film set that swallows you whole between scenes? Like, when Mr. Chocolate says, “Cut,” you disappear and reappear in a new filming location? No, thank you.
- While the episode parodies Tyler Perry productions, could Glover becoming Kirkwood Chocolate also satirize Perry transforming into Madea for his films?
What did you think of this episode of Atlanta? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Atlanta airs Thursdays at 10/9c on FX, with next-day streaming on Hulu.
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.