15 shows about working-class families that aren’t Roseanne

Atlanta

Donald Glover has always been a force to be reckoned with — think about his roles on Community and Girls — and now he’s made the role of Lando Calrissian his own. However, his work on the FX show, Atlanta is, in my opinion, some of his most important and impactful work.

The premise: Created and written by Glover himself, he also stars as the lead, Earnest Marks. Earn returns to Atlanta after quitting his Ivy League university, and wants to manage his aspiring-rapper cousin, Alfred, known as Paper Boi.

Earn is clever and savvy, but the folks in his circle are reluctant to trust his work ethic and determination. He wants more for his life than a minimum wage job at the airport, and he certainly wants to provide for his young daughter and her mother in a more substantial way, but he has a hard time getting his footing.

Why you’ll like it: Just like the characters it portrays, this show has hustle and grit. Although the first season started out as an examination of a close-knit group of black men and their community, Glover really started to push boundaries in season 2.

Although it’s still telling the characters’ stories, it’s taking on risky artistic decisions, and playing around with our expectations with half-hour shows. Much like Glover himself, it’s hard to say that Atlanta is all one thing, but I promise, it’s brilliant.

Where to find it: Once you get past your expectations of what you think a show from Childish Gambino should look like, you will really enjoy the first season, which you can find on Hulu. Season 2 just recently wrapped, and if you act quickly, you can watch it on FX’s website.