Discover the most popular TV show the year you were born
2016: Atlanta
Atlanta wasn’t like most of the critical successes we’re used to seeing pick up awards at the big ceremonies, but it managed to make a big splash when it premiered in 2016. The series follows Earn — played by series creator, writer, and director Donald Glover — as he lives his life in Atlanta, Georgia. He dropped out of Princeton and has no money and nowhere to stay, but he wants to redeem himself in the eyes of his family, and his ex-girlfriend (and mother of his daughter). Earn sees his chance to start a new life when his cousin Alfred is on the verge of rap superstardom.
The show was groundbreaking, and it put Glover on the map for more than being a comedic actor and rapper. Besides the critical acclaim it was showered with, it won two Golden Globes, Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy and Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy for Donald Glover. Glover also went home with two Emmy Awards, for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series. What was so groundbreaking about the win was that Glover became the first ever African-American person to win an Emmy for directing.
The show was picked up for a third season on FX, but there’s no word on when we can expect the new episodes to hit our screens.