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| Photo: Curtis Baker/FX |
As with last year's "The Jacket," "Crabs In A Barrel" was a pretty subdued affair, pulling back on the weirdness and (overt) darkness that have marked Robbin' Season, as we watch all of the series regulars as make decisions that will likely ripple into next season.
Much of the action revolves around Earn, Darius and Alfred moving out of his apartment and prepping for a European tour with Clark County. Judging from the mark under his eye from where Tracy's knuckles made contact, only a few weeks have passed since the events of "North of The Border," in which Al lowered the hammer and fired Earn. Or so we thought, since an ex-manager definitely wouldn't be suffering through a Lyft driver with a terrible sense of direction and okay vocal pitch in order to get to a meeting. Earn arrives late with Lottie in tow so he and Al can talk with a potential entertainment lawyer. Al himself is none too impressed with the guy's client roster of F-level rappers and Love and Hip Hop stars; he wants somone top notch, someone with the last name Cohen and Weiss, to broker big deals and make money moves.
Before heading out, Al throws out the fact it was Clark's manager Lucas who put him on the European tour. "You should be headlining that tour," Earn says. "I should be, but I ain't," Al replies, shooting Earn a side eye that says "What 'chu you gon' do about it?" The tension is still thick, and hangs over Earn throughout the episode as he hustles about, wheeling and dealing with the movers so they'll do their job and getting Darius a new passport.
Things are still shaky in his relationship with Van as well. The two go to a parent teacher conference and learn Lottie is very advanced--gifted in fact--and her teacher recommends they enroll her in a private school. Of course, private school cost major coin, which Earn and Van do not have. When they ask if Lottie could get more assignments in the meantime, the teacher balks, explaining the school is awful, lacking both the resources and staff to properly stimulate their daughter. On the way out, Van asks if they would've been told this if Lottie were an average student. "No," the teacher answers, "If I see a steer smart enough to get out the pen, I leave the gate open." Yep, she just compared public school to a slaughterhouse. I mean she's not wrong, but...damn.
Once outside, Van says if they follow through on private school, Earn will have to show up more in Lottie's life (judging from the teacher's "nice to finally meet you" he ain't been showing up much). He half-heartedly assures her they can make it work, but later gets a text from her saying she's thinking of moving back in with her mom with Lottie. Earn's barely present in their lives as it is, and heading off for Europe for two months likely didn't do much to calm fears he'll be able to contribute much emotionally or financially.
"I feel like my world is falling apart," Earn tells Darius as they wait for his new passport, just moments after the clerk delivers another harsh truth: that the best black entertainment lawyer could never be as great as a white one because black folks lack the valuable connections necessary to do big business (systemic racism and all). His point resonates with Earn, who's been struggling mightily to do for Al what somenone like Lucas can do with ease. Part of that's because Earn's skills have been less than stellar; but being black, he has to navigate the music industry in a different way, to play a game Lucas has already won and break down doors Luke can simply walk through due to his skin tone. He asks Darius if Al's going to fire him, defending his track record by saying he has been making strides to learn the ropes. Darius acknowledges this, but notes learning require failing, and being two black men, Al can't afford for Earn's failure to bleed over into his life. To paraphrase one Sean Carter, Paper Boi can't help the poor if he's one of them. Earn says he doesn't want a handout, but the way Al short circuits his attempt to talk before the flight, it looks like he won't be getting his own money with his cousin.
All of this leads to the last sequence at the airport, where Earn comes across the golden gun from Uncle Willy in his backpack as everyone goes through security. All the action slows down, as we enter Earn's headspace for a few seconds as he decides what his fate will be, before things snap back into action and he hurries Al and Darius along as TSA stops Lucas. Once they board, Al lets him know he noticed what Earn did, but he ain't gonna say shit.
"Just know that's exactly what I'm talking about," Alfred starts. But what I initially took as a preamble to a dressing down was actually the opposite. "Niggas do not care about us man. Niggas gon' do whatever they gotta do to survive, because they ain't got no choice. We ain't got no choice either. You my family Earn. You're the only one who knows what I'm about. You give a fuck. I need that. Alright?" It's an honest, vulnerable exchange between two people who haven't been on the same page for a long time. Actually, it's more like a one-sided conversation, because other than a slight nod, Earn does nothing to indicate how he's taking in his cousin's words. Putting the gun in Lucas bag takes care of the immediate problem (getting hemmed up by TSA) and eliminates Lucas as a threat, at least for the tour. Earn may not have the connections but he has the bottom dog--the crabs in a barrel if you will--instinct to survive, and Al recognizes that. But does Earn really have that mentality? The text from Van and the remark from the passport desk clerk seem to have put a fire under him, but how long will it last? Is this just a temporary flip from Martin to Malcolm, or is this permanent?
Unfortunately, we won't get any of those answers until season three comes around, but for now, Earn's bought himself some job security. It wouldn't be Atlanta without one last "aw shit," moment, which comes when Clark County bounces onto the flight to Earn's surprise. Turns out he actually put the gun in Clark's bag, in what I assume was an attempt to make Alfred the headliner. But Lucas took the fall for it. Or did Clark County just pull an Earn and make Lucas the fall guy? Either way, that's gonna be one awkward tour.
Earn's, Al's and Van's decisions are the culmination of what we've seen them go through this season. Al's world is changing rapidly, but he's as last learning to cope with those changes instead of fighting them. Van realizes she'll have to put herself and Lottie first, and any support from Earn will be appreciated but unexpected. And Darius learned never to answer another piano ad on Craigslist.
That's a wrap! See ya'll next season!
Other Thoughts:
- Tracy was left behind in Atlanta, with the last shot of him banging on the door to Al's now empty apartment with a bag of Chinese food as Nine Simone's "I Shall Be Released" plays. True, he couldn't go Europe since he's on probation, but moving out without so much as a text may mean Al took Earn's misgivings about Tracy to heart. As Al transitions into his new life, he has to scrutinize those in his circle closely, and Tracy's not likely to change up his style for anybody. Seriously, that dude in Europe would've been non-stop World Star Hip Hop fuckery.
- Did anyone see where the Atlanta logo was this time? I watched this episode three times and missed it? Oh well, Yoo Hoo!
Those One Liners 'Tho
- "I'm sorry I'm late. My Lyft driver was religious."
- "You know Nigerians don't fail."
- "Rule number one: pack like a Navy Seal. Only take what you need."
- Earn: "Is there anything we can do that's cheaper? Teacher: "Keep her in a stable two parent household."
- "When you piss do you go straight through the zipper or over the boxers?"
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