Donald Glover is explaining why Atlanta earned acclaim from critics, receiving multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations, and saw a rapid growth in popularity over the years. In addition to Glover, the series' cast includes Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield, and Zazie Beetz.
It was announced that the series would be renewed for a fourth season in August of 2019, prior to the release of season 3, which is set to air in March. It was originally expected to premiere shortly after its 2018 order, but the production process got delayed due to conflicting schedules, and the COVID-19 pandemic led to an even longer hiatus. Filming for the third season took place in Europe, wrapping last year, and following the completion of season 4, it was revealed that Atlanta would be coming to an end. FX Chairman John Landgraf confirmed the news, but reassured fans of the show that the season will be enjoyable and explained that its finale will air later in the fall.
Now, Deadline is reporting on the series' recent TCA , where Donald Glover shared with fans why Atlanta will be concluding sooner than expected. He reveals that the conditions have to feel right and says that he wanted to avoid over-extending its story. He also references the processes involved in constructing a finale and his feelings towards the future season, stating, "It was great, all of that came out this season and it ends perfectly." Read Glover's full quote regarding season 4 of Atlanta being the show's last below:
"To be honest I wanted to end it at Season 2. Death is natural…when the conditions are right for something, they happen, and when the conditions aren’t right they don’t happen. Things start to get weird…you can’t do too much. The story was always supposed to be what it was and the story, it really was us."
With Atlanta season 3 still on the way, viewers do not have to worry about saying goodbye just yet. The latest teaser for Atlanta's season that dropped on January 13 gives them an idea of its direction and reminds them just how different the series is from other television offerings. In it, the show's characters appear to experience a number of uncomfortable situations involving different cleaning products, and includes Dutch language, even ending with a landscape shot that is distinctly not Atlanta. Other teasers reveal more about what to expect from their European tour, and it looks like fans will get to see them out of their element.
Atlanta is not the first television series to opt for a shorter run for the sake of its story and Glover may have a point in his explanation. Many viewers feel a similar sentiment, in that a great show can taint its impact by over-extending its plot and go off the rails in the process, as seen by the reactions to some of today's long-running programs. Donald Glover has always made memorable moments in Atlanta though, and fans likely trust his vision for the final season and are looking forward to it.
More: What To Expect From Atlanta Season 3
Source: Deadline