Ep 6. Value

Value is the sixth episode of the first season of Atlanta, a critically acclaimed comedy-drama television series on FX. Created by Donald Glover, the series follows a young man named Earnest "Earn" Marks (also played by Glover) as he navigates the rap scene in Atlanta and tries to make a name for his cousin, Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles (Brian Tyree Henry). The show explores themes of race, class, identity, and social dynamics in an urban environment, as well as the struggles and aspirations of young black men trying to ascend the ladder of success.

In Value, the focus is on Earn and Van (Zazie Beetz), his on-again, off-again girlfriend and the mother of his daughter, Lottie. The episode opens with the couple trying to have a romantic dinner at a fancy restaurant, but their awkwardness and lack of communication quickly lead to tension and frustration. Van is upset because Earn has been distant and unresponsive, while Earn is preoccupied with money and job prospects, as usual. The restaurant scene is shot in a stylized, slow-motion sequence that emphasizes the contrasts between the opulent setting and the characters' mundane concerns.

After the dinner, Van suggests that they go to a party hosted by her friend Jayde (Aubin Wise), a self-described "Instagram model" who is known for her lavish lifestyle and flashy social media posts. Van hopes that the party will cheer them up and reconnect them, but Earn is skeptical and hesitant. He knows that he can't afford to keep up with the decadence of Jayde's crowd, and he also feels uncomfortable around people who only see him as a hanger-on to Paper Boi's fame.

Despite his reservations, Earn agrees to go to the party with Van, and the rest of the episode unfolds in a series of vignettes that showcase the different norms and values of the social groups they encounter. The party is held at a mansion that belongs to a wealthy white man, who is absent and has left his son in charge. Jayde and her entourage are already there, flaunting their designer clothes, expensive liquor, and carefree attitudes. Earn and Van stand out as outsiders, dressed in simple outfits and looking out of place in the opulent surroundings.

As they navigate the party, Earn and Van witness a variety of scenes that underscore the theme of value. They see a girl performing oral sex on a rapper in exchange for a chance to be in his music video; they hear a conversation about the merits of buying property versus leasing a car; they watch a fight break out between two men over a stolen jacket; they see a group of people smoking weed and talking about how to make it in the entertainment industry. Each of these scenes represents a different aspect of the economy of value that operates in the world of Atlanta, where social capital, material goods, and symbolic gestures are constantly being exchanged and negotiated.

Throughout the episode, Earn and Van struggle to reconcile their own desires and principles with the expectations and standards of the people they are interacting with. Van wants to fit in and enjoy the party, but also feels conflicted about the superficiality and emptiness of the scene. Earn wants to keep his integrity and avoid getting sucked into a world of illusions, but also feels envious and resentful of the people who have more than him. They have a series of conversations and arguments that reveal their differences in perspective, but also their shared sense of disillusionment and insecurity.

In the final scene of the episode, Earn and Van leave the party and walk to their car. As they pass by a group of homeless people sleeping on the street, they realize that they have lost their jackets and are now vulnerable to the cold. They huddle together and try to protect themselves from the chill, while also acknowledging the absurdity of their situation. The contrast between the ostentatious display of wealth and status at the party and the stark reality of poverty and deprivation outside highlights the underlying theme of the episode: the value of things is not inherent, but dependent on context and perception. Earn and Van may not have much material wealth or influence, but they still have each other, and that may be worth more than they realize.