Atlanta

When it premiered in 2016, the Donald Glover-led FX dramedy Atlanta was part of a small cadre of shows ushering in a thrilling new era of Black television. The experimental series, in which Glover played a shiftless Princeton dropout trying to manage his cousin’s burgeoning rap career, won a Peabody that year for its sharp, evocative depiction of its eponymous city and the cast of characters making their way through it. Now, in its final seasons, the groundbreaking series has transcended its original success. First by introducing an anthology-style structure in Season 3 that deviated largely from the central cast, the final two installments of Atlanta displayed a wealth of creativity, insight, and panache. The series took on subjects as weighty as the abuse of transracial adoptees and as lighthearted as the uniquely Black American lore of the Goofy stories. Atlanta, quite simply, outdid itself. For its thematic depth, stylistic finesse, and innovative narrative, we again recognize Atlanta as a Peabody winner.