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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
I got to see this week’s episode of Donald Glover’s FX surreal comedy-drama series, Atlanta, Season 3 and it maintains the creepiness of the season thus far. The seventh episode of the season is titled, “Trini 2 De Bone”. It is written by series co-producer Jordan Temple and directed by Donald Glover.
In this review, I will be discussing Atlanta Season 3 Episode 7. There will be no spoilers here, as the title of this article suggests. Nonetheless, please read ahead at your own discretion to avoid any possible revelations.
Plot Synopsis
According to FX Networks, here is the logline for Atlanta Season 3 Episode 7.
White people watching this be like… Pain.
FX Networks Press Room
Discussion
This week’s episode of Atlanta runs just about a minute more than the previous two weeks’ episodes (“Cancer Attack” and “White Fashion”). In spite of that, “Trini 2 De Bone” paces by in more of a brisk manner due to fewer scenes, and suspenseful ones at that. As you may have seen from the teaser(s) for this episode, the narrative this week is about a white family (the Warners) at a Trinidadian woman’s funeral; and… yes, we are back in America this week, so what might that have to do with Atlanta?
There are a couple of interesting music choices in the introductory scene and its funeral scene, the latter of which the episode title gets its name. “Trini 2 De Bone” aligns well with the prevalent Season 3 theme of phantasms and slavery, as well as the “commodification of death” thereof. While I do not have a lot of notes on this episode, I do want to discuss one theme or concept that I got from the beginning of the story.
iPad Children
In the episode, we are introduced to the focal child, a white kindergartener named Sebastian Warner (Indy Sullivan Groudis). He has his iPad open while his parents are not necessarily watching over him. They instead happen to rely on a babysitter to take care of him. The entirety of “Trini 2 De Bone” relies on what the child’s parents are to do when the woman is not present. I can only surmise that Miles (Justin Hagan) and his wife, Bronwyn (Christina Bennett Lind), treat their late babysitter as somewhat of a mere slave, only caring about the price they paid for her and whom the next Black or colored babysitter is.
From here I can extrapolate these notions into what we perceive as the current epoche of the “iPad children”. Here, many parents do not necessarily take care of their own children and rather leave them alone with mobile devices, in this case, an iPad. What this does to Sebastian is detriangulate this triad of child-parent-parent. In place of his parents, Sebastian is left with Sylvia Hossanah (uncredited), a woman from Trinidad and Tobago; but in her absence, he is left with the devices.
Studies have shown what technologies such as the iPad do to children, and some long-term effects include children being influenced by the Internet more than their own parents. Therefore, in a way, children have become orphaned, partially because of digital media but more so by parental figures. Sebastian is deterritorialized and is left to take up a culture that isn’t his own. This starts with Sylvia’s customs and rituals, followed by what could easily be videos on the Internet.
The Crew of Atlanta
Donald Glover, Paul Simms, Dianne McGunigle, Stephen Glover, Hiro Murai, and Stefani Robinson serve as the executive producers of the series. Janine Nabers serves as the co-executive producer, while Kathryn Dean and Kaitlin Waldron serve as the producers. Ibra Ake, Taofik Kolade, Jamal Olori, and Francesca Sloane serve as the supervising producers. Jordan Temple and Christian Sprenger serve as the co-producers.
Alexa L. Fogel stars as the casting director. Tara Feldstein Bennett and Chase Paris serve as the Atlanta casting directors. Kathryn Zamora-Benson serves as the casting associate.
Christian Sprenger returns as the director of photography. Isaac Hagy and Kyle Reiter serve as the editors of the episode. Jen Bryson and Cameron Ross return as the assistant editors.
Jen Malone and Fam Udeorji return as the music supervisors, with Whitney A. Pilzer as the associate music supervisor.
Timothy O’Brien is the production designer. Denise Tunnell serves as the head of the make-up department. Shornell Young serves as the head of the hair department. Tiffany Hasbourne serves as the costume designer. Liz Ayala serves as the set decorator.
The Cast of Atlanta
Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield, and Zazie Beetz are credited as their respective characters, Earnest “Earn” Marks, Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles, Darius Epps, and Vanessa “Van” Keefer.
Indy Sullivan Groudis stars as Sebastian Warner, a child whom Sylvia Hossanah babysat.
Khadija Speer appears as Khadija, Sylvia’s daughter. Osei Anom and Armeen Acy play two guys.
Brian Richardson plays Devon, a man at Sylvia’s funeral who offers the Warners a “new child care service”. Sheylon Haywood plays an older woman. Noel Arthur plays a preacher at the funeral, while Alia Raquel plays Princess, Sylvia’s other daughter. Kamel Goffin appears as Steven, while Greg Watkiss and Diego Ward play two cousins. Diane Carter appears as a second older woman.
Justin Hagan and Christina Bennett Lind guest star as Miles and Bronwyn Warner, Sebastian’s respective parents. Chet Hanks also guest stars as another child whom Sylvia babysat.
Performances
Indy Sullivan Groudis performs terrifyingly and terrifically as the child character, Sebastian. I think it is worth noting the scene(s) that he has during the funeral as well as those that follow. While there is not nearly enough room for development in this episode for anyone, I do what to highlight focus on Sebastian in particular. This child is not normal, and once you see this episode, you will know what I mean by that.
It is also interesting to note that Hagan’s Miles is not given a surname in the press photos that were made available to me. While I did give him the last name “Warner” (because his wife and son are credited with these surnames), we are not too sure if this could be the case with Miles. It would, then, be interesting to note the similarity between this episode’s Miles and the series’ Alfred “Al/ Paper Boi” Miles.
Final Thoughts on This Week’s Atlanta
“Trini 2 De Bone” creeped me out. At the same time, it is absurd and hilarious in ways I cannot seem to explain. The episode ends on a cliffhanger; however, we can definitely confirm that this episode — like many before it in this episode — focuses on ghosts. In addition to that, the episode initiates a conversation on death and how that may affect each of us. As we approach closer not just to the third season finale of Atlanta, but moreover, the series finale at that, I do think we will encounter a form of death. Eventually, we will have to wonder what happens next after that type of “death”.
Donald Glover’s Atlanta Season 3 is now on FX and streaming via Hulu!
Have you seen Glover’s series? If so, then what are your thoughts on it so far? Let us know! For more comedy and drama-related news and reviews visit and follow The Cinema Spot on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
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