Every Episode Of Atlanta Season One Ranked Worst To Best

Earn does have his faults, but he also has his pride and his principles.

In the penultimate episode of the first season, his relationship with Van as well as his career choices are fabricated in order to "play the game" and network among middle-class (predominantly) white elites.

In this episode, it's very easy to instantly side with Van; she wants the best for her and Earn, and their daughter Lottie, and to do so they have to put on a performance for those with influence. But it's also easy to side with Earn as he quickly deduces that those around him that do have influence are either too quick to turn their nose at him, or condescendingly lower themselves to his level and pretend to be one of his peers.

Having Earn's African-American roots explained to him by a man who has turned black culture into a fetish was something our hero reluctantly grit his teeth through, but once his career choices and family are looked down upon, is when he has had enough and won't stand for the abuse.

It's not a career win for either Van or Earn, but it's definitely a victory (if one would even call it that).