Atlanta, Season 1

What’s it about?

Earn and his cousin Alfred try to make their way in the world through Atlanta’s rap scene. As they navigate their changing lives, they come face-to-face with issues of status, poverty, parenthood, and race.

The facts

• Created by Donald Glover
• Directed by Hiro Murai, Donald Glover, and Janicza Bravo
• Starring Brian Tyree Henry, Donald Glover, Zazie Beetz, and LaKeith Stanfield
• English language
• 30 minutes per episode, on average

Why did it get this rating?

This series was self-rated by Netflix. You can find out more about self-rating by streaming providers here.

Adult themes

Atlanta explores themes that may not be suitable for younger audiences, giving detailed depictions of racism, injustice, degradation, and mental illness.

Violence and cruelty

The first episode focuses on an altercation that leads to an offscreen shooting. The perpetrator becomes increasingly praised by his fans for killing the man, enhancing his “street credibility” as a rapper.

A man who helped the shooter becomes disturbed by the influence he and his friend's image have on youth, as he sees kids on the streets imitating gun violence as they try to be like them.

An imprisoned man, who is obviously mentally ill and unable to defend himself is beaten and pinned down by multiple officers, causing him to scream in pain.

Sexual references and nudity

A picture of a man with his penis clearly visible is shown briefly for comedic purposes.

Characters in the show frequently visit strip clubs, where partially nude female strippers are seen.

The entire show contains brief, crude sexual references, such as men talking about “smashing” women.

Drug use

Marijuana is consumed countless times throughout the show via edibles and smoking. Drugs like cocaine and hallucinogens are also used. In one scene, a character is drugged, leading him to fall on the ground in panic, not able to move, however, he is saved by his friends who help him back to good health.

Two of the main characters are drug dealers at the start of the show, but most of their dealings are only referenced, rather than directly shown.

Offensive language

This series contains frequent uses of highly offensive language, with words like "f*ck,” “b*tch,” “c*nt,” “c*ck,” “sh*t,” and “d*ck.” Homophobic slurs and the N-word are also used.

When content stays with you:

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?
• Brain development – how it works, why it matters