Woods (Atlanta)

In March 2018, FX announced that the eighth episode of the season would be titled "Woods" and that it would be written by producer Stefani Robinson, and directed by co-executive producer Hiro Murai. This was Robinson's fourth writing credit, and Murai's twelfth directing credit.[1]

The episode's credits start with the words "In loving memory of Willow Dean Kearse", actor Brian Tyree Henry's mother, who died in 2016.[2]

Stefani Robinson stated that Alfred's actions in the episode are a continuation of his role in the episode "Sportin' Waves, saying "The universe is trying to tell him something, God is trying to tell him something. So we see it again but more violent and scarier. He ignored the first warning and the second came harder and faster and spoke to him in a way where he was more able to look at the situation and make a decision about his life."[3] She viewed his story in the episode (particularly during the woods) as a metaphor for the Hero's journey.[3] According to Robinson, the ending of the episode is meant to indicate that Alfred is not "regular" anymore.[3]

Henry's mother's death was a huge influence on the episode, with Robinson saying "I think that was sort of one of the bigger thematic things that jumped out to Brian and I think he connected with the script obviously not a technical level but on a very emotional and personal level."[4] Henry commented on filming the episode, "It stuck with me, and it's really hard to watch, but I'm glad that I committed to it. I'm glad that Hiro guided that and moved that the way he did, and it came out in a way that I still can't believe. But it wasn't that easy to do." For the episode, Henry asked that he couldn't see the woman who played Alfred's mother in the episode.[5]

The episode was watched by 0.595 million viewers, earning a 0.3 in the 18-49 rating demographics on the Nielson ratings scale. This means that 0.3 percent of all households with televisions watched the episode.[6] This was a 15% decrease from the previous episode, which was watched by 0.694 million viewers with a 0.4 in the 18-49 demographics.[7]

Brian Tyree Henry's performance in the episode received universal acclaim from critics. He later would submit the episode for his Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series nomination at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.

"Woods" received universal acclaim from critics. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating for the episode, based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 9.7/10.[8]

Joshua Alston of The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A" and wrote, "What makes this show challenging is how it forces you to consider and reconsider the truth and consequence of everything that takes place. That said, it's tough to imagine that Atlanta's latest hard left into full-on horror won't have lasting consequences for the characters. At the very least, there's a potent message for Alfred in 'Woods', a rare example of an Atlanta episode that puts a clear, fine point on its off-kilter plot."[9]

Alan Sepinwall of Uproxx wrote, "I've given up trying to outguess this show, other than assuming each week will give me something to love. 'Woods' didn't disappoint in that area."[10] Matt Miller of Esquire wrote, "In two solo episodes, Henry has officially defined himself as one of the next breakout stars of Atlanta. With Glover gracefully handing the lead role to his co-stars, he's given them a chance to prove that they're much more than supporting actors. And maybe during the next awards season we'll see Henry's (or Lakeith Stanfield's, or Zazie Beetz's) name among the nominations."[11] Bryan Washington of Vulture gave the episode a perfect 5 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "As a character investigation of a guy caught up in the nether region between fame and life as a pedestrian, the episode is masterful, even despite its more problematic bits. It's the final precipice of a man before he falls into the rest of his life. By the time the credits roll, we've seen Al lean over the edge, his mounting existential terror, and the eventual descent."[12]

Leigh-Anne Jackson of The New York Times wrote, "Whatever the true nature of this unsettling sylvan scene, it was enough to make Al see the light. All this time, he's been on the fence about whether or not he wants this fame of his."[13] Jacob Oller of Paste gave the episode a 8.6 out of 10 rating and wrote, "It's a delicate tightrope between utter cynicism and utter earnestness, as the philosophy of how one should manage one's public persona and fanbase is a topic of interest for the series' creator and its stars."[14] Justin Charity of The Ringer wrote, "The slow, luxurious pacing of Atlanta saps conventional urgency from Paper Boi's arc, but now comes the reckoning. Here, he must survive a trial in solitude."[15]