Rich Wigga, Poor Wigga
| "Rich Wigga, Poor Wigga" | |
|---|---|
| Atlanta episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 9 |
| Directed by | Donald Glover |
| Written by | Donald Glover |
| Featured music | |
| Cinematography by | Stephen Murphy |
| Editing by |
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| Production code | XAA03010 |
| Original air date | May 12, 2022 |
| Running time | 27 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
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"Rich Wigga, Poor Wigga" is the ninth episode of the third season of the American comedy-drama television series Atlanta. It is the 30th overall episode of the series and was written and directed by series creator and main actor Donald Glover. It was first broadcast on FX in the United States on May 12, 2022.
The series is set in Atlanta and follows Earnest "Earn" Marks, as he tries to redeem himself in the eyes of his ex-girlfriend Van, who is also the mother of their daughter Lottie; as well as his parents and his cousin Alfred, who raps under the stage name "Paper Boi"; and Darius, Alfred's eccentric right-hand man. For the season, the characters find themselves in Europe in the middle of a concert tour. The episode, which was shot in black and white, focuses on a biracial high school student named Aaron, who wants money to go to his dream college. A multimillionaire alumnus promises the high school to pay the college tuition for all black students, and Aaron is tested for his "blackness". Similar to previous episodes, none of the main cast members appear in the episode.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.225 million household viewers and gained a 0.1 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received positive reviews from critics. Some praised the episode for its cinematography, Glover's directing and its message; others deemed that it failed to properly tell its message and, as with previous episodes, criticized the absence of the main cast.
This episode marked the final on-screen appearance of Kevin Samuels, who died on May 5, 2022, exactly one week before this episode aired.