Atlanta added a third anthology episode to season three with its seventh episode: “Trini 2 De Bone”. The show focuses on a white family based in New York with two parents who immediately appear too preoccupied with their own lives to take care of their son Sebastian, played by Indy Sullivan Groudis (Welcome to Flatch). His father, Miles, played by Justin Hagan (Shortbus, Party Monster), finds out their babysitter Sylvia has died. He tells his wife Bronwyn, played by Christina Bennett Lind (Fireworkers, Grown), who is shocked at the news. Sebastian is ignorant of her death as he eats breakfast and watches television with headphones on. Immediately after Miles divulges the information, there is a knock, and an envelope addressed to Sylvia is left at their door.
Bronwyn takes Sebastian to school, and he repeatedly asks about Sylvia and comments on how her mother isn’t doing the things Sylvia does with him. After deliberation between Miles and Bronwyn, where she remarks how a teacher commented on neither of them being there for family picture day, they decide to tell Sebastian that Sylvia has passed away. He wants to see his caretaker to say goodbye. Miles introduces the idea of him going to the funeral, which Bronwyn says they’ll have to discuss. Once more, the package addressed to Sylvia is left at their door.
Miles tries to convince Bronwyn to allow Sebastian to go to the funeral. She discusses how they might want to try a more “metropolitan” babysitter next time or even one who can teach their son Mandarin. She is interrupted by Sebastian standing at the door and gasps when she spots him. Her picking and choosing of specific races and cultures for him to be influenced by, followed by her fear of his appearance, demonstrates how skewed her parenting methods are. She goes to comfort him but doesn’t know the song that Sylvia sang to him to help him sleep, “Sweet T and T,” which includes the lyrics “Trini to the bone” from her Trinidad and Tobago background.
In the episode’s funniest moment, they go to the funeral and meet a young white man with a strong Trinidad and Tobago accent, who Sylvia similarly nannied. He’s from Tribeca. There is a lot of commotion at the funeral, with a performance of “Sweet T and T” accompanied by dancing before one of her daughters interrupts and scolds her mother for taking care of other children, not her. Then there is a fight which is only stopped when someone points out that Miles, Bronwyn, and Sebastian are leaving out of fear.
The funeral causes Bronwyn to recognize that they have not been there for Sebastian, which Miles denies. He claims that they were there for him today when he needed them. In the middle of the night, the envelope arrives once more, and Miles finally opens it to see that it contains pictures of Sylvia and Sebastian on family picture day.
“Trini 2 De Bone” included so many fine details that point towards the lack of parenting done by Miles and Bronwyn. Each moment they discuss how best to raise their son juxtaposes the evidence that they care for him. It is a relatively more straightforward episode of Atlanta, but there are still the usual hilarious moments and thought-provoking scenes.
Rating: 7.5/10