According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.553 million household viewers and gained a 0.3 ratings share among adults aged 18–49.
Earn (Donald Glover) takes Lottie to a meeting with Alfred (Brian Tyree Henry) and an entertainment lawyer.
The site's consensus states: "'Crabs in a Barrel' ends Atlanta's sophomore outing on a bittersweet high note that blends the surreal humor and thoughtful social commentary the series has become known for -- and concludes the Robbin' Season arc with big changes, questions resolved, and brilliantly subverted expectations.
'The Jacket', despite its police-involved shooting and the specter of death looming over Alfred, ended on a celebratory, triumph note.
"[5] Hanh Nguyen of IndieWire gave the episode an "A" and wrote, "Atlanta closed its finale with a bang, but not the literal one that many viewers and been braced for since the season began with a barrage of gunfire, a vibe that then continued with ongoing depictions of danger and violence.
"[7] Matt Miller of Esquire wrote, "So goes the cycle of Atlanta: Robbin' Season: You're only getting ahead at someone else's expense, because that's the way things work in America.
"[8] Bryan Washington of Vulture gave the episode a perfect 5 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Robbin Season's low points were higher highs than those of its counterparts.
Its singular exchanges surpassed other series' entire plotlines, with casual gestures stronger than their whole narrative arcs.
"[10] Dan Jackson of Thrillist wrote, "It's the work of a team of writers, actors, and directors who have successfully tuned out the decoders of the world.
"[11] Sonia Saraiya of Vanity Fair wrote, "The seductive, off-kilter, brutally honest brainchild of Donald Glover delivers a finale that is purposefully hard to live with.
"[12] Leigh-Anne Jackson of The New York Times wrote, "The writer, Stephen Glover, eschewed the surrealism and shock tactics that have shaped this season and replaced them with thoughtful tête-à-têtes and straight talk.
"[13] Jacob Oller of Paste gave the episode a 8 out of 10 rating and wrote, "with 'Crabs in a Barrel', Glover finds a throughline in his disparate interests and reckons with the systems he faced to succeed in each.
"[14] Alison Herman of The Ringer wrote, "We haven't been trained to expect answers from Atlanta, yet this finale delivers them regardless.