Underground follows a group of slaves who escape from a Georgia plantation to cross 600 miles to freedom.
The series premieres Wednesday, March 9 10/9c on WGN (Check your local listing).
I am excited for this new series produced by John Legend. Episode 101 is titled “The Macon” after the plantation owner and gives an introduction of the characters you will be following. The slave owners, his wife, and children, his slaves, and the circumstances that will shape the rest of the show (which is obviously escaping for their freedom). This show was great from beginning to end, starting with the soundtrack, casting and dialogue.
The Underground writers have done a great job shaping the experience of each individual that you watch, as they live out their life experiences in each episode.
So for me, as I watched the show, slavery wasn’t just about skin color, it was about the abuse of power and position, intimation with fear and learning to cope with the reality of the world. And as you know, we still see those changes evolving in today’s world in America (Black Lives Matter) and 3rd world countries (Syria).
Episode 102 “War Chest”
Perfectly titled because it shows what every individuals has in their corner to help them fight. Not just in war, but just the daily struggle of not giving up in life, believing there is a better place outside of what you don’t know.
This episode contains nudity and sexual situations. But it also goes to show what a person had to tolerate, learn to cope with and make their own to survive the cruelty that they are taught and expected to endure.
Episode 103 “Lord’s Day”
Spoiler alert: I just have to tell somebody because I was so excited when I saw him! But look out for guest appearances from Fox Empire’s own Jussie Smollett, who is also Jurnee-Smollett-Bell’s brother.
Episode 104 “Firefly”
They light up the night. You’ll understand it when you watch the episode, but once again the writers have done a great job guiding you through each person’s history, experience and how it changes them to make change, not only for themselves but for the people around them.
I am paraphrasing a story told from the WGN Underground series, “There are two wolves living inside us, one is evil living off of greedy, the other is good living off of peace. You have a choice of which one you want to follow.”
America’s History is every culture, race, ethnicity and heritage, we can think of, but it’s also the choices some have made to either praise and honor it or degrade and exploit it.
