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[RatskyWatsky]

Created by Misha Green (Spartacus: Gods of the Arena) and Joe Pokaski (Daredevil), Underground is WGN America's fourth foray into the original scripted programming game. The series will premiere on Wednesday, March 9 at 10/9c.

Grammy-winning singer/songwriter John Legend provided the soundscape for the series, which includes sound bites from contemporary songs like Kanye West's "Black Skinhead" as well as updates to vintage classics like Johnny Cash's "I Got Shoes."

In the hourlong, 10-episode series, an enslaved blacksmith named Noah organizes a small band of bondspeople and sets in motion a daring escape from a Georgia plantation to cross 600 miles to freedom.

Cast

• Driven, perceptive and restless, Noah is known on the plantation for his dexterity as a blacksmith... and the telltale marks on his back that reveal a history of his dreams of freedom.
• Young, shy and sheltered away in the "big house" as a slave to the Macon family, Rosalee hasn't seen much beyond the edges of the plantation.
• August Pullman is a secretive man who walks a tightrope between morality and survival.
• Cunning and charismatic, Cato is despised and feared by his fellow slaves.

• Elizabeth Hawkes is a socialite who shares the abolitionist ideals of her husband, John.
• Moses is a fiery preacher for the plantation's field hands who must decide if God himself would want him and his family to risk it all by trying to escape.
• John Hawkes is an abolitionist lawyer who will break the laws he's sworn to uphold in order to serve a greater good.
• Pearly Mae is a strong-willed wife and mother who first gives voice to the song in which the runners will find clues to help guide them to freedom.

Other cast members include:

• Amirah Vann as Ernestine
• Renwick Scott as Henry
• Johnny Ray Gill as Sam
• Theodus Crane as Zeke

Videos and Links

• Full Length Trailer
• First Look
• The Music Of Underground
• Main Title Sequence
• Freedom Song Synthesizer Game

Promo Photos

Reviews

Created by Misha Green and Joe Pokaski, the not-to-be-missed drama about the Underground Railroad is a harrowing and compelling series that will make you uncomfortable, amazed and ultimately inspired by one of the most treacherous and ambitious chapters in this nation’s story.

 

[TheOddOne]

They really got to stop using John Legend to promote this, because the other talent is nothing to scoff at.

Thanks for the thread, Hunk.

 

[Bay Maximus]

How am I JUST NOW hearing about this? Definitely checking this one out.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - 'Underground’

“Underground” is a rough watch, but it offers twists and compelling characters worth watching for viewers up to the challenge.

In its first hour, “Underground” proves to be the smartest, best series yet from fledgling network WGN America.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

I've been looking forward to this for months,so I'm definitely in. Great OT by the way.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

These runaways aren't shown to be saints, but their treacherous quest for liberation has an almost biblical quality of deliverance.

(taken from the 7-10 Mar 2016 issue)

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Wall Street Journal - ‘Underground’ Review: Racing With the Freedom Runners

They [the black characters] are so well drawn and acted and so dramatically compelling that the others--like the casually cruel plantation massah and the kindly abolitionist lawyer and his wife--can seem like stock characters in a movie of the week.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

TV Guide - Watch the Cast of Underground Explain Why You've Never Seen Slavery Like This

 

[RatskyWatsky]

TV Line - Underground Review

The solid cast, compelling overall storyline and deft twists add up to an engrossing, enlightening drama.

A-

 

[RatskyWatsky]

AV Club - WGN America’s Underground is a taut thriller disguised as a history lesson

Underground benefits from its deliberate pacing. This is, after all, a heist story, except that the thieves are literally stealing their own bodies. All the components of a tense thriller are here.

A-

Cleveland Plain Dealer - 'Underground' is richly acted historical thriller (review)

The series has it didactic moments, to be sure, as well as the occasional cartoonish character. But these drawbacks are more than offset by the riveting narrative, the outstanding lead cast and a seamless weaving of the greater historical context into the ongoing story.

 

[Joni]

Oh, Indra, Hardison and Huntress. Mentally tagging this show to watch it when it is on DVD.

 

[Priz]

Been a huge fan of Leverage (went to their one con in Portland) and love Aldis. Really great guy and a wonderful actor.

I have been looking forward to this since he first mentioned it on twitter and hope it does well.

Interview with Aldis - http://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/aldis-hodge/#_

 

[Palmer_v1]

Thanks for all those updates Ratsky! That last AV Club one convinced me. I'll give it a shot.

 

[crazygambit]

Is that Stabler on the third picture? Next to the girl that was dating her brother in House and the guy the killed Sam Winchester.

Will give it a shot.

 

[Messofanego]

That tracking shot, lovely.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

Is this on Hulu?

 

[TheOddOne]

- THR: 'Underground': TV Review.

Hemingway, a directing producer here, deserves much of the credit for the swagger that Underground possesses and for allaying concerns that the show is stitched together almost completely from TV and movies we've seen before. Sometimes he's showing off, like when the camera swoops down on Rosalee outside the front of the mansion and leads her rushing through the middle of the house in a single, cocky shot. Sometimes he really is -- and I still don't love the word -- having "fun," like the introductions of the conspirators with brash zoom-ins and tinted flashbacks, straight out of the '70s blacksploitation playbook. Sometimes Hemingway makes you want to wince or cringe at the brutality of it all, but there's a moment at the end of the fourth episode, the last hour sent to critics, that had me straight-up cheering. There's the big picture plantation escape developing, but each episode has a couple suspense set pieces like an antebellum Ocean's Eleven or Mission: Impossible, only with the truth of slavery complicating the joy of each miniature heist.

 

[Dan]

For some reason I thought this was coming in April. I'll be checking it out.

 

[Slayven]

Going to have to watch for my boy Hodge

 

[RatskyWatsky]

An intriguing historical drama.

(taken from the Mar 11 2016 issue)

Time - Underground Review

Underground rises to the challenge with urgent storytelling and a heavy dose of contemporary edge.

 

[Parallax]

Going to have to watch for my boy Hodge

same

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Is this on Hulu?

I haven't seen the show page go up, so I'm going to guess not yet. Other WGN shows have been added to Hulu (Manhattan and Salem) but not as they air.

Crackle had a special deal with WGN's newest show Outsiders, and streamed the first three episodes as they aired. Maybe something like that will happen with Underground?

I'm crossing my fingers for Hulu too. It's usually the easiest way for me to catch my shows since I rarely live watch these days.

 

[Cornballer]

- Sepinwall's review: WGN's 'Underground' is 'Roots' meets 'Prison Break'

Based on the four episodes I've watched, Underground seems to have hit the sweet spot between quality and commercial potential, and between being respectful of the time it's depicting while finding a way to function as ongoing entertainment.

 

[berzeli]

Well I did say that I would watch this in the spring TV thread if it was well received. And well received it certainly is so far.
Now I just need to figure out if it's even going to air over here.

 

[Walpurgis]

I saw this on the front page of Metacritic and thought it was a new Walking Dead spinoff. I clicked on it and wow. I can't believe I've never heard of this show. I just watched 12 Years a Slave a few days ago and I am still depressed; I am so in the mood for this. It could not have come at a better time

Spoiler

and I love heist films.

I'm also surprised that it is reviewing well. Historical shows with interesting concepts have always disappointed me with bad reviews or it least it feels that way. I hope this leads to more. And I hope the series creators have plans for more than one season for this topic.

Finally, I am really looking forward to learning about the underground railway passage. One thing I love about historical shows is that I can learn about things through the story without knowing spoilers while also knowing that it is real (e.g. that OJ show and The Americans). I think the railway ends in Canada? I know next to nothing about African Americans in Canada and how they got there so this will be very interesting.

Oh, Indra, Hardison and Huntress. Mentally tagging this show to watch it when it is on DVD.

Ha! I didn't recognise her without all of that grounder paint/gear.

That tracking shot, lovely.

Wow. This is a very nice surprise.

- THR: 'Underground': TV Review.

I saw that this show had good reviews so I assumed it was just story/characters but I never expected this.

- Sepinwall's review: WGN's 'Underground' is 'Roots' meets 'Prison Break'

Everything I read about this makes me want to watch it even more.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Washington Post - WGN’s thrilling escaped-slave drama ‘Underground’ is overdue — and right on time

Thrilling and occasionally provocative.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Washington Post - WGN’s thrilling escaped-slave drama ‘Underground’ is overdue — and right on time

Wow, with all the critical praise, I wonder if WGN will give it an early renewal just to legitimize their original programming. Manhattan is gone now, Salem is fun & trashy but it will never get any love from the media.

That review highlights what attracted me to the show, how unique this show really is. I remember reading the premise and being instantly drawn in.

 

[Tizoc]

Gonna give this a watch thanks fonthe heads up op

 

[RatskyWatsky]

The series premiere is tonight!

The Macon 7

Spoiler

The epic escape story of the Underground Railroad is told through the point of view of a group of plantation slaves who band together for the fight of their lives in the series premiere.

The premiere of Underground will be aired commercial free, and it, along with episodes 2 and 3, will be available on Crackle, Facebook, and the WGN America and Sony Youtube channels after their respective premieres on the network.

 

[Ashhong]

That tracking shot, lovely.

This looks like CG in the gif haha

Am going to check this out

 

[Grizzlyjin]

The series premiere is tonight!



The premiere of Underground will be aired commercial free, and it, along with episodes 2 and 3, will be available on Crackle, Facebook, and the WGN America and Sony Youtube channels after their respective premieres on the network.

Awesome. I'm probably going to be at a birthday party during the airing, so I'll peep at it on one of the alternatives. Very pumped.

 

[Walpurgis]

This looks like CG in the gif haha

Am going to check this out

Now that you mentioned it, it kind of does - especially the staircase. I just figured they used a drone.

 

[psynergylover]

just watched it and I'm hooked!!!

damn christopher meloni(forgot his screen name) though he was one of the good ones but was just another slave catcher!!!

CUNNIVING BASTARD!!!

 

[RatskyWatsky]

I thought that was a strong premiere. That breath beat in the beginning of the episode hooked me right away and I stayed hooked until the end.

 

[Tizoc]

YO
THIS DUDE
DOES NOT WANT

Spoiler

HIS WAGON TOUCHED
KEEP A DISTANCE OF 10 FEET BETWEEN YOU AND THE WAGON
AND NOBODY GETS DECAPITATED

 

[Exile20]

So it is good?

Great to hear.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

‘Underground’ Blazes WGN Ratings Record In Debut

Underground set a record as WGN’s highest performing original series ever in its launch last night. The 10 PM airing drew 1.4M total viewers to rank No. 5 among all scripted series premieres on cable this broadcast TV season. The premiere’s 585K adults 25-54 ranks No. 7 in the TV season that started last September.

Across its four Wednesday night plays, the launch cumed 2.5M viewers, to stand as the best total-viewer opening ever for an original on WGN in same day viewing. The drama, created by Misha Green and Joe Pokaski, outpaced premieres of the network’s Outsiders by 27% and Salem by 6%. Across those four plays, Underground delivered 983K adults 25-54, surpassing Outsiders by 21%.

yuss

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Phenomenal premiere, I loved how it swerved and got that heist/breakout movie vibe halfway through. Strongest thing about this show is the cast, even in the smaller roles in the premiere they have some great actors. I spent half the episode pointing at the screen because they got actors I liked from other shows, like Johnny Ray Gill (Rectify) or Mykelti Williamson (Justified)

Definitely going to be one of my Must Watch List. Glad to hear it had such a great premiere, I figured it did really well for a WGN show. I saw it trending on Twitter for a couple hours and had some people text me to see if I watched it, which has never happened with another WGN America Original.

 

[masud]

Journee is Bae. Might have to watch this.

 

[Nabs]

Awesome premiere. Fantastic casting and directing. I wasn't a big fan of some of the song choices, but everything else was super on point. Some might not be totally into it, but I really dug how it transitioned over to Plantation Break. I'm already hooked and it's only the first episode.

Journee is Bae. Might have to watch this.

Do it.

 

[The Illiterati]

This premiere was fantastic. I found it really brutal too, pulling no punches, IMO. Really wish Django existed back then for real. But this cast is really good and I hope they all escape.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Strongest thing about this show is the cast, even in the smaller roles in the premiere they have some great actors. I spent half the episode pointing at the screen because they got actors I liked from other shows, like Johnny Ray Gill (Rectify) or Mykelti Williamson (Justified)

The cast is really strong, yeah. I was most surprised by Smollett-Bell and De Gouw, both of whom weren't very good in previous things I'd seen them in, but were surprisingly good in this.

I found it really brutal too, pulling no punches, IMO.

(I think they bleeped part of Black Skinhead though :/)

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

That tracking shot, lovely.

Mother of fuckers.

 

[Dr Prob]

Was only able to see the first half, so my takes are ill-informed!

But it seemed pretty good. The pregnancy thing seemed to be a bit on the nose - a character you like is adept at delivering babies, one you don't is pregnant! - but that doesn't automatically mean that particular storyline is bad, just that by having it front and center it needs to really pay off. But then again I didn't see the whole thing so this is nonsense. Hopefully they use the block to replay it.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

You can now watch the premiere on:

Crackle

WGN America

(also supposedly on Facebook and YouTube but I can't find any links to those)

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

I wasn't aware this was even a thing, but the first episode was definitely solid, so add another show to the pile. I'm gonna try to not fall behind on this one!

 

[cameron]

Just saw the premiere. Looks solid so far. Nothing felt like filler. Cast is great. Some faces seem new or not familiar to me, but they were all capable.

I know that there's no need to spoiler tag an aired episode, but I'll do it here anyway just in case people haven't seen the first episode yet:

Spoiler

Initially, when they cut away from Noah's whipping scene, I assumed they're going to soften the subject matter a bit. Nope. The scene with Rosalee happened. Shit is brutal. And I feel like a chump for not seeing Stabler's face-heel turn. I so wanted him to be an ally. Boourns.

 

[The Illiterati]

As soon as Meloni showed up, I knew he had to be a villain, so when they swerved and made him good I was really surprised....only for him to really be a villain. I enjoyed the twist.

That scene where the wife was staring upwards during the whole conversation, only for them to reveal what she was looking at the end(the child in the swing) was an absolute gut punch for me.

 

[Jay Shadow]

I showed up for Aldis Hodge and I stayed for everything else. Fully on board.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

As soon as Meloni showed up, I knew he had to be a villain, so when they swerved and made him good I was really surprised....only for him to really be a villain. I enjoyed the twist.

That scene where the wife was staring upwards during the whole conversation, only for them to reveal what she was looking at the end(the child in the swing) was an absolute gut punch for me.

Yep, that was effective storytelling.