What time does ‘the underground’ premiere on WGN America?
- The historical thriller drama about the Underground Railroad, created by Misha Green and Joe Pokaski, airs Wednesday at 10:00pm ET/PT on WGN America. WGN will air a full first season Underground marathon, before the Underground season one finale, Wednesday, May 11, beginning at 1:00pm.
Why did the show underground get Cancelled?
The cancellation came after the network’s parent company Tribune Media was attempted to be purchased by conservative corporation Sinclair Broadcasting Group, which led to speculation that the latter did not approve of the subject matter of the show.
Will there be a season 3 of Underground Railroad?
On May 30, 2017, Underground was cancelled so there won’t be a third season.
Will there be Season 2 of Underground Railroad?
The Underground Railroad Season 2 won’t come in 2021 Whether the series is renewed or not, we’ve got some bad news when it comes to the release date. The Underground Railroad Season 2 won’t come in 2021.
How many episodes of underground are there?
Oprah Winfrey to ‘revitalize’ re-runs of canceled slavery series ‘Underground’ for OWN. Oprah Winfrey’s basic cable network has acquired a slave narrative for the ages. OWN has announced it has picked up the critically acclaimed historical drama series “Underground,” which previously aired for two season on WGN America
What happened to Cato on Underground?
Cato is a major character in Underground and one of the “Macon 7”. He gathers feeling for Rosalee, who later dismisses them. After being known as a “white man in dark skin” it is apparent that he wanted to get away from his “home” and thereby ran away. Once away, he had been left for dead with arrows in his leg.
What are they sniffing in underground?
Ernestine inhales a cinnamon-colored liquid substance. She is addicted to Laudanum, a tincture of opium and a highly addictive painkiller that was popular in the 19th century. Under the influence of this substance, she’s numbed and haunted.
Is Underground a true story?
Underground’s stars say the same. So while Underground is not based on any specific real people, it proves that you can still be very faithful to history without following the events of a single person’s life.
Who is lander in Underground Railroad?
Lander is a well-educated and distinguished biracial man who travels the country giving political speeches. Just before Valentine farm is destroyed, he gives an impassioned speech advocating racial solidarity and the pursuit of freedom.
How many chapters are in the Underground Railroad series?
Based on the 2016 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, “The Underground Railroad” is a story divided into ten chapters, but not in a traditional episodic manner.
Is there a season 2 of Carnival Row?
Carnival Row is one of those shows that was faced with a delay. It’s not all too surprising to find out that Carnival Row Season 2 isn’t coming in December 2021, but that doesn’t mean we’re not disappointed. We had hoped for a Christmas miracle, but that’s not the case.
How many episodes are there in the underground Season 2?
Underground Railroad was filmed in the Savannah region and around the state of Georgia, which is located between Eastern Europe and Western Asia. The series includes 10 episodes and the filming for this series began in 2019.
‘Underground’ was a hit for WGN America. Here’s why it got canceled.
The critically praised drama “Underground,” about a gang of fugitive slaves and abolitionists striving for freedom through the Underground Railroad, has been canceled by WGN America, however the show’s creators have promised to find a new home for the series elsewhere. Despite strong ratings and a flurry of social media activity surrounding the program, which was produced by musician John Legend, the termination of the show isn’t entirely unexpected. Sinclair Broadcast Group announced earlier this month that it had agreed to purchase WGNA’s parent firm, Tribune Media, in a $3.9 billion deal.
Sinclair’s CEO, Chris Ripley, has stated that the ratings for WGNA’s programming did not justify the expense of producing it.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Peter Kern, president and CEO of the network’s parent company Tribune Media, revealed that the show “Underground” will be cancelled as a result of the network’s new strategic direction: Due to the expansion of WGN America’s series portfolio and the broadening of the breadth and size of its offerings, we recently announced that resources would be redirected to a new strategy designed to strengthen our relevance in the fast changing television environment.
This change is intended to provide more value to our advertising and distribution partners while also providing viewers with more unique programming across our broadcast networks.
- In particular, we are quite proud of this groundbreaking series, which caught the zeitgeist and had an influence on television in a way that had never been witnessed before on the medium.
- Angry and depressed fans reacted to the news, with some mentioning the recent cancellation of Netflix’s “The Get Down,” which, like “Undergound,” had a primarily black cast of characters.
- “The program will find a new home,” Legend promised fans on Twitter.
- “Show them who’s going to be watching,” the singer said on Twitter.
In a tweet, she expressed gratitude for “the outpouring of fan support,” adding that “we’re committed to find a new network for ‘Underground.'” Apparently, Hulu, which owns the streaming rights to “Underground,” is being evaluated as a potential new network for the program, according to Deadline.
In accordance with the Hollywood Reporter, BET and OWN have previously passed on the opportunity to acquire the drama series.
‘Underground’: OWN Acquires WGN America’s Historical Drama Series
EXCLUSIVE: It has been announced that Underground, the critically acclaimed historical drama series which ran for two seasons on WGN America, would move toOWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. The network announced today that it had purchased the series, which will premiere on Tuesday, January 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. According to the network, the series, which is produced by Sony Pictures Television, will have a rejuvenated presentation on OWN, with freshly recorded episodic introductions by cast members, never-before-seen behind-the-scenes video, and more.
- OWN The logline is as follows: In 1857, a restless slave called Noah (Hodge) recruits a small group of other slaves on the Macon farm outside Atlanta and devises a plot to flee for their life – 600 perilous miles north — in order to gain their freedom.
- Those who manage to make it off the plantation will find that the dangers and uncertainties have multiplied.
- Throughout the journey, they are aided by an abolitionist couple from Ohio who are new to running a station on the Underground Railroad and are unprepared for the havoc it will wreak on their personal lives.
- Among those appearing are Alano Miller, Jessica de Gouw, Marc Blucas.
- Reed Diamond.
- James Lafferty.
- Jussie Smollett.
- In addition, Legend and Get Lifted were in charge of the series’ score, soundtrack, and all musical components in general.
- As a result of the series’ success, the African American Film Critics Association voted it the best television show of the year.
For its cinematography, it was nominated for an ASC Award and won three Cynopsis TV Awards. It was also recognized by BroadcastingCable and Multichannel News as a winner of the Diversity Discussion in Television and Video award.
There Won’t Be Underground Season 3 on WGN America
WGN America’s Underground 2016 has two seasons and twenty episodes. The critically acclaimed show will not be returning to WGN America as part of the network’s strategic decision to discontinue original programming. Show Status as of Right Now Season 3 of Underground has been canceled. The show aired on Wednesday, May 10th, 2017. Soldier Season 2: Episode 10The show came to an end. There are a total of 21 episodes. The most recent news UPDATED The 4th of October, 2017: Unfortunately, in the world of television, critical praise is meaningless if the numbers do not meet the expectations of the network’s management.
- However, the network’s decision to terminate the show was not just based on declining ratings, but also on their strategic choice to quit the original scripted industry.
- The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) is a news organization based in Los Angeles, California.
- Misha Green and Joe Pokaski wrote the script for the historical drama, which was filmed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
- Underground Season 2 debuted on March 8, 2017, and is still airing.
- A perilous scheme to escape slavery is carried out by Noah (Aldis Hodge) and Rosalee (Jumee Smollett-Bell) and their fellow slaves in pursuit of freedom, and the tale focuses on them.
- Underground has a cast that includes Christopher Meloni, Alano Miller, Jessica De Gouw, Amirah Vahn, and Marc Blucas, to name a few.
- It was announced on March 8th that Underground Season 2 would begin airing on WGN on Wednesday, March 8th.
- Despite the fact that the drama premiered last year, the 7.9 out of 10 IMDb rating, the 74 Metascore, and Underground’s great audience figures have created a very positive image for the show’s long-term success.
In light of all of the foregoing, it is quite disappointing that the current second season of Underground is attracting just 0.6 million viewers on average, representing a significant 40 percent reduction in viewership. Episodes Season 2Specials from Season 1
Name | Air Dates | |
---|---|---|
1 | Contraband | Mar 8, 2017 |
2 | Things Unsaid | Mar 15, 2017 |
3 | Ache | Mar 22, 2017 |
4 | Nok Aaut | Mar 29, 2017 |
5 | Whiteface | Apr 5, 2017 |
6 | Minty | Apr 12, 2017 |
7 | 28 | Apr 19, 2017 |
8 | Auld Acquaintance | Apr 26, 2017 |
9 | Citizen | May 3, 2017 |
10 | Soldier | May 10, 2017 |
Name | Air Dates | |
---|---|---|
1 | The Macon 7 | Mar 9, 2016 |
2 | War Chest | Mar 16, 2016 |
3 | The Lord’s Day | Mar 23, 2016 |
4 | Firefly | Mar 30, 2016 |
5 | RunGun | Apr 6, 2016 |
6 | Troubled Water | Apr 13, 2016 |
7 | Cradle | Apr 20, 2016 |
8 | Grave | Apr 27, 2016 |
9 | BlackBlue | May 4, 2016 |
10 | The White Whale | May 11, 2016 |
2 seasons and 20 episodes of Underground 2016 on WGN America. As a result of WGN America’s strategic choice to discontinue original programming, the critically acclaimed drama will not be returning in its current format. Show Status at the Moment Underground season 3 has been canceled, according to the network. 10th of May 2017 (Wednesday): Soldier ‘Season 2: Episode 10’ marked the conclusion of the show. In total, there are 21 episodes. The most recent information is available here. UPDATED on the 4th of October, 2017 Although critical acclaim is important in the realm of television, it means very little if the numbers do not impress those in charge of programming.
- The decision to cancel was not just based on the network’s desire to depart the scripted business, but also on the network’s strategic choice to do so.
- (@THR) is the Twitter handle for The Hollywood Reporter.
- Misha Green and Joe Pokaski wrote the script for the historical drama, which was filmed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in the summer of 2013.
- Undercover Season 2 debuted on March 8, 2017, and is now on its second season.
- A perilous scheme to escape slavery is carried out by Noah (Aldis Hodge) and Rosalee (Jumee Smollett-Bell), together with their other slaves, in pursuit of freedom.
- Christopher Meloni, Alano Miller, Jessica De Gouw, Amirah Vahn, and Marc Blucas are among the actors who appear in Underground.
- It was announced on March 8th that Underground Season 2 would begin airing on WGN on Wednesday, March 8th.
- Despite the fact that the drama premiered last year, the 7.9 out of 10 IMDb rating, the 74 Metascore, and Underground’s great audience figures have created a very optimistic picture for the show’s long-term success.
It’s quite disappointing that the current second season of Underground is attracting just 0.6 million viewers on average, which represents an over 40 percent reduction in viewership from the previous season. Episodes The Second SeasonSecond SeasonSpecial Episodes
WGN America’s Underground Makes For Suspenseful, Relevant Drama
A new scripted drama series titled Underground, which is centered on the Underground Railroad as its backdrop, begins today on WGN America. The first three episodes of the tense, ensemble-driven thriller have already been released. Here are our perspectives on the subject. In general, I believe that historical dramas are seldom as much about the time period in which they are set as they are about the time period in which they are created, and that this is a valid point. And the tales and systematic dread of Underground are still very much relevant to our countries’ racism, a current reality that, of course, has its origins in the institution of slavery that was instrumental in the founding of our nation.
- One one needs to go no farther than this seemingly endless presidential election cycle to see how true this is.
- Even if Underground does not express an opinion on these hot-button, high-stakes, deeply ingrained national problems, it will provide context for discussion.
- We are not doing a very good job when it comes to black representation and investigations of racism in mainstream media, and this is one of the responsibilities of pop culture.
- When we tell stories about slavery in America’s past, we frequently present them from the perspective of the white protagonists.
Despite the fact that white married couple John Hawkes (Marc Blucas) and Elizabeth Hawkes (Jessica de Gouw) are toying with the idea of becoming a stop on the Underground Railroad, it is ambitious, clever field slave Noah (Aldis Hodge) and reserved, yet passionate house slave Rosalee (Jurnee Smollett), among others, who must plan, mobilize, and implement their plantation escape while evading escaped slave hunters for When it comes to themes and narrative mechanics, Underground may be a little too heavy-handed at times, but for the most part, it does an admirable job of handling a large number of interrelated characters and story arcs.
- To be sure, it is a large and grandiose construction.
- Meanwhile, the promise and danger of the Underground Railroad, which stretches all the way to the North, generates a feeling of vastness that is bolstered by John and Elizabeth’s ease with which they traverse it.
- In the minds of Noah, Rosalee, and the others contemplating the perilous journey to the North, the endeavor seems nearly impossible — or at least that is what their slaveowner employers want them to believe.
- Even before anybody leaves the property, the threat has begun to envelop the whole community.
- Misha Green and Joe Pokaski met while working on Heroes, and they came up with the idea for Underground to have the same fast-paced framework as action-thriller series like 24.
- This program hasn’t quite worked out what kind of tone or style it wants to have yet.
- It is this unevenness that continues to the soundtrack, which is a mix of more conventional pieces as well as some hip-hop and pop that appears to have been lifted directly off the radio.
There are so many well-known faces in this production.
Aldis Hodge takes on the role of Noah.
Pearly Mae is played by Adina Porter, who appeared on The 100 as a literary mother and wife.
Marc Blucas (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) portrays John Hawkes, a man divided between morality and familial obligations.
The list of well-known and spectacular cast members goes on and on, and it is endless.
Cato is a slave who appears to have sold out his fellow slaves in order to gain favor in “the large house,” but his reasons are ambiguous and confusing, as is his relationship with his master.
Despite the fact that Underground isn’t flawless in its first three episodes, it has enough to keep lovers of tense, character-driven dramas interested.
Underground, which has only 10 episodes left in its first season, is ready to maintain the heart-pounding, heart-wrenching pace that it established in its first episode for the duration of this race for freedom.
Hopefully, enough spectators will tune in to witness it being completed successfully. Underground will make its television debut on Wednesday, March 9 at 10 p.m. on WGN. Get the best of Den of Geek sent to your email every weekday morning!
Underground: OWN to Air “Revisiting” Special Hosted by John Legend
‘Underground,’ the first major scripted drama series to use the Underground Railroad as a setting, begins on WGN America tonight at 9 p.m. ET. It has been three episodes into this gripping, ensemble-driven thriller that we’ve watched thus far. Here’s what we had to say about it. In general, I believe that historical dramas are seldom as much about the time period in which they are set as they are about the time period in which they are created. Moreover, the tales and systematic dread of Underground are still very much relevant to our nations’ racism, a current reality that, of course, has its origins in the system of slavery that had a role in the formation of our nation.
- For evidence of this, one need only look no farther than the seemingly endless presidential election cycle.
- It will enlighten people, even if Underground does not express an opinion on these tense, high-stakes, and deeply rooted national concerns.
- We are not doing a very good job when it comes to black representation and investigations of racism in mainstream culture, and this is one of the responsibilities of popular culture.
- It is common for us to recount stories about slavery in America from the perspective of the white people who appear in such stories.
While white married couple John Hawkes (Marc Blucas) and Elizabeth Hawkes (Jessica de Gouw) may entertain the notion of becoming a stop on the Underground Railroad, it is ambitious, clever field slave Noah (Aldis Hodge) and reserved, yet passionate house slave Rosalee (Jurnee Smollett), among others, who must plan, mobilize, and implement their plantation escape while evading escaped slave hunters for 600 miles.
When it comes to themes and plot mechanics, Underground might be a little too heavy-handed at times, but for the most part, it does an admirable job of balancing a diverse cast of interwoven characters and story arcs.
A large portion of the action takes place on a Georgian plantation, which serves as a home for most of the characters — both white and black — but there is a level of complexity to this hierarchically structured, unjust, and interpersonally charged world that Underground does an excellent job of examining.
- Take the train from Atlanta to Philadelphia is no more difficult for them than acquiring a train ticket in the first place.
- The program doesn’t waste any time in launching its characters, as well as its viewers, into the high-octane tension of that pursuit.
- In the lives of our heroes, it is an inextricable part of their beings.
- However, the direction can be distractingly inconsistent at times, as seen by the video above.
- It is clear from the first three episodes that the substance is excellent enough to override any concerns regarding the production design.
However, I am always in favor of more television and film projects that defy the somewhat arbitrary rules of the historical format, so I am willing to forgive Underground for the scenes in which its contemporary music a la Marie Antoinette jars you out of your seat and makes you forget you are watching a historical drama.
- Actress Jurnee Smollett portrays Rosalee in the television show Friday Night Lights Aldis Hodge takes up the role of Noah in the Leverage production.
- A mother and wife named Pearly Mae, played by Adina Porter on The 100, is a literate woman.
- Marc Blucas (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) portrays John Hawkes, a man divided between his morals and his familial obligations.
- On and on goes the list of cast members who are both well-known and very remarkable.
- Cato is a slave who appears to have sold off his fellow slaves in order to gain favor in “the great house,” but his reasons are ambiguous and confusing, as is his relationship with his fellow slaves.
- Despite the fact that Underground isn’t flawless in its first three episodes, it has enough to captivate viewers of tense, character-driven dramas.
- With just ten episodes remaining in its first season, Underground is ready to maintain the heart-pounding, heart-wrenching pace set in its first episode throughout the duration of this race for freedom, despite the fact that the season is only halfway through.
The hope is that enough viewers will tune in to witness it being done. A new episode of Underground will air on WGN on Wednesday, March 9 at 10:00 p.m. Get the best of Den of Geek sent to your email every weekday morning.
Barry Jenkins’ ‘The Underground Railroad’ Is a Stunning Adaptation
One of the most horrific and magnificent scenes in The Underground Railroad, Barry Jenkins’ spectacular miniseries adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, can be found in the first episode of the series. In the antebellum period of Georgia, a fugitive has been apprehended and restored to a cotton farm. The victim (played by Eli Everett) is hanging by his wrists from a large wooden structure after being stripped down to his underwear and covered with bloody lashes. The scores of enslaved field laborers who are being forced to witness his death stand behind him in a semicircle.
- As the victim is being burnt alive, a couple of Black musicians come on stage and play a cheerful melody.
- When you look closer, the terrible scenario shows itself to be an insightful response to mainstream culture, which fetishizes Black people’s suffering while failing to acknowledge the psychological consequences of such images of Black people.
- Jenkins emphasizes the importance of the victim’s perspective by being close to them and filming through the victim’s own smoke-fogged eyes.
- A young enslaved lady named Cora (South African actress Thuso Mbedu, playing with desperate passion) is rendered paralyzed in the field following the public execution in The Underground Railroad.
- Cora had previously endured the departure of her mother, Mabel (Sheila Atim), who fled the farm when Cora was a small child; rape and other types of violence are common occurrences on the estate, as is slavery.
- He considers Mabel’s daughter to be a good-luck charm since he is a large, powerful, and educated guy who dreams of working with his brains rather than his body.
- That rage turns out to be a protective talisman for the character.
This conceit emphasizes, in poetic terms, both the superhuman stealth required of real-life fugitives and their abolitionist supporters, as well as the latent talents of a people who have been forcefully stopped from working for their own advantage in the United States of America.
“Can you tell me who built anything in this country?” he asks.
Black employees in South Carolina are housed, clothed, and fed decently; they are taught reading and life skills; they are treated to social functions; they are paid with depreciated scrip.
“Negroes were forbidden in North Carolina,” Cora is informed, in a terrifying manner, upon her arrival there.
Ridgeway (Joel Edgerton), a ruthless slave catcher who failed to arrest Mabel, who is now supposed to be outside his authority in Canada, views his obsessive desire to bring her daughter back to Georgia as an opportunity to settle the score with the woman he has wronged.
Less an ideological bigot than a cold-blooded, self-righteous opportunist, Ridgeway lacks the aptitude to make a living by doing hard work.
Homer (Chase W.
Homer is the show’s most incomprehensible presence.
“The Gaze,” a 52-minute movie shot during the show’s development and containing moving portraits of background players whose presence, Jenkins said, gave him the impression of staring at relatives “whose photographs have been virtually lost to the historical record,” was published earlier this week.
- Some of these stories are intermingled with the chapters that follow Cora in both works, so it’s understandable that Jenkins deviates a little from Whitehead’s choices of individuals and events that are highlighted.
- Unlike one another, Whitehead and Jenkins are very different sorts of artists; the former is a minimalist whose austere language conceals allegories of amazing depth, while the latter is an expressionist, injecting trenchant ideas into sounds and visuals that are drenched in passion.
- Slavery, sometimes known as the original sin, sits at the heart of this web.
- Although the story is set in a certain location and time period, Jenkins employs serialized television to reveal its many levels, surpassing the limitations of the medium.
- The miniseries is filled with images of fire.
- (Though the episode takes place before the Civil War, one of the environments Cora travels through is a burned, bleak wasteland that at the same time recalls Sherman’s March to the Sea and arouses fears about a future climatic disaster.
- Each locale has a distinct visual and audio palette that enriches the meaning of the scene, thanks to the director’s list of longtime collaborators and what was supposedly a significant budget for the project.
- Color is used with purpose by Mark Friedberg, a production designer who has worked on some of Wes Anderson and Todd Haynes’ most visually stunning projects.
‘North Carolina’ elicits the zealous austerity of America’s founding Puritans, with a town square straight out of a 17th-century colonial settlement complemented by scenes illuminated like Dutch master paintings—dark as a starless night, save for the menacing glow of a candle or two—and set in a town square straight out of a 17th-century colonial settlement.
A scene from the film “The Underground Railroad” starring Chase W.
Image courtesy of Kyle Kaplan/Amazon Studios It is this constant awareness of the fact that slavery and other anti-Black violence, as well as violence against other oppressed groups (I don’t believe it is a coincidence that the execution scene also calls to mind the Salem witch trials) have always been treated as entertainment that Jenkins’ greatest contribution to Whitehead’s narrative is.
- On several occasions, Jenkins deviates from the graphic specifics of a crime such as a murder or a rape, opting instead to have viewers observe as an irreparable secondary hurt is done on those who have been forced to see it.
- The detail reminded me of an episode in which Cora accepts a job imitating an enslaved field worker in a diorama at a museum, where white children stare at her through a pane of glass, a scene from which I was struck by the detail.
- Her former life comes back to haunt her at the pantomime at a later date.
- She has no choice except to abandon her station and flee.
- The white diners clap their hands.
- Instead, it becomes a prominent element in the novel The Underground Railroad.
- Everyone, including those who are only bystanders, has a part to play in the spectacle of cruelty that is institutional racism.
In the event that you are fortunate enough to evade corporal punishment for the crime of mere existing, you will either find yourself on one side of the gallows, being traumatized, or on the other side, being delighted by the spectacle. TIME Magazine has more must-read stories.
- In the first episode of The Underground Railroad, directed by Barry Jenkins and based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, there is a horrifying and wonderful sequence that captures the imagination. During the antebellum period of Georgia, a fugitive has been apprehended and restored to a cotton farm. The victim (played by Eli Everett) is hanged by his wrists from a large wooden structure after being stripped down to his underwear and covered with bloody lashes. The scores of enslaved field laborers who are being forced to witness his death stand behind him in the background. In the other direction, a table set out in front of the master’s beautiful house is being served by enslaved domestics by a group of fancily dressed white men and women. As the victim is being burnt alive, a couple of Black musicians break into a joyful song. Another vivid simulation of Black misery during slavery, devised by well-meaning Hollywood types as a reminder of past racism to an implied audience of equally well-meaning white people with unfeasibly weak memory, might be on the horizon. On closer inspection, however, the terrible scenario shows itself to be an astute rebuke to popular culture’s fetishization of Black people’s suffering without understanding the psychological consequences of such images of Black people. While white revelers willingly eat murder as a perverted sort of entertainment, Black witnesses who are compelled to stare are subjected to traumatic experiences. Jenkins emphasizes the importance of the victim’s perspective by staying close to them and filming through the victim’s own smoke-fogged eyes. In a work that not only does justice to Whitehead’s masterpiece, but also expands on it in ways that only television could do, he implies that there is no separating America’s racist origin story from that story’s ongoing exploitation by the American entertainment industry, a point that is made clear in the film. A young enslaved lady called Cora (South African actress Thuso Mbedu, who portrays her with desperate passion) is rendered crippled in the field following the public execution. The psychological wound isn’t her first serious one. On the plantation, she has previously endured the desertion of her mother, Mabel (Sheila Atim), who left when Cora was a little child
- Rape and various types of violence are common occurrences for the women working on the land. Caesar (Aaron Pierre), a recent newcomer who was treated quite fairly throughout his childhood in Virginia and who refuses to be subjected to the horrors of Georgia, convinces her to flee with him before the execution. He considers Mabel’s daughter to be a good-luck charm since he is a large, powerful, and educated guy who dreams of working with his brains instead of his body. Despite the fact that Cora, who in Mbedu’s fascinating portrayal may appear as a fearful child or a feeble senior, as well as the young adult she is, is too enraged, most of all at her mother, to think she might be anything other than cursed, she is determined to prove her mother wrong. What appears to be a source of frustration turns out to be a powerful talisman. “The Underground Railroad” stars Aaron Pierre. Kyle Kaplan and Amazon Studios are responsible for this image. This alternate history depicts the Underground Railroad as a true subterranean train system, which represents the most extreme divergence from reality. It is via this premise that both the superhuman stealth required by real-life fugitives and their abolitionist partners and the latent powers of a people who have been ruthlessly prohibited from working for their own advantage are brought to light in lyrical terms. “Can you tell me who constructed all of this?” says the author. An agent at the station responds to Cora’s question When asked, he responds, “Who has built anything in this country?” The stations range from functional to luxurious to piles of rubble, and the states they transport Cora through—one or two in each episode or two—are, as fictionalized by Whitehead and Jenkins, with a nod to Caesar’s belovedGulliver’s Travels, just as distinct as the states they transport her through. Black employees in South Carolina are housed, clothed, and fed decently
- They are taught reading and life skills
- They are treated to social functions
- They are paid with depreciated scrip. However, they are still considered to be legally slaves in the country. In an eerie remark, Cora is informed upon her arrival in North Carolina that “Negroes were forbidden.” Despite the fact that her trip is not wholly bleak—as long as she is not on the plantation, there is always hope—each of these states offers a unique flavor of hell. Ridgeway (Joel Edgerton), a ruthless slave catcher who failed to arrest Mabel, who is now supposed to be outside his authority in Canada, sees his obsessive mission to bring her daughter back to Georgia as an opportunity to make amends. A deft understanding of white supremacy in America is reflected in the character’s behavior. Less an ideological bigot than a cold-blooded, self-righteous opportunist, Ridgeway lacks the aptitude to make a living by doing hard work. Instead, he has developed an extraordinary talent for calmly inflicting pain on enslaved people, whose pursuit of freedom he considers an affront to his own personal dignity. Homer (Chase W. Dillon, in a haunting, precocious performance), a silent Black child in a classy suit, sits by his side throughout the voyage and retains an inexplicable intense allegiance to Ridgeway. Homer is the show’s most incomprehensible figure. It’s a testament to both the book and the television program that even the most minor characters have enough depth and meaning in the framework of American history to warrant a novel or miniseries of their own, which is a testament to both. (19) Earlier this week, Jenkins unveiled “The Gaze,” a 52-minute film recorded during the show’s development that features moving portraits of background players whose presence, he wrote, gave him the impression of staring at relatives “whose photographs have largely been lost to the historical record.” The film also includes the characters of a naive white station agent who is blind to the racism simmering beneath the polite surface of his seemingly progressive state, an idealistic couple attempting to foster a peaceful Black community, as well as a small runaway girl who lives in a crawlspace and could be Cora’s miniature counterpart. Both books have some of these stories interwoven with the chapters that follow Cora, thus it is understandable that Jenkins deviates from the choices of individuals and events that Whitehead highlights in his novellas. Amazon Studios/Atsushi Nishijima/Sheila Atim in “The Underground Railroad” This Underground Railroad, which will premiere on Amazon on May 14th, is unquestionably a faithful adaptation, but it is neither respectful nor shy in its treatment of the classic novel and film. Unlike one another, Whitehead and Jenkins are very different sorts of artists
- The former is a minimalist whose austere language conceals allegories of amazing depth, while the latter is an expressionist, injecting trenchant ideas into sounds and visuals that are dripping with passion. The novel, through its stylistic restraint, touches on nearly every major theme in American history, from eugenics and the double-edged sword of Christian faith to utopian communities and the conflict that so frequently arises within liberation movements between respectability politics and radical idealism. Slavery, the first sin, lies at the core of this web. Despite the fact that the plot is masterful on the paper, it might have been reduced to something stale on the screen, such as a repeat of WGN’s Underground or 12 Years a Slave, respectively. Although the story is set in a definite location and time period, Jenkins employs serialized television to open up its layers, surpassing the limitations of the medium. His use of a two-minute screen time per page of text allows him to reproduce the book’s most moving monologues while also inserting long, wordless and lyrical passages that communicate characters’ inner lives more elegantly and completely than the voiceover narration that so many literary adaptations rely on. The miniseries is dominated by images of fire. Observe not just how its power may be utilized for good—to throw light on a problem, to cook food, to forge tools—but also how easily it can be used to be a weapon of devastation and destruction. (Though the episode takes place before the Civil War, one of the environments Cora travels through is a burned, bleak wasteland that at the same time recalls Sherman’s March to the Sea and arouses fears about a future climatic catastrophe. A more appropriate metaphor for American exceptionalism could hardly be imagined. Each site has a distinct visual and acoustic palette that enriches its meaning, thanks to the director’s list of longtime collaborators and what was apparently a big budget. Photographer James Laxton catches the almost-physical weight of midday sun pouring down on a cotton field, which is responsible for the distinctive use of light in Jenkins’ films. With the help of Mark Friedberg, a production designer who has worked on some of the most visually stunning projects by Wes Anderson and Todd Haynes, the show employs color strategically
- A light-green motif in the episode “South Carolina” at first suggests vitality and newness, but gradually comes to represent illness and clinical sterility. ‘North Carolina’ elicits the zealous austerity of America’s founding Puritans, with a town square straight out of a 17th-century colonial settlement complemented by scenes illuminated like Dutch master paintings—dark as a starless night, save for the ominous glow of a candle or two—and a town square straight out of an 18th-century colonial settlement. To create a music that is linked together by muted piano parts, composer Nicholas Britell (of the eternally meme-ableSuccessiontheme) incorporates elements that are native to each area, such as hissing insects in Georgia and the locomotive’s metal-on-metal clank, into the film. The Underground Railroad stars Chase W. Dillon and Joel Edgerton. Kyle Kaplan and Amazon Studios are responsible for this image. Superimposed over all of these elements is Jenkins’ most important contribution to Whitehead’s narrative: a constant awareness that this country has always treated slavery and other anti-Black violence, as well as violence against other oppressed groups (I don’t think it’s a coincidental coincidence that the execution scene also calls to mind the Salem witch trials), as entertainment. A great deal of bloodshed occurs throughout this series, yet it is never excessive. The graphic details of a murder or rape are frequently avoided by Jenkins, who instead chooses to have viewers witness the infliction of an indelible secondhand hurt on those who are forced to witness it. The filmmaker has been faced by the horrific impact of such images
- He has stated in interviews that he temporarily walked off the set during the execution sequence in the film. The detail reminded me of an episode in which Cora accepts a job imitating an enslaved field worker in a diorama at a museum, where white children stare at her through a pane of glass, a scene from which I was reminded by this detail. This amounts to her repeating her tragedy over and over again for the benefit of an audience that does not recognize her humanity, let alone the severity of what she has gone through. The pantomime is interrupted by a flashback to her earlier existence. Cora is experiencing a frightful situation. She has no choice except to abandon her station and flee the scene. In the course of inventing a story about the everyday life of slaves in locations like Georgia, a white docent incorporates her flight into the narrative. Clapping is heard from the white customers. Despite the best efforts of one television show, the horrible and centuries-old habit of using Black suffering as white amusement will not be ended by one episode. Instead, it becomes the core focus of The Underground Railroad. Despite the fact that a lot is occurring at once in this series, this feature of the series has a special relevance for Hollywood and its customers in an era of racial reconciliation. Even those who are only spectators have a part to play in the spectacle of pain that is institutional racism. In the event that you are fortunate enough to evade corporal punishment for the crime of mere existing, you will either find yourself on one side of the gallows, undergoing traumatization, or on the other, enjoying entertainment. TIME Magazine has more must-read articles.
Please get in touch with us. Stunning in its adaptation and brilliant in its critique of black suffering as entertainment, The Underground Railroad is a must-see. body= target=” self” rel=”noopener noreferrer”> body= target=” self” rel=”noopener noreferrer”> [email protected].
Shows A-Z – underground on wgn
OWN to Air All-New John Legend Hosted Special “Revisiting Underground” Immediately Following Network Premiere of “Underground on OWN” January 5The dramatic series acquired from Sony Pictures Television will have a revitalized presentation on OWN, with newly filmed episodic introductions by cast members, never-before-seen behind the scenes footage and more. |
Development Update: Wednesday, August 16Updates include: Jasmin Savoy Brown to round out ABC’s “For the People”; Moon Bloodgood named series regular on “Code Black” at CBS; and Chiara Aurelia cast in TNT’s “Deadlier Than the Male.” |
Development Update: Tuesday, May 30Updates include: WGN America cancels “Underground”; Miles Gaston Villanueva joins NBC’s “LawOrder True Crime”; and Aeysha Carr sells “The Studio” to Showtime. |
Development Update: Tuesday, May 16Updates include: Misha Green, Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams team to bring Matt Ruff’s 2016 novel “Lovecraft Country” to HBO as a drama series. |
WGN America Posts Best Primetime Month in Network’s HistoryWGN America further spins the numbers for the first quarter of 2017. |
WGN America Presents a Landmark Television Event with Harriet Tubman Commanding the Screen in a Must-Watch Episode of “Underground”The sixth installment of the series is slated to air at a special time on Wednesday, April 12 at 8:00/7:00c. |
Join the Cast of WGN America’s “Underground” for a Live Tweeting Experience During Tonight’s Season Two Premiere at 10PM ET/PTThe “Underground” team will live tweet throughout the premiere, along with scores of fans who have been awaiting the highly anticipated second season of the groundbreaking drama. |
WGN America’s “Underground” to Feature Original Song from Executive Producer John Legend, “In America,” in Season Two PremiereBy tweetingUndergroundWGN, fans will automatically unlock a:60, extended version of the trailer that includes the song preview. |
WGN America Presents “Breaking Free,” A Documentary Special On The Underground Railroad Ahead of the Season Two Premiere of Its Critically Acclaimed Scripted Series “Underground” Premiering March 8Viewers will get a chance to see the making of “Underground” season two and hear from cast, crew and civil rights leaders on why this story deserves to be told today. |
Development Update: Thursday, January 26Updates include: Brandon Micheal Hall to lead ABC’s city mayor project; Craig Robinson/Adam Scott-led “Ghosted” gets pilot order from FOX; and NBC gives green light to three comedy pilots. |
WGN America Continues Its Ratings and Distribution MomentumThe new season of “Outsiders” will now feature a next-day after-show, available on theStream.tv. |
WGN America and The Blackhouse Foundation Reteam at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival in Celebration of “Underground” Season TwoThe events will include a “Clips and Conversation” panel with the series’ cast and creators on Saturday, January 21. |
Video: WGN America Reveals First “Underground” Teaser Trailer, Image and Season Two Premiere DateSeason two of the 10-episode, hour-long series follows an unremitting struggle for freedom within a divided America on the brink of civil war, each side vying to enact their own justice. |
Development Update: Monday, November 14Updates include: Christopher Meloni to get “Happy!” for Syfy; Michael Green to run “Y: The Last Man” at FX; and Nick Wechsler to recur on NBC’s “Chicago PD.” |
John Legend Guest Stars in Season Two of WGN America’s Hit Series “Underground”Legend, who also serves as executive producer on the gripping series, will portray iconic abolitionist, orator and author Frederick Douglass. |
“Underground” Confirmed as First Public Program at the Oprah Winfrey Theater at the Smithsonian’s New National Museum of African American History and CultureA panel discussion will follow the screening with “Underground” co-creator, writer and executive producer Misha Green and cast members Alano Miller, Amirah Vann, Jessica de Gouw and Aisha Hinds. |
Renowned Abolitionist Harriet Tubman Leads the Way in Season Two of WGN America’s Trailblazing Series, “Underground” from Sony Pictures TelevisionAisha Hinds has been cast as a recurring guest star in the pioneering role of Harriet Tubman. |
Development Update: Monday, August 22Updates include: TV Land’s “The Jim Gaffigan Show” to end after two seasons; Craig Johnson to helm Showtime’s “Mating”; and VH1’s “Daytime Divas” sets principal cast. |
WGN America’s Acclaimed Series “Underground” Celebrated at 2016 Joint Convention for the National Association of Black Journalists and National Association of Hispanic Journalists in Washington, D.C.Aldis Hodge, Alano Miller and Amirah Vann, co-hosted the ArtsEntertainment Task Force reception attended by hundreds of journalists. |
WGN America’s “Underground” Honored with Three Cablefax Program AwardsSeries stars Jurnee Smollett-Bell (“Rosalee”) and Aldis Hodge (“Noah”) were also acknowledged with honorable mentions in the Best Actress and Best Actor categories. |
WGN America’s Acclaimed Series “Underground” Featured at the NAACP’s 107th Annual Convention in Cincinnati, OHCreators Misha Green and Joe Pokaski, and stars Aldis Hodge, Alano Miller and Amirah Vann, will co-host NAACP President and CEO Cornell William Brooks’ reception for more than 1,500 NAACP convention delegates. |
Stars of WGN America’s Underground Railroad Thriller “Underground” Shine at 2016 Essence Festival in New OrleansModerator Cori Murray from Essence Magazine covered hot topics, spanning from the phenomenon the record-breaking series “Underground” has become to what’s in store for the series’ season two. |
Stars of WGN America’s Smash Hit “Underground” Take Center Stage at 2016 Essence Festival in New OrleansFollowing the main stage experience, lucky “Underground” fans will be able to meet the cast and director during an exclusive Fan Zone event. |
Season One Finale of WGN America’s Hit Series “Underground” Soars as the1 Scripted Original Series on Cable on Wednesday Night in Key Demos in Live + 3 ViewingWGN America further spins the numbers for Wednesday, May 11. |
WGN America Renews Standout Series “Underground” for a Second SeasonThe finale will air Wednesday, May 11, preceded by an all-day “Underground” marathon for fans to binge-watch the entire 10-episode first season, beginning at 1:00 p.m. |
“Underground” Premiere Shatters Records as the Most-Watched Program in Nearly 18 Years on WGN AmericaWGN America further spins the numbers for Wednesday, March 9. |
Development Update: Friday, February 19Updates include: Philip Winchester to lead NBC’s “Chicago Law”; Golden Brooks cast in “Lethal Weapon” at FOX; and Olivia DeJonge signs on for “Will” at TNT. |
WGN America’s “Underground” to Screen at the White HouseThe event is part of the White House Office of Public Engagement’s Black History Month event, “These Hallowed Grounds,” highlighting landmarks and monuments around the country significant to the African American community. |
WGN America Unveils Key Art and Behind-the-Scenes Music Featurette for “Underground,” The Highly Anticipated Escape Thriller Premiering March 9 at 10 PM ET/PTThe featurette goes behind-the-scenes with executive producer and music titan John Legend and composers Laura Karpman, a multi-Emmy Award winner, and Raphael Saadiq, a celebrated singer/songwriter and producer. |
Video: WGN America Releases First Look Featurette for Original Escape Thriller “Underground” Premiering March 9 at 10 PM ET/PTThe first look at “Underground” will air during the season one premiere of WGN America’s newest original drama “Outsiders,” premiering January 26. |
WGN America Partners with The Blackhouse Foundation During the 2016 Sundance Film Festival in Celebration of “Underground”The exclusive “clips and conversation” panel event will feature “Underground” executive producer John Legend, along with the cast and creative team from the hotly anticipated escape thriller. |
In 2016, WGN America Premieres Two Highly-Anticipated Scripted Series, “Outsiders” and “Underground,” Commercial FreeLook for said newcomers on Tuesday, January 26 and Wednesday, March 9, respectively. |
WGN America Unveils March 9 Premiere Date and First Trailers for “Underground”The network also revealed the first two trailers in support of the escape thriller, a series that takes viewers on a pulse-pounding journey with revolutionaries of the Underground Railroad. |
Video: WGN America Unveils Teaser Spot for “Underground”Set in a desperate and dangerous time, the Underground Railroad escape thriller series tells the unflinching story of a group of plantation slaves that band together for the fight of their lives – for their families, their future and their freedom. |
WGN America Unveils First Images for “Underground”The first visual image presents a series of six compelling character posters, each with a riveting message offering individual clues to the powerful, unflinching way to reach freedom in the greatest escape story in U.S. history. |
WGN America’s Heroic Thriller “Underground” Rises Up at New York Comic-Con with First-Look Screening and Panel with the Cast and Creators, Sunday, October 11The panel and audience Q A will feature the “Underground” stars Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Aldis Hodge and Alano Miller, along with the creators. |
Grammy(R) and Academy Award(R)-Winning Sensation John Legend and His Get Lifted Production Company to Executive-Produce WGN America’s Highly Anticipated Dramatic Thriller, “Underground”Additionally, Get Lifted will oversee the score, soundtrack and all music aspects of the series. |
Development Update: Monday, July 27Updates include: Garret Dillahunt, Freida Pinto to visit “The Mindy Project”; Brian White to recur on NBC’s “Chicago Fire”; and Josh Duhamel lands role in Hulu’s “11/22/63.” |
WGN America to Present First Look Trailer of “Underground” at 2015 Essence Festival (July 3)Hailing from Sony Pictures Television and Tribune Studios, “Underground” is currently in production on a straight-to-series order in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for a 2016 premiere on WGN America. |
Development Update: Wednesday, June 24Updates include: Lifetime nixes “The Lizzie Borden Chronicles”; Nathaniel Parker joins the cast of ABC’s “Of KingsProphets”; and Phil Klemmer to run “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” at The CW. |
Jussie Smollett Unites with Sister Jurnee Smollett-Bell in WGN America’s Highly Anticipated Dramatic Thriller “Underground””Underground” is currently in production on a straight-to-series order in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for a 2016 premiere on WGN America. |
Development Update: Wednesday, April 22Updates include: J.K. Simmons to lead “Counterpart” for Starz; Jimmi Simpson cast in SundanceTV’s “HapLeonard”; and Marc Blucas joins “Underground” at WGN America. |
Development Update: Wednesday, April 15Updates include: NBC gives “Emerald City” new life under David Schulner; Shannon Tarbet bound for HBO’s “Virtuoso”; and Netflix’s “With Bob and David” adds sextet. |
Development Update: Tuesday, April 14Updates include: Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman to bring “The Wright Brothers” to HBO; Noureen DeWulf boards comedy pilot at CBS; and Steven Pasquale to topline DirecTV’s new comedy “Almost There.” |
Development Update: Monday, April 13Updates include: Pierre Morel to helm Lifetime’s “The Clan of the Cave Bear”; Mark Deklin to depart “Devious Maids”; and Ice-T, Coco Austin to get test run for new syndicated talk show. |
Development Update: Thursday, April 9Updates include: ABC eyes potential spin-off for “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD”; Lucy Griffiths signs onto AMC’s “Preacher”; and Reed Diamond boards “Underground” at WGN America. |
Development Update: Monday, April 6Updates include: David Lynch bows out of Showtime’s “Twin Peaks” revival; Nina Dobrev, Michael Trevino to depart “The Vampire Diaries”; and A E cancels “Neighbors with Benefits.” |
Development Update: Thursday, March 12Updates include: Kristen Hager to lead “The Adversaries” at ABC; D.B. Woodside among the latest bound for FOX’s “Lucifer”; and James Roday to star in ABC’s “The Brainy Bunch.” |
Development Update: Friday, February 27Updates include: Tom Ellis set as “Lucifer” at FOX; Terry O’Quinn to lead ABC’s “The Adversaries”; and Dave Annable boards “Heart Matters” at NBC. |
WGN America Expands Original Programming SlateThe network announced its next straight-to-series order for the scripted drama “Titans,” and the start of pre-production and a writers’ room, with an eye toward a series order, for the scripted series “Underground.” |
‘The Underground Railroad’: TV Review
Using hisAmazonadaptation of Colson Whitehead’s prize-winning novelThe Underground Railroad,MoonlightdirectorBarry Jenkins firmly enters the current discussion regarding Black-created/led films and television series that highlight Black suffering, even if it is accidentally. With small-screen options such as Lovecraft Country and Themand, as well as real-world images of Black people being slain by law officers, the topic has reached a boiling point in recent months. An unexpected individual approaches a traveling poet late in the novel Underground Railroad with a simple and sorrowful request: “If I offered you my sufferings, would you be able to make them sound pretty?” What’s the bottom line?
- Jenkins, who directed all ten chapters, the majority of which extended for more than an hour, does an excellent job of making a wide spectrum of grief beautiful, as well as strains of pain and beams of happy brightness.
- While there are some problematic narrative decisions, they are often overcome by a spell that’s both lyrical and grounded.
- Cora (Thuso Mbedu) is first hesitant to run, having been damaged and plagued by the alleged escape and disappearance of her mother Mabel.
- Eventually, after seeing a series of increasing crimes, Cora is persuaded by newcomer Caesar (Aaron Pierre), who takes her away to a point on the Underground Railroad.
- Of course, the road to independence is not a straightforward one: Every new gradation of liberty is accompanied by a new gradation of injustice, and each new enticing destination is accompanied by a new sort of servitude, whether physical or spiritual.
- Ridgeway is joined by his stylish and small companion, Homer, who was formerly a slave (scene-stealing Chase W.
- When read as a book or as a limited series, The Underground Railroad has a structure that is almost breathtakingly episodic, and as such is more suited to television than to feature-length cinema.
- South Carolina residents believe that an allegedly innocent program for the “betterment” of African-Americans is really just an elaborate cover for an experimental experiment in genetic engineering.
- Within a Black farming cooperative, the demand for assimilation — to look genuine in the eyes of white company owners — appears to have taken precedence over the need to assist runaway slaves in their endeavors.
- Jenkins is a writer and director who lives in Los Angeles.
In between the Cora chapters are lengthy sections devoted to Ridgeway’s backstory, and it will be understandable for some viewers to be perplexed and/or annoyed by the fact that, as far as characters go, Ridgeway is more “explained” than Cora; his motivations and choices are more fleshed-out and obvious.
- Ridgeway has opted to take up the role of adversary.
- As a result, things that fans have been educated automatically to want a heroine to do — pursue romance, embrace her action-heroine badassery like Jurnee Smollett’s character in WGN’s Underground — don’t come naturally to Cora, which may be devastating and maddening for the audience.
- Jenkins’ meticulous patience frustrates individuals who have high expectations of him.
- Due to the fact that the characters deliver words in marble-mouthed variants on Southern accents — the cast, while excellent, features just a few performers who are genuinely from the American South — communication and exposition both become secondary to the overall mood of the film.
It’s one of the best things you’ll see on television this year, and it includes, among other things, the conclusion of William Jackson Harper’s character arc as a freeborn man who develops feelings for Cora; an explosive rhetorical debate between characters played by master dialogue spinners Chukwudi Iwuji and Peter De Jersey; and the series’ most extended action set-piece.
The Underground Railroad experiences hiccups from time to time.
Nonetheless, Jenkins and cinematographer James Laxton seldom allow more than a few minutes to go between bursts of visually arresting images — and, more importantly, they never cross that fine line into aesthetically displeasing ugliness.
In addition to the visuals, there is an extensive, if occasionally overpowering, sound design that incorporates both natural and man-made elements, such as the sound of cicadas intermingled with the rhythm of a train, interrupted by the crackling of burning flesh.
Jenkins has done an excellent job of capturing the essence of this difficult novel.
Dillon, and Joel Edgerton star in the film.
Other notable actors include Damon Herriman, Lily Rabe, Mychal-Bella Bowman, Marcus “MJ” Gladney, Jr., Will Poulter and Peter Mullan are among those who have appeared in the film.
Barry Jenkins is the creator of this work (from the novel by Colson Whitehead) The show will premiere on Amazon on Friday, May 14.