Start watching for Aldis Hodge; keep watching for ALL THE BADASS LADIES.
Underground! I started watching for Aldis Hodge, but oh my god, it delivered SO MUCH MORE.
--The one ep that did very little for me was the ep the runaways spent bickering on the boat and the Pullmans spent being angsty with the prostitute. My clearest impression from that ep--aside from Rosalee remembering how Tom taught her to swim, and how she wasn't afraid of being in the deep water because she knew Tom would "never let [her] go", which is absolutely the moment she committed fully to wanting her freedom whether she knew it at the time or not--is, "Too many white people." (This show's white people are necessary and serve their functions, but they really, really need to not be the primary focus of episodes. They are BY FAR not the most interesting people on this show's canvas, nor should they be.)
--ALL THE OTHER EPISODES ARE GREAT. ALL OF THEM. ALL OF THEM.
--The standout episodes of the season, though, have to be 'Cradle' and 'Grave', not only for the gutpunches they delivered, but for the sheer amount of genuine NOT FUCKING AROUND on display. In 'Cradle', the runner of the Necco candies from their manufacture in the cold open to James rejecting them when TR tried to use them to mollify him--rejecting TR's empty promise of "someday", rejecting TR's childish belief that a little sweetness can mitigate SLAVERY--was excellent. And in 'Grave'...
...just. SAM. When we were in the medium shot of Tom giving his speech, I noticed the rope swaying under the balcony, and I knew what it had to mean. But when they cut to the wide shot, and gave us the full-on, uncompromising VISUAL of Tom swearing his political promises on the balcony and Sam swinging below it, with the White Pillars of the Community nodding approval in the audience and the fucking FIREWORKS over Tom's shoulder--it was just. Sickening. Ugly and brutal and damningly HONEST about a certain brand of politics. Brilliantly, BRILLIANTLY done.
--As a side note: in almost every review I've read of 'Grave', the author thinks that Sam's original punishment was to have his foot amputated. This bothers me because I'm 100% certain that he was actually going to have his Achilles tendon cut, which would hobble him permanently without necessarily sidelining him from his job for an extended period of time like an amputation would, especially with the kind of post-op care on the table at the time. (...no pun intended.) Like, sure, you gotta keep him from running, but not at the expense of his ability to provide free labour!!! I don't know why it bothers me so much that so many people have gotten this wrong--both options are fucking barbaric, although admittedly both are better than what wound up actually happening to Sam--but it DOES.
--Ernestine. ERNESTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE. Not only does she drive a significant portion of the show's storylines, she's easily one of the show's most captivating characters. I saw some interview where Amirah Vann was asked about the difference between house and field slaves--whether house slaves had it "easier" than field slaves--and she made a great point about how, while the house slaves didn't tend to suffer the physical tortures the field slaves did, the psychological torture involved in the house was absolutely as destructive. Seeing Ernestine believe so fully that having strong ties to the house would protect her and her children--and seeing what she put herself through in order to maintain those ties--and then seeing her come face to face with how little good any of her efforts actually did, because at the end of the day Tom's her master and she's a slave...oh ERNESTINE.
--Tom was such a weak, weak man. I completely believe that HE believed that, because he was ""nice"" to his slaves, they liked him; because Ernestine had sex with him and bore his children, they had some kind of legitimate relationship; because he felt really bad about LYNCHING SAM, he could make a grand gesture or two to Ernestine to earn her forgiveness and then go right back to his political career and white family. (You can talk about "starting over" with Ernestine all you want, Tom. Everybody but you knows that trip you were gonna take her on was a vacation from your guilt, nothing more.) Watching Ernestine let him believe that right up until she had the noose around his neck was BEAUTIFUL. ILU, Ernestine.
--Also a weak man: August Pullman. Sure, he was presented as conflicted about slave-catching (only doing it because he needed the money so desperately, then as ~payback~ for Rosalee stabbing Ben), but anyone who messes with their prey's heads like August did with the woman he pretended to be helping in the premiere is not VERY conflicted about what he's doing. In truth, as Ben said, he did it because it was easy. Because he was great at tracking, and he liked the chase. He dragged Ben along on the hunt for the Macon 7 because he wanted Ben's blessing on the shit he was ~conflicted~ about doing, and indoctrinating Ben into the job under the guise of ~family time~ was the closest he could get.
--Stealth Badass on the Evil Side: Susanna. Between her monologue to Pearly Mae (her sister! or as Susanna put it, "childhood playmate") and her monologue to Ernestine (mother of her step-kids! or as Susanna put it, "free labour"), Susanna had some surprising depths! None of them good!
--CATO LIVES. \o/ I wasn't surprised at that reveal, but I was VERY HAPPY to have his survival confirmed. Cato's a terrible person, but he's SO COMPELLING. The revelation that he has a family out there somewhere wasn't as gripping as his "burned the R-for-Runaway off his own face" backstory, but I suppose, if it gives him good story next season (I'm assuming he's going to use his stolen box of money to try to find them/buy them, but then who knows, Cato's kind of REALLY COMMITTED to his whole Look Out For #1 lifestyle), I will watch happily. Because CATO.
--Rosalee's Becoming over the course of this season was excellent. She went from sheltered housegirl to badass freedom fighter, and it wasn't straightforward or easy, but it felt natural and earned every step of the way. I am REALLY looking forward to seeing how she progresses under Harriet Tubman's (!!!) tutelage, and how she'll eventually a) save Noah, b) run into and have to work with Cato, and c) find her mom. Because I assume all of those things are in the offing. :D
Tl;dr: Underground is fantastic. If you haven't seen it, track it down and watch. It's worth it.
This content is also available at http://serrico.dreamwidth.org/871466.html. Comment here or there, whichever you prefer. (Over there, there are
comments.)
--The one ep that did very little for me was the ep the runaways spent bickering on the boat and the Pullmans spent being angsty with the prostitute. My clearest impression from that ep--aside from Rosalee remembering how Tom taught her to swim, and how she wasn't afraid of being in the deep water because she knew Tom would "never let [her] go", which is absolutely the moment she committed fully to wanting her freedom whether she knew it at the time or not--is, "Too many white people." (This show's white people are necessary and serve their functions, but they really, really need to not be the primary focus of episodes. They are BY FAR not the most interesting people on this show's canvas, nor should they be.)
--ALL THE OTHER EPISODES ARE GREAT. ALL OF THEM. ALL OF THEM.
--The standout episodes of the season, though, have to be 'Cradle' and 'Grave', not only for the gutpunches they delivered, but for the sheer amount of genuine NOT FUCKING AROUND on display. In 'Cradle', the runner of the Necco candies from their manufacture in the cold open to James rejecting them when TR tried to use them to mollify him--rejecting TR's empty promise of "someday", rejecting TR's childish belief that a little sweetness can mitigate SLAVERY--was excellent. And in 'Grave'...
...just. SAM. When we were in the medium shot of Tom giving his speech, I noticed the rope swaying under the balcony, and I knew what it had to mean. But when they cut to the wide shot, and gave us the full-on, uncompromising VISUAL of Tom swearing his political promises on the balcony and Sam swinging below it, with the White Pillars of the Community nodding approval in the audience and the fucking FIREWORKS over Tom's shoulder--it was just. Sickening. Ugly and brutal and damningly HONEST about a certain brand of politics. Brilliantly, BRILLIANTLY done.
--As a side note: in almost every review I've read of 'Grave', the author thinks that Sam's original punishment was to have his foot amputated. This bothers me because I'm 100% certain that he was actually going to have his Achilles tendon cut, which would hobble him permanently without necessarily sidelining him from his job for an extended period of time like an amputation would, especially with the kind of post-op care on the table at the time. (...no pun intended.) Like, sure, you gotta keep him from running, but not at the expense of his ability to provide free labour!!! I don't know why it bothers me so much that so many people have gotten this wrong--both options are fucking barbaric, although admittedly both are better than what wound up actually happening to Sam--but it DOES.
--Ernestine. ERNESTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE. Not only does she drive a significant portion of the show's storylines, she's easily one of the show's most captivating characters. I saw some interview where Amirah Vann was asked about the difference between house and field slaves--whether house slaves had it "easier" than field slaves--and she made a great point about how, while the house slaves didn't tend to suffer the physical tortures the field slaves did, the psychological torture involved in the house was absolutely as destructive. Seeing Ernestine believe so fully that having strong ties to the house would protect her and her children--and seeing what she put herself through in order to maintain those ties--and then seeing her come face to face with how little good any of her efforts actually did, because at the end of the day Tom's her master and she's a slave...oh ERNESTINE.
--Tom was such a weak, weak man. I completely believe that HE believed that, because he was ""nice"" to his slaves, they liked him; because Ernestine had sex with him and bore his children, they had some kind of legitimate relationship; because he felt really bad about LYNCHING SAM, he could make a grand gesture or two to Ernestine to earn her forgiveness and then go right back to his political career and white family. (You can talk about "starting over" with Ernestine all you want, Tom. Everybody but you knows that trip you were gonna take her on was a vacation from your guilt, nothing more.) Watching Ernestine let him believe that right up until she had the noose around his neck was BEAUTIFUL. ILU, Ernestine.
--Also a weak man: August Pullman. Sure, he was presented as conflicted about slave-catching (only doing it because he needed the money so desperately, then as ~payback~ for Rosalee stabbing Ben), but anyone who messes with their prey's heads like August did with the woman he pretended to be helping in the premiere is not VERY conflicted about what he's doing. In truth, as Ben said, he did it because it was easy. Because he was great at tracking, and he liked the chase. He dragged Ben along on the hunt for the Macon 7 because he wanted Ben's blessing on the shit he was ~conflicted~ about doing, and indoctrinating Ben into the job under the guise of ~family time~ was the closest he could get.
--Stealth Badass on the Evil Side: Susanna. Between her monologue to Pearly Mae (her sister! or as Susanna put it, "childhood playmate") and her monologue to Ernestine (mother of her step-kids! or as Susanna put it, "free labour"), Susanna had some surprising depths! None of them good!
--CATO LIVES. \o/ I wasn't surprised at that reveal, but I was VERY HAPPY to have his survival confirmed. Cato's a terrible person, but he's SO COMPELLING. The revelation that he has a family out there somewhere wasn't as gripping as his "burned the R-for-Runaway off his own face" backstory, but I suppose, if it gives him good story next season (I'm assuming he's going to use his stolen box of money to try to find them/buy them, but then who knows, Cato's kind of REALLY COMMITTED to his whole Look Out For #1 lifestyle), I will watch happily. Because CATO.
--Rosalee's Becoming over the course of this season was excellent. She went from sheltered housegirl to badass freedom fighter, and it wasn't straightforward or easy, but it felt natural and earned every step of the way. I am REALLY looking forward to seeing how she progresses under Harriet Tubman's (!!!) tutelage, and how she'll eventually a) save Noah, b) run into and have to work with Cato, and c) find her mom. Because I assume all of those things are in the offing. :D
Tl;dr: Underground is fantastic. If you haven't seen it, track it down and watch. It's worth it.
This content is also available at http://serrico.dreamwidth.org/871466.html. Comment here or there, whichever you prefer. (Over there, there are
comments.)