‘Underground’ treats the fight against slavery like a heist movie

[MADem]

This is a review of a new TV series about the Underground RR.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/act-four/wp/2016/03/09/underground-treats-the-fight-against-slavery-like-a-heist-movie/

When Hollywood decides to tell stories about black history, it’s common for the shows and movies they produce to step straight into two types of exasperation.

First is the idea that stories ostensibly about African-Americans often seem to end up focusing on white people, as in the complaints that a movie like “Race” spends as much time as it does on the character development of Jesse Owens’ (Stephan James) coach Larry Snyder (Jason Sudeikis). Second is the frustration that the entertainment industry is endlessly willing to depict morally heroic historical white people–be it the abolitionist (Brad Pitt) who helped free Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) in “12 Years A Slave” or Mississippi Unionist Newton Knight (Matthew McConaughey) who is the subject of the forthcoming “Free State of Jones”–but reluctant to show black people fighting for their own self-determination.

In this environment, it’s no surprise that Nate Parker’s Nat Turner biopic “Birth of a Nation” received a rapturous response at the Sundance Film Festival. And before “Birth of a Nation” arrives in theaters this fall, “Underground,” an ensemble drama about slaves planning an escape from a Georgia plantation and the people who will seek to both hinder and help them, premieres on WGN America tonight. And while the early episodes have some forgivable cliches and exposition, it’s also an exciting template for how Hollywood could break out of tired lanes to tell new and reinvigorated stories about African-American history.

If it’s not in bad taste to say so given the seriousness of the subject matter, one of the smartest things series creators Misha Green and Joe Pokaski do is to structure the action in “Underground” like a heist movie. The series’ characters may be stealing themselves, rather than robbing a Vegas vault or the Metropolitan Museum of Art. But it does them no discredit to acknowledge that this is the biggest score of their lives......

I hadn't heard about this series until I came across this article in the paper.

[In_The_Wind]

1. Here is the trailer:

Published on Apr 26, 2015
In a story told through song, Bali plans to escape from slavery after learning that his master is going to sell his young daughter, Emala. With house slave Dembi, they strike out in the dead of night, singing Negro spirituals that they hope will protect them on their perilous journey to freedom.

[MADem]

2. I have never seen even a commercial for this.

There is so much choice in TV today that it is easy to miss. I guess the first episode aired on WGN the other day--but this has been looking for a network home for awhile:

[Kind of Blue]

3. Yeah, I've seen no promo of this, either.

Even on FB pages subscribed to, and just read that it was shown at the White House before it's premiere. Interesting. So I wonder if black folks are just tired of slavery films. I know that I am. But on the other hand, I'm not sure what's being taught in elementary and high school these days with some states using text that rewrites history, calling enslaved people imported servants. So the media might be the only way kids these days get their history lesson. So on balance I'll give it a look.

I was reading about Dred Scott and The Decision the other day and one author brought up how it demoralized Frederick Douglas. Author said something like he wrestled with trying to figure out how to uphold the optimism of his people when he was having such a hard time. I'd love to see a film/series like that and one on Scott and his wife, Harriet who lived through the Civil War that she and her husband helped galvanize.

Thanks for posting, MADem !

[MADem]

4. WGN is just getting into the TV series game. They are going beyond their superstation roots.

They did MANHATTAN which was cerebral and a bit esoteric, but amazing.

They did SALEM which was a bit too supernatural for my tastes, but a hit with the kids. All that dark and dangerous kind of thing.

I like that they seek out interesting slices of history for their series. Maybe the "heist" vibe will make this less of a "Woe The Victims" exercise and focus a bit more on successful escape and a personal,, character based (as opposed to everyman/role model) story line.

I agree with your idea about a Dred Scott movie--I think it BEGS to be made. Hello, Hollywood...anyone out there listening?

I'd also like to see a good Frederick Douglass movie--full length, all the bells and whistles, with a front line cast, a la Lincoln!

[Kind of Blue]

5. Ooh, haven't heard of MANHATTAN

"cerebral and a bit esoteric, but amazing," sounds Great! Going to check that out, too!

[MADem]

7. It's about, oddly enough, the development of the atomic bomb.

There's a book called Day of Trinity that is a good "read along" if you're watching that series. It's a perspective of what was happening at Los Alamos from some of the players that were there.

[Kind of Blue]

8. Gotcha! and it is odd.

I'd never imagined the creatioin of the A-bomb and esoteric together. Fascinating.
Thanks, MADem for the review!

[lovemydog]

13. When you refer to The Decision

are you referring to the Dred Scott decision, or something else?

[Kind of Blue]

14. Absolutely!

[In_The_Wind]

6. It'll record tonight and the future episodes on Wednesday at 10.

I thought I had it set up to record.


I saw the upcoming show commercial while I was watching Outsiders.

[Number23]

9. Oh wow, this looks amazing. And the guy that plays Noah is STUNNING

And look at little Journee!! She's so grown up and beautiful now. I still remember her screaming "get out the damn tub!!" to her big sister in Eve's Bayou.

The pessimist in me -- brought about by YEARS of watching over qualified black and brown people and wildly creative/brilliant ideas from black and brown people get dismissed and ignored for far less interesting/brilliant fare from white people -- doesn't see this becoming a big thing.

Everyone in this forum knows that there will be twice as many people invested in making this fail than there will be in making it a success. I hope to hell that I'm wrong and it looks amazing but... I just can't see this being a success in an era where people still routinely talk about black people as being only criminals, sucking up welfare or not supporting their candidate(s) because we are so "uneducated." The folks that think like this -- and Lord knows they are many, TOO fucking many -- would be made much too uncomfortable with a show like this.

[MADem]

10. WGN is supportive of their programming. This does look rather timeless and well done,

from the look of the trailers. They were (are) the Chicago Superstation and they've transitioned to a position as kind of an "AMC-like" newcomer. Basic - Plus Cable.

I know what you mean, though, about people finding reasons to make things fail.

The era of slavery leading up to the Civil War is becoming popular lately, ever since LINCOLN was released. MERCY STREET on PBS, and now this offering--I hope it does well.

[JustAnotherGen]

11. We dvrd it

The ads have played heavily on Vice (the old History 2). Makes me excited to watch it tomorrow!

[lovemydog]

12. Hey thanks for sharing this.

Last edited Sun Mar 13, 2016, 04:55 AM - Edit history (1)

I'm always looking for good stuff to watch. Much appreciate all the suggestions in this thread. Looking forward to Birth of a Nation - it was quite the hit at Sundance this year. I too would love to see quality feature films about Dred Scott, Frederick Douglas.

Hope everyone's enjoying a good weekend.

Please keep recommending good movies & tv!

[MADem]

15. I'm always on the lookout, too--it's oddly harder to pick when there's so much choice, and so many

options! Netflix, Amazon, cable, etc--it's a new paradigm for getting entertainment and I'm still adjusting to it!

The real problem is that there's so doggone MUCH to choose from, so I really rely on word of mouth and reviews to find good stuff.

[lovemydog]

16. Same here MADem.

I just watched a CNN special called race to the white house, about Lincoln's road to the presidency. Very interesting; I learned a lot. Some have mentioned it here already.

An online channel is doing great free programming. It's called Viceland: https://www.viceland.com/en_us I've watched a travelogue where Ellen Page goes to Tokyo and a bio on the filmmaker Werner Herzog. The Vice web site is one of my favorites because I learn well from short entertaining documentaries: http://www.vice.com/en_us

[MADem]

17. There's an HBO show called VICE on HBO--comes on right after Real Time.

Bill Maher owns a piece of the production company--they do some good documentary work.

A lot of it they put up on YT in fairly short order, too.

[lovemydog]

18. Yes. I'm glad they have

different ways to watch. The online stuff I enjoy the most because most segments are fairly short. I think mini documentaries can be the newest form of investigative journalism and Vice is doing some excellent work.

[JustAnotherGen]

19. It was really good

If anyone can catch it on demand - do so. There's a plot twist per the preview this week.