I can't with Underground. It's messing with my pressure.
Every week, I’m yelling at the TV "RUN GOT DAMMIT, RUN!!!!!!"
RUNNNNNNN!!!
My vocal chords are weak.
It occurs to me, now at episode 5 and the show is finding its rhythm, that this show is a mix between True Blood and Walking Dead. Noah is Rick. Cato is Shane. Rosalee better not be Laurie or Andrea. Be Carol, but like Carol in the latter seasons. Not scared-of-her-shadow Carol.
The Macon 7 are on the run, and the slave catchers are after them. They’re each worth $1000 dead or alive, except for Rosalie, who is worth double if returned alive. I mean, she’s family, by blood, after all. If you’ve watched the earlier episodes, you know that the Macon 7 left earlier than expected due to several unexpected circumstances and their plans weren’t solidified. They are mostly winging it. They do have a first step: make it to the Atlanta-bound train.
Also, Moses and Boo escaped, but wife/mom Pearlie Mae did not. While Moses is complaining of being tired somewhere in the woods, Pearlie Mae is strung up on the stockade like Christ on the cross. That imagery nearly took me out. The cinematography is beautiful and terrible all at once.
Massa wants her husband back bad, to make a point. He enlists the help of his wife, Pearlie Mae’s half sister, to convince Pearlie Mae to give up where the Macon 7 went. Missy offers Pearlie Mae her and her daughter’s freedom if she gives up where they were headed. The Mistress is awful. I want to say Claire Underwood-like horrible things to her about her baby.
Pearlie Mae is contemplating the offer because while she loves her man, she wants her own freedom too and her daughter’s would be guaranteed instead of hope, luck and prayer in the current circumstance. To give up Moses and her daughter, means Pearlie Mae would give up everyone else. She doesn’t care. I get it.
The thought of never seeing your baby again, or worse, her not making it, is a lot. But Ernestine ain’t got time for Pearlie Mae’s wishy-washy thoughts or for Rosalie to get dragged back to the plantation. She poisons Pearlie Mae. As Pearlie Mae fades to black. Ernestine tells her matter-of-factly: “Your man gonna take care of your baby. Something happen to him? Rosalee will look after her..."
Now let me poison you and slit your wrists real quick so it doesn't look like I had anything to do with this. All right now.
RIP. Good woman, horrible circumstances. She was thinking as a mother. So was Ernestine. Welp.
Moses is injured, battered, and tired so much the he is contemplating going back to the plantation. And I actually understand why. It’s day two and he’s already broken and Boo is heavy. And he misses his wife.
Rosalee gives him a pep talk about how Boo (aka Carl) is going to be his strength. He says he gets it and is ready to go on. Be strong, Brother!!! And someone put a shotgun on his back!! (See Harriet Tubman.) That said, I don’t think he’s going to make it to season 2.
The 7 had to split up into small groups when the slave catchers caught up with them. Cato and Zeek are together, and the catchers, well, catch up with them first. Cato shoots Zeek in the leg, basically sacrificing him to the slave catchers so Cato can escape.
I wasn't surprised Cato did that. I also don’t judge him. Shane did the same thing in an early season of TWD. Survival is a mofo, and you have to make immoral choices to live sometimes. Zeek went out like a soldier, taking out the slave catchers and protecting his friends before he went down. I haven't seen anyone go out like that since Cleo in Set it Off. He earned that eternal rest.
When Cato reunites with the group, Noah knows Cato aka House Boy is lying about what happened to Zeek. Unlike Shane, I think Cato is going to make it to freedom. Maybe him, Boo, and Rosalee. I doubt Rosalee and Noah make it. And there’s no way they all make it. Boo will make it. NO way in hell the little Black girl gets killed or taken back. It’s WGN, not HBO. I don’t think her dad will.
Anyway.
Rosalee talks too damn much. The father/son slave catchers find her and she goes blabbing away with all the plans to get to the train. Gah! She meant well. Just naive. I don't see how you can be naive and a runaway slave or a slave, but... she escapes and reunites with the other remaining 5. At least she got rid of them sleeves on that dress cause Mama looked hot and uncomfortable trying to run in a full skirt and long arms. I’m looking forward to her arc. She has G tendencies like her mama, just ain't fully actualized yet.
Massa is pulling out all the field slaves one-by-one to question them about the escaped enslaved workers. When he gets to Sam, who he really likes, he’s all buddy buddy, even letting Sam hold his gun. Sam wanted to pull the trigger. He did. But he couldn’t.
Dammit how I wish Sam could pulled the trigger on Massa. But I guess that would have been too much. He doesn't want to be loyal. He just doesn't have the heart not to be. Poor Sam.
The escapees are still going for the train, but they’re going to jump from the roof. But the father/son tracking team show up (because Rosalee all but invited them) and start shooting into the roof. LAWD!! New plan: Moses is going to jump on the train and Noah is going to throw Boo to him… Lawd.
This is an insane idea. and yet. I am standing on the bed yelling, “THROW THE BABY ON THE TRAIN!!! THROW HER NOW!!!”
Noah threw Boo. She and her daddy are getting the hell out of town. They might even make it North. Will we see them again? I dunno. Either way, thank you, Jesus, and WGN.
Oh, and I am hoarse from yelling.
What did you think of last night's episode?