Underground - Contraband - Review + POLL

I was a little worried that I’d set my expectations so high that there was no way the show's second season could live up to it. I needn’t have worried.

Things look a little different than I initially imagined. I thought the only members of the original cast we’d see this season were going to be Rosalee, Cado, and possibly Noah. I didn’t expect to see the Hawkes, or Ernestine.

The premiere opens with the introduction of a new character. The only thing we really learn about him is that he has a family and is teaching himself to read. I’m guessing that, given Rosalee’s mission, he will be one of the charges she helps get to freedom. His hair had me thinking perhaps he’s Fredrick Douglass. (It was just a passing thought.)

Once we get past this introduction, we bounce in to the same type of high octane run through the woods that the first season opened with.

The runners are three men and Rosalee. What a difference from that frightened girl who froze while trying to steal Macon’s seal in the first season. When one of her charges breaks his ankle, she stands with Harriet Tubman (Moses) to hold off the slave catchers.

Aisha Hinds commanded my attention every moment she was on screen. The first time we see her as Harriet Tubman, she’s got a gun and an ax on two slave catchers. Harriet offers them a deal; twice their expected pay if they ride away. They, of course, balk at the offer, but she points out that their other option is death. Hinds has the strength of presence to make this completely believable. I wasn't surprised that the slave catchers decided to take her up on the more lucrative offer.

The premiere's primary purpose was to establish returning characters’ status and set up the stories for the second season. I'm not sure if it's going to have the same caper feel that the first part of season one had, but the character stories have me completely hooked.

Elizabeth joins a sewing circle. It’s a woman’s group that gets together to practice shooting and strategize ways to put an end to slavery. I suppose in most revolutions there are soldiers fighting on many different fronts.

In the premiere, these women are focusing on ways to turn the opinion of the masses. (It England an article about the conditions on slave ships was published turned public opinion against slavery.)

Elizabeth’s introduction to this group is very her. She is the first to return the eggs (the number denotes the time of a clandestine meeting) and she’s cooked them. She also brought needle and thread with her (shooting practice was a surprise.)

I was shocked to see Ernestine return this season. She’s been sold to a plantation that appears to be in Louisiana. She seems to be punishing herself for her sins. She’s stoned most of the time, living with an abusive fellow slave, and seeing Pearly Mae’s ghost. It’s understandable that, that would be the murder she feels the most guilt over. I find myself wondering if she’ll go with Rosalee if she comes for her.

Rosalee seems to have grown closer to John and Elizabeth (I’d forgotten that John is her uncle) over the past 5 months. The major plan is to rescue Noah and have him help with the rescue of the rest of Rosalee's family (her little brother - in Georgia and her mother, in Louisiana). Harriet believes this is an impossible task as Rosalee will have to travel 600 miles, after finding her family, to accomplish it. Rosalee's mind won't be changed, and she has faith that with Noah’s help they can do it.

Noah is in jail, but he's not sitting back waiting on a rescue. He wants to get back to Rosalee so that he can marry her. As usual he's paying attention to everything going on around him and even manages to protect his plan from a couple of fellow prisoners whose escape plan didn't seem to be worked out past 'hit a guard over the head and run'. Noah's figured out the number of guards, their schedules, and even their friendships. John manages to get in to see Noah and lets him know that Rosalee is nearby and there is a plan.

John uses the weapon he has the most faith in. The Law. The plan is to get Noah out of the jail by arguing that Suzanna Macon’s ownership supersedes the murder charge, and Noah should be returned to Georgia rather than standing trial for murder locally. The intention being to rescue him once he's on the road to Georgia.

The judge doesn't really care about legal precedent and orders Noah put to death. John's faith in the law takes a hit. He determines that he'll run for office and get the power to keep things like this from happening again.

In the meantime, they come up with a rescue plan that gets off to a good start but goes wrong. Unexpected fighters step into the fight and chase the wagon containing Noah and the two other slaves due to be hanged. Noah is knocked out of the wagon and captured. But he’s not immediately returned to the jail. Who are these guys? Is he being taken back to the Macon plantation?

In the aftermath of this loss, John follows through on his decision to run for office. Elizabeth joins him as he goes to the courthouse to officially put his hat in the ring. As they leave, an assassin shoots John in the head.

My head is still spinning. The last thing I expected was for one of our base representatives for the Underground Railroad to disappear from the story canvas. But, as the camera pulls away, it's evident that John was indeed hit in the forehead. I don't see how he could survive. What!? Why? I mean the Hawkes survived Elizabeth’s ill-advised caring for Boo and nearly getting the couple caught. So what was this about? Did he make too many enemies with his legal arguments?

One of the things that initially caught my attention was how strong a character Elizabeth turned out to be. When we met her, she was falling apart in the aftermath of finding out she can’t have children. It was she that, ultimately, moved the couple into this fight. She’s always been unable to shy away from doing what is right. I can't imagine her giving up because of the loss of her husband. I'm excited to see what is coming for her in this season.

I'm anxious to see where this story will take us next. What did you guys think of the episode? What didn’t work for you? What elements of the season premiere most excited you?