Underground - Nok Aaut - Review

As usual we open with Daniel and the set up for what I think will be the story of his (and his family's) run for freedom. Another slave, Bo, asks him to read a flyer (or stolen letter?) in an effort to keep abreast of the events that ultimately affect his community. Apparently, slave owners in Kansas are scared by the rumors that John Brown is heading their way and looking for ways to get their property out of the state lest they be stolen and freed.

Bo asks Daniel to teach him to read and his response is interesting. Daniel laments having learned to read because he is learning how big the world is and how small the one he’s trapped in is.

That sentiment really touched me. Right now I find myself fighting the desire to hide from the rest of the world. I can understand wanting to stay in a place where you can’t see the storms on the horizon.

Finally it was time to find out how Cato spent the five months before this season started. For some reason it never occurred to me that Cato would leave the country. I imagined him looking for his family. But once he landed in London, it made perfect sense.

He meets a young woman and falls in love. He initially hides his true self from her, but she gets him into boxing as an outlet.

This sequence led to the only scene that didn’t work for me. Not that it was a bad scene or anything, but because it seemed to be the pivotal moment that leads Cato to return to America I expected the scene to reveal why Cato decided to return to America. I felt like the writer didn’t make his intent clear.

Noah, understandably, is not amused to find that his host is the person he likes least in the world (if you don’t count the slave owners.) These two need to have a talk, and Cato decides it should be in public at an expensive restaurant.

Noah is barely able to be civil, and Cato can’t help but goad Noah. Noah doesn’t even consider resisting it. These two actors are powerful scene partners.

I don’t think we’re going to get some “TV Happy Ending” tale of two men who start out hating each other but eventually become best friends. They do not like each other and I don't think they ever will.

I can’t shake the feeling that, despite their differences, Cato and Noah may end up working together to put Cato’s plan to shake the country into some kind of volatile action that will ultimately lead to The Civil War.

I could be completely wrong. After all, Rosalee’s agenda to rescue her family is still on the table, and Noah’s first choice will be to be by her side for that.

Elizabeth’s journey is getting more interesting. She met one of John Brown’s followers. Lucas seemed to have made a definite impression on Elizabeth. She stepped in, at a rally, to deliver a speech for Georgia.

When someone tossed a bottle at her she was ready to test her arm in answer. I kind of wanted to see her throw it; to let her rage over what happened to her husband and Rosalee take her over.

However, Georgia’s ability to think past the moment got Elizabeth away from the riot before she could wade into the middle of it. It’s really interesting to watch Elizabeth try to figure out where her place is in this fight and what kind of fighter she wants to be. Right now, I think, it's 50/50 whether she's a pacifist or if she picks up a gun.

This is the second episode that put more focus on the personal character stories than the arc stories, and, again, the stories were so compelling that I didn’t mind at all.

With the mention of John Brown, and Cato's comment about why America needs him, it feels like the show is looking at the bigger picture. Perhaps they're not just looking at the Underground's work of saving a few people a time, but the country's progression to The Civil War.

Really happy to see Rosalee made it home to family. (Loved the moment where Elizabeth said she couldn’t lose Rosalee.)

What did you guys think of the episode? Do you have any theories about what Cato has up his sleeve?