What I’m Watching: Underground

Underground: Season 1, Episode 6 “Troubled Water” (B+)

The slaves are still on the run in this episode, slowing making their way to freedom as their pursuers continue to be right on their heels. Coming upon a boat was an interesting development, and August acted quickly to ensure that they wouldn’t be able to navigate before he got shot and started to bloody the water. Ultimately, I think that this show’s weekly format is working well since it’s a grander historical drama, and it gets to play itself out over the course of a full season, plus the second season for which the show has just been unsurprisingly renewed. The cinematography in this episode was very strong, with the small boat floating along in the vast water a powerful image. Rosalee’s ability to swim came in very handy, and she managed to save the day in a tremendous way when the catchers who ran August out of town were about to shoot every one of them. August was formidable in his brief exchange with the Native Americans, and it seems that, despite that relatively peaceful interaction, they’re all for siding with the underdog against the white man. They should prove to be excellent allies for the runaway slaves as long as no other conflicts emerge. John and Elizabeth managed to pull one over on the marshal in a big way, working to establish their allegiance to the cause of catching runaway slaves while hiding one of them in the same wagon as the concussed lawman without him having any idea.