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The Underground Railroad

2021Show1 season10 episodesTV-MA

DramaSci-Fi & Fantasy
84
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.4Metacritic927.7Rotten Tomatoes95%76%

A nerve-racking, deeply moving drama series about society and history, with standout direction and cinematography.

Good for friends night · binge-friendly · thought-provoking

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing · graphic violence bothers you

Where to watch

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Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

Shows with

Episodes

1 season · 10 episodes · best: S1E9 "Chapter 9: Indiana Winter" 8.9

Episodes

7.9

Story

Follow young Cora’s journey as she makes a desperate bid for freedom in the antebellum South. After escaping her Georgia plantation for the rumored Underground Railroad, Cora discovers no mere metaphor, but an actual railroad full of engineers and conductors, and a secret network of tracks and tunnels beneath the Southern soil.

Feels like

  • Harrowing Historical Drama
  • Magical Realism
  • Socially Incisive
  • Escape & Survival
  • Visually Stunning
  • Bleak & Powerful
  • Character-Driven Journey
  • Trauma & Resilience
  • Antebellum South

Cast

24 of 39 · most episodes first

Crew

Directors
Barry Jenkins
Written by
Colson Whitehead
Produced by
Richleigh Hz Heagh
Music by
Nicholas Britell

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

May 13, 2021 · May 13, 2021 · Ended

First aired
May 13, 2021
Last aired
May 13, 2021
Status
Ended
Length
1 season · 10 episodes
Age rating
TV-MA
Content
Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Original language
English
Also spoken
Spanish
Made in
United States
Available in
133 countries

Tropes

Establishing Character Moment, Distant Prologue, Ambiguous Time Period +9

  • Establishing Character Moment
  • Distant Prologue
  • Ambiguous Time Period
  • Cold-Blooded Torture
  • Switching P.O.V.
  • Born into Slavery
  • Crapsaccharine World
  • Made a Slave
  • Anachronism Stew
  • Even Evil Has Standards
  • "It" Is Dehumanizing
  • Decapitation Presentation

12 of 26 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream The Underground Railroad?"

Questions about The Underground Railroad

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Is The Underground Railroad worth watching?

84
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 84 (IMDb 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes 95%, and Metacritic 92). Critics rate it higher (94 out of 100) than audiences (76).

Will I feel good after watching The Underground Railroad?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for bleakness and 8 for melancholy, against 3 for hopefulness.

Is The Underground Railroad plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (9 of 10) more than on its plot.

What tropes does The Underground Railroad use?

Establishing Character MomentDistant PrologueAmbiguous Time PeriodCold-Blooded TortureSwitching P.O.V.Born into SlaveryCrapsaccharine WorldMade a SlaveAnachronism StewEven Evil Has Standards"It" Is DehumanizingDecapitation Presentationand 14 more

TV Tropes lists 26 tropes for it, including Establishing Character Moment, Distant Prologue, and Ambiguous Time Period.