UNDERGROUND: How Location Shapes the Narrative

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to participate in a conference call with two of the stars of WGN America’s Underground, Adina Porter and Theodus Crane after their characters had been killed on their way to freedom. One of the more interesting aspects of the call came from a few of the other reporters, who asked about the location and the impact that it had on the way everyone connected to the show responded to the content.

In last night’s episode “Grave”, it was more clear what a powerful force the plantation played in the shaping or feeling of the narrative.

(Be aware that the rest of this piece discusses in great detail “Grave” and also contains information that might trigger some readers. If you’ve been comfortable with the violence in the series, it is no worse than that, however.)

Even though Crane and Porter were not part of the show at the time that where Sam (Johnny Ray Gill) was lynched in front of Macon’s supporters as he announced his intention to run for office, their words are no less powerful or applicable.

Here’s how Porter put her understanding of working on the plantation:

“Well, because we are shot in what were real slave quarters and what was a former plantation, I felt very respectful. I don’t think I was the only one. I think Noah [Aldis Hodge] complained about the heat, the bugs or anything else, because how dare we? And lots of times I felt like it wasn’t about acting but just reacting because if the walls could talk.”

Her answer was in answer to how the show affected her, but I think there is so much more to what she said. Crane said that, “it was just a humbling experience.”

Underground Set

As a viewer of the show, and with the knowledge of it being shot on a former plantation, it grounds the show in a way that grips me and keeps me in the story. I watch this show in 2016, but it feels like the apex of the Abolition movement. With so much emotion in each episode, especially as the season winds up to its peak, the connection between the audience, the actors and the show itself is even more important.

Underground airs on Wednesdays at 10PM on WGN America.