It's 1857 Georgia. Ernestine (Amirah Vann) is the head house slave and favorite of plantation master Tom Macon. She has two of his children, Rosalee (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) and James. Noah (Aldis Hodge) is a smart slave always looking to escape. Cato (Alano Miller) is a selfish scheming slave. Rosalee, Noah, and Cato become three of the Macon 7 who escape the plantation. August Pullman (Christopher Meloni) is a cunning slave catcher with his son. In Washington, abolitionist lawyer John Hawkes (Marc Blucas) struggles to gain attention to his cause. William Still recruits his home on the Ohio river to be a stop on the underground railroad. His wife Elizabeth (Jessica De Gouw) is struggling with her inability to have a child. Hawkes reconnects with his brother Macon and works secretly for the cause.
The first season is a great plantation drama. It's got an edgy blend of hip hop sensibilities and tough slavery drama. It's a little too slick at times but a very compelling story. It has great characters and solid acting. The second season suffers from the scattering of its cast. It should really follow fewer of the first year characters and let the story flow more organically. It still has an edge and a willingness to take chances like Harriet Tubman's speaking seminar episode. In the end, its network was ending scripted shows and this was canceled after two seasons.
The first season is a great plantation drama. It's got an edgy blend of hip hop sensibilities and tough slavery drama. It's a little too slick at times but a very compelling story. It has great characters and solid acting. The second season suffers from the scattering of its cast. It should really follow fewer of the first year characters and let the story flow more organically. It still has an edge and a willingness to take chances like Harriet Tubman's speaking seminar episode. In the end, its network was ending scripted shows and this was canceled after two seasons.