The Underground Railroad

:

Season 1
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 93 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 70 out of 93
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 93
  3. Negative: 21 out of 93

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User Reviews

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  1. All_ButTrU4
    Mar 1, 2022
    10
    this ambitious isolating adaptation of a lauded colin whitehead novel is astounding television. i was reluctant to watch it only because it is exhausting having to always see this side of american history which was indeed a violent part of world history, but seeing it regurgitated as a form of trauma porn with no point beyond black suffering but this show is different .it combines realismthis ambitious isolating adaptation of a lauded colin whitehead novel is astounding television. i was reluctant to watch it only because it is exhausting having to always see this side of american history which was indeed a violent part of world history, but seeing it regurgitated as a form of trauma porn with no point beyond black suffering but this show is different .it combines realism with mystism to form a heady narrative about healing, about pain and generational wounds. its a testament to barry jenkins excellence when telling black stories. the cinematography is breathtaking with any frame being worthy of a desktop default wallpaper. it is not gratuitous allowing it's environments to leads it's tone. all of this is delivered through career defining performances across the board especially from the ageless south african ,thuso mbedu who captivates in her nuanced brokenness or rabe eerie portrayal of the station agent. the antagonist ridgeway is rendered so effectively by joel edgertons forceful performance of the haunted slavecatcher. even his sidekick homer, an enigma ,is compellingly portrayed by chase ,a very young child actor. the casting for this series is just one of it's strengths. it does bare a weakness which is in it's pacing an episode count. i do feel it can feel overstuffed and given it's subject mate hat oversaturation becomes oppressive and nearly unenjoyable. nonetheless i give it a 10 cause it challenges the viewer with a familiar setting under an extravagant adventure. definitely must watch.… Expand
  2. Leeohthescorpio
    May 18, 2021
    10
    Thuso Mbedu delivers a career-defining performance. The Cinematography, Direction and Score are excellent!
  3. Jon4h
    May 16, 2021
    10
    Just amazing. Barry Jenkins is just incredible. I love the show. Everyone should watch it.
  4. MrMoonshine
    May 28, 2021
    10
    This is an absolutely phenomenal show that gets everything right. The casting and characters are perfect - most notably Homer, Ridgeway, and Mabel.
    This whole show is a work of art. The cinematography and imagery are beautiful.
    Never playing it safe, every gamble seems to pay off. I have never seen a show like this and urge everyone to watch it. This is the show TV has been waiting for for    This is an absolutely phenomenal show that gets everything right. The casting and characters are perfect - most notably Homer, Ridgeway, and Mabel.
    This whole show is a work of art. The cinematography and imagery are beautiful.
    Never playing it safe, every gamble seems to pay off. I have never seen a show like this and urge everyone to watch it. This is the show TV has been waiting for for so long.    … Expand
  5. samusmaster64
    May 15, 2021
    10
    There’s a quote early in The Underground Railroad that felt like it sums up so much about the horrors of this era: “We can escape slavery and yet its scars will never fade.”
  6. MovieloverNik
    May 15, 2021
    10
    Every single shot in The Underground Railroad is incredibly well thought through and framed. I literally could write great things about this masterpiece all day. Barry Jenkins really outdid himself with this.
  7. 2deep2fish
    May 17, 2021
    10
    There are a number of films and television series that should feature on the US school curriculum. This is one.
  8. Curtisjr1986
    May 16, 2021
    10
    Every episode of this masterpiece is beautiful.Cinematography and score and direction Are second to none.
  9. jaredwallace91
    May 24, 2021
    10
    Berry Jenkin's adaptation of this saga of escaped enslaved people will not be for everyone, but everyone still has a lot to gain from watching it. The cinematography, acting, and direction are top notch. Shows of this quality are rare.
  10. allenb
    May 15, 2021
    10
    Spectacular adaptation of a spectacular novel by Colson Whitehead. Barry zjrnkins was the right director for this piece.
  11. CellariusMack
    May 14, 2021
    2
    Not nearly as flawless as "critics" would have you believe. Maybe read the book instead.
  12. j1train
    May 27, 2021
    9
    Jaw-dropping, stunning, essential. The first four episodes are major. Five and six are a slog that should have been trimmed substantially -- but then again, to make the viewer sit in the discomfort of it is a kind of choice. Lighting and mumbling can be frustrating at times, but it’s a minor discomfort. The overlong middle episodes do somewhat blunt the impact of the final two, which areJaw-dropping, stunning, essential. The first four episodes are major. Five and six are a slog that should have been trimmed substantially -- but then again, to make the viewer sit in the discomfort of it is a kind of choice. Lighting and mumbling can be frustrating at times, but it’s a minor discomfort. The overlong middle episodes do somewhat blunt the impact of the final two, which are still epic and gorgeous, but I can’t help but think it could have been a couple hours shorter with editing of episodes 4-8. The book after all is a tight 300 pages.… Expand
  13. Glasso
    Jun 2, 2021
    3
    How this can score way higher than the contemporary "Mare of Easttown" is beyond me. 30% of the score is for the WAS (woke appreciation society).
  14. leavell13
    Jun 9, 2021
    10
    A flat out masterpiece. Every shot is gorgeous even when it's ripping your heart out. The score is incredible. The sound design is perfect. The performances are emensely powerful. Barry Jenkins is operating on a whole other level of visual storytelling here. This series is an emotional sledgehammer that tore me to shreds and put me back together over and over from beginning to end.A flat out masterpiece. Every shot is gorgeous even when it's ripping your heart out. The score is incredible. The sound design is perfect. The performances are emensely powerful. Barry Jenkins is operating on a whole other level of visual storytelling here. This series is an emotional sledgehammer that tore me to shreds and put me back together over and over from beginning to end. It's a total and complete triumph.… Expand
  15. geewah
    Apr 28, 2022
    9
    Brutal, moving and at times beautiful, this adaption by Barry Jenkins is a must see. At times this show was that powerful that I found it difficult to binge watch and needed a break from it's sheer intensity. The acting and direction are superb and if there is any criticism it is that it is long and could of been an episode or two shorter.
  16. Ffede
    Jul 21, 2021
    3
    Boring, trashy and useless. Absolute garbage without any reason to be Watched.
  17. Aislan89
    Jun 2, 2021
    10
    Hands down, one of the best shows I've ever seen this year. I strongly recommend to everyone.

Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best TV Season of 2021
31
#31 Most Discussed TV Season of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 37 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 37
  3. Negative: 1 out of 37
  1. i
    Reviewed by: Emily Baker
    Dec 3, 2021
    100
    The Underground Railroad treads the line of fictional entertainment and historical reenactment expertly, without ever feeling forceful. It is, in short, yet another masterpiece from Barry Jenkins.
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  2. Empire
    Reviewed by: Kambole Campbell
    Sep 20, 2021
    100
    An epic that’s beautifully and sensitively composed in all aspects, The Underground Railroad is a powerful, often difficult adaptation that prioritises its characters’ personhood, refusing to leave them simply as victims of a thematic point.
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  3. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    Reviewed by: Angelica Jade Bastien
    May 25, 2021
    100
    It is a masterwork that puts into the spotlight the sheer power and communion that can be found with visual storytelling. This is a series not so much witnessed but felt.
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