The Underground Railroad
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
Our stories will always be righthere.
pats heart
What a small relief this episode is.
I want to say first that I enjoyed this story.
Whatever proximity to the whiteness and status of the other townsfolk shed hoped for is lost.
On the ground floor, we see her silhouette against the burning orange of the front of the house.
She exits out the back door.
Since everyone is distracted with the fire, she flees unseen.
Grace (Mychal-Bella Bowman) walks through the woods toward the railroad station.
Inside, she climbs through the wreckage of the dynamite explosion down to the railroad tracks.
And behold: On the other side of the blockage sits an idle train.
Weve been waiting for you … You looking for a ride?
They can leave as soon as Grace gives her testimony.
Then, a couple of interesting things happen.
First, we learn that Grace isnt really her name.
Yeah, we closed that station, Mae says.
Yeah … Yall did, Fanny says, clearly feeling betrayed.
Its an interesting thing.
Before, it didnt seem like someone could express disappointment in the railroad, but her feelings make sense.
Whydidthey terminate the station?
Im sure there were reasons, but it left her alone.
When asked where she wants to go, she tells Mae, Wherever it is Cora went to.
Dont you worry about that book, Mae says, Our stories will always be righthere.
She points toward her heart and leaves the cart.
Fanny gets to writing and the train takes off.
The camera sits on top of the train and we watch it chug along, black smoke blowing out.
I very much like the feeling of this episode, the almost magical quality to it.
(Colson Whiteheads novel isnt too invested in these details, either.
)Wasthe train waiting for her?
If so, why did they ask her who she was?
Is it because she needs to be the one to utter it?
How was the train just sitting there on the other side of the blockage?
Is it a one way track?
Theres a mysteriousness and sense of awe to whats been built, although its not totally surreal.
A bit of wonder, and of hope.
The Caboose
This episode was written by Jihan Crowther.
This is my favorite needle drop so far!
I like the cut of your jib, Fanny Briggs!
Its all a lot of violence and destruction to take in, so I appreciate the soft reset.
I want this ending for her!
She was a slave who taught herself how to read.
I do wonder why we get this episode NOW.
Some of these episodes are LONG.
So, is the book of testimonies important or not?
The thesis of the episode seems to beNo.
But Mae still has Fanny record her story!
Two things can be true at once, I suppose.
