Underground: Cradle

April 20, 2016 8:22 PM - Season 1, Episode 7

Children lose their innocence when forced to face the harsh realities of the world.

Vulture - This week, Underground is all about the kids. "Cradle" turns the focus to James, Boo, Ben, Henry, and T.R., as they all face major crossroads. We get our first hint that they'll be taking center stage during the cold open, which features a pair of hands rolling, cutting, and wrapping Necco wafers as a children's chorus plays as the score. The candy is a recurring visual motif throughout the episode — each time we see it, it's accompanied by a bittersweet development.

posted by oh yeah! (5 comments total)

I don't know, this one didn't entirely work for me. Elizabeth's sub-plot felt shoe-horned in, too dependent on coincidence/bad luck than on character. I would rather have had more time with Noah, Rosalee, Cato, & Henry.

The reveal of James having sewed a false bottom into the cotton sack to make the weight was great, that's the kind of character moment I love this show for.
posted by oh yeah! at 7:09 PM on April 21, 2016 [1 favorite]

"You don't have to talk. I know things happen sometimes that you have no words for. They're scary and they're confusing and they make you sad. I know I can't say anything that's gonna make what you went through all right. All I can do is show you that I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe." -Elizabeth to Boo. The perfect and only thing to say to someone dealing with grief and trauma. And then "whatever it takes..."

This episode definitely gave me the feels. But it couldn't help wondering why none of the kids ever cries... my kids cry when their bowl of Lucky Charms doesn't have a rainbow marshmallow. Is it really possible that Boo would be so stoic, so young? All of them?

I thought the ending was very realistic, though....
posted by OnceUponATime at 2:12 AM on April 25, 2016

WGN renews Underground for a second 10-episode season! Yay!

Is it really possible that Boo would be so stoic, so young? All of them?

I think so, sadly. Don't children who are abused by their parents start learning how to walk on eggshells at a ridiculously young age?
posted by oh yeah! at 7:29 PM on April 25, 2016 [1 favorite]

Oh, this episode hurt my heart. And my head at the beginning - I was sure I had missed an episode, but no. Moses was killed by ... someone's ... flaming arrows (who does that? Is the land so lush that it won't burn too easily?). And he's gone, but Boo survives, for now.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:57 AM on April 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

I don't know where I read it (thought it was in the AV Club or Vulture recap, but I can't see it now), that we were seeing the death of Moses through Boo's eyes - that the fireworks were really gunshots, and I suppose the arrows could have been a muddle of reality too.
posted by oh yeah! at 6:53 PM on April 28, 2016