WGN America Underground Episode 2: War Chest Aldis Hodge, Jurnee Smollett Premiere Recap

WGN America airs the highly anticipated premiere of their new original drama, Underground. In Episode 2, War Chest, Noah (Aldis Hodge) and Rosalee (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) continue to plan their daring 600-mile escape from their Georgia plantation. 

Noah and his team go over the lyrics of the song, which is actually a map to freedom. One of the lyrics pints to a river that they will have to cross. Somehow, Noah and crew have to build a boat without anybody looking at them and raising suspicion. 

Knowing they will be chased by slave hunters, Noah needs to get a gun. Unfortunately, Cato (Alano Miller)wants to be involved in the planning. He's willing to scare Noah and the others, just so that he can be treated like a boss. 

At the plantation, Rosalee is frowned upon by the other house slaves. They don't even want to look at her bloody hands. Ostracized by the other women, Rosalee will be the only one without a rose at the upcoming party. Rosalie is disheartened to hear that her little brother will have to work in the cotton fields the following year. 

John Hawkes (Marc Blucas) and his wife Elizabeth (Jessica De Gouw) enter a brothel to meet with William Still (Chris Chalk). When the couple enters his private quarters, someone falls out of a crate. It turns out William has been smuggling slaves through boxes. The three have to hide the slaves, especially with bounty hunters wanting the reward money for the capture. 

Elizabeth looks out the windows and spots the bounty hunters waiting in the streets. During the night, the slave hunters beat the crap out of John and William, thinking they were smuggling a slave. The law prevents hunters from attacking a freed slave, especially if he has his papers. John presses charges against the hunters.

As the party commences, Tom Macon (Reed Diamond) shares a few laughs with the other socialites. Tom even makes fun of the economy; slavery will bring down the South. They are all raking in the money thanks to slavery. 

Elsewhere, August Pullman (Christopher Meloni) spends time with his son, even though he wants to go back hunting. After August teaches his son how house a rifle, he snakes out during the night. From afar, August's son watches in shock as he murders a runaway slave.  

It turns out Ernestine and Tom Macon are secretly lovers. During their passionate fling, Ernestine orders Tom to make his wife change her mind about the boy. Her boy will not be out in the cotton fields, like his wife wants. He will stay inside the mansion and be a handyman. 

While Cato is picked and chosen as a sex slave, Noah makes an attempt to steal a gun. After being used for sex, Cato gets into a fight with Noah. Tired of being tested, Noah points the gun Cato and ends their fighting. 

Ernestine lights the candles as Tm Macon goes for a second round of sex with his wife. As Ernestine listens to their passionate moans and groans, Rosalee tells Noah that she wants in on his escape. 

Readers, what did you think of War Chest?