Underground

Though it's set against the backdrop of some of America's worst history and doesn't shy away from the painful realities of slavery, the story focuses on the strength of the human spirit. Courage and perseverance are major themes. There's sabotage and danger everywhere, but you'll also see people sacrifice everything for their freedom and, in the case of the white sympathizers, for the freedom of others. Prejudice and the treatment of plantation slaves is awful and hard to watch, but it's reflective of the time.

This intense series does the plight of slaves justice in its presentation of the harsh realities of their lives and quests for freedom, but it makes for many disturbing scenes of brutality. Men and women are whipped, and runaways are shot. There are stabbings, painful death scenes, and the slaves' constant fear for their lives and the safety of their loved ones. They're put in impossible situations that make them do stunning things, such as taking physical punishment for someone else and, in one case, drowning an infant to save him from growing up in slavery. Lots of blood, including a birth scene.

Many instances of the "N" word from both white and black characters.