Misha Green and Joe Pokaski, Underground – WGN America

Wow. Just wow. It’s hard to overstate the difficulty of tackling a subject like slavery without devolving into a collection of stereotypical characters on both sides (the evil slave owner, the oppressed slaves with hearts of gold, etc). But this unflinching look at the risks taken by both blacks and whites in America’s Deep South to help escaped slaves gain their freedom required steady hands at the helm. That preternatural guidance came from creators and executive producers Misha Green and Joe Pokaski, whose ability to combine the era’s morality, politics, repression and possibility for redemption into one compelling piece of art deserves all of our recognition. We only hope the two have a chance to continue telling this important story for many years to come.