What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedUnderground
Emir Kusturica · Film · 1995
If you loved Underground, start with Underground (Joe Pokaski, 2016) — a series from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Underground across media.
If you loved Underground, you are likely drawn to the jarring collision of absurd, dark humor and the crushing weight of historical trauma.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Underground
Joe Pokaski · Series · 2016
Books on the same thread
The Tin Drum
Günter Grass · Book · 1990
Explores: Unreliable narrator, Post-war trauma, Grotesque allegory.
Like Underground, this work uses a grotesque, surreal lens to explore the absurdity of life under the shadow of war, blending deep historical trauma with biting, dark satire.
Slaughterhouse-Five
Kurt Vonnegut · Book · 1991
Explores: Trauma, Free Will vs. Determinism, Time Travel.
This novel mirrors the fragmented, surreal experience of war found in Underground, using a non-linear structure to navigate the existential fallout of historical conflict and personal trauma.
Underworld
Don DeLillo · Book · 2007
Explores: American History, Cold War, Paranoia.
This epic shares the ambitious scope of Underground, weaving personal lives into the tapestry of national history to reveal the paranoia and political currents that define our existence.
The Suicide
Nikolaĭ Ėrdman · Book · 1979
Shares a thread with Underground: Tragicomedy.
Just as Underground finds comedy in the madness of political systems, this play uses a desperate, absurd premise to critique the suffocating pressure of bureaucracy and social expectations.
Series on the same thread
South Park
Trey Parker · Series · 1997
Shares a thread with Underground: Black Comedy.
The irreverent, chaotic satire of this series reflects the same spirit of rebellion against authority that makes the dark, subversive humor in Underground so profoundly compelling and sharp.
Atlanta
Donald Glover · Series · 2016
Explores: Race and Identity, The American Dream, Urban Life.
This series captures the surreal struggle for survival and identity in a changing landscape, echoing the way Underground uses bizarre circumstances to portray characters navigating complex social realities.
The World at War
Series · 1973
Shares a thread with Underground: Propaganda.
While Underground offers a fictionalized, surreal take on history, this documentary provides the grim, factual foundation of the same era, deepening your understanding of the trauma depicted onscreen.
Angels in America
Series · 2003
Explores: AIDS Epidemic, Identity, Sexuality.
This narrative mirrors the intersection of personal tragedy and shifting political climates found in Underground, using a fantastical lens to examine the heavy toll of societal crisis.
Podcasts on the same thread
WAR MODE
Podcast
Explores: Dark Humor, Cynicism, Current Events Commentary.
The cynical, dark approach to current events in this podcast resonates with the satirical bite of Underground, focusing on the absurdity inherent in modern political and social discourse.
NerdCast
Jovem Nerd · Podcast
Explores: humor, satire, current events commentary.
This podcast shares the satirical, inquisitive spirit of Underground, using humor as a tool to dissect cultural phenomena and the absurdity of living through turbulent, unpredictable historical moments.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Underground a movie or a television series?
The original Underground is a 1995 feature film directed by Emir Kusturica. There is also a separate 2016 television series titled Underground, though it is a distinct production from the 1995 film that depicts a group of Serbian socialists living in a surreal underground environment.
Should I watch the 2016 Underground series if I enjoyed the 1995 film?
If you enjoyed the themes of the 1995 film Underground, you may consider the 2016 television series titled Underground. Both titles share the same name, but they are separate projects, so viewers should be aware they are distinct adaptations rather than direct continuations of the original story.
What is the premise of the 1995 film Underground?
The 1995 film Underground follows a group of Serbian socialists who prepare for war by hiding in a surreal underground space. The narrative explores their experiences within this hidden world, focusing on the parties, tragedies, love, and hate that define their lives while they remain isolated from the surface.
Are the 1995 film and 2016 series titled Underground related?
While both productions share the title Underground, they are separate works. The 1995 film by Emir Kusturica focuses on Serbian socialists in an underground bunker, while the 2016 series titled Underground is a different adaptation. They are not the same project and represent different creative iterations of the concept.