Underground Mercenary

Christopher Meloni has had a tough time finding his footing on the TV landscape post-SVU.

There was the short-lived Surviving Jack on Fox, and before that there was a pretty thankless role on HBO’s True Blood.

The tide, thought, could be turning for the actor now that he’s landed a starring part on Underground, a new straight-to-series WGN (Salem) drama about the slaves who followed the Underground Railroad.

Meloni will play a secretive mercenary who straddles the line between morality and survival.

Jurnee Smollett-Bell (TV’s Parenthood) and Jessica De Gouw (The CW’s Arrow) have been tapped for roles as well.

Photo: HollywoodReporter.com.