TCM Underground

TCM Underground was a weekly late-night cult film showcase airing on Turner Classic Movies.^[1] Developed by former TCM marketing director Eric Weber, it was originally hosted by industrial rock/heavy metal musician and independent filmmaker Rob Zombie. The films were programmed by Eric Weber until 2007, when TCM programmer Millie De Chirico took over the role. The block ended on February 24, 2023, following layoffs in December that included De Chirico.^[2][3]

The series was launched in an attempt to attract more young viewers to Turner's older-skewing audience.^[4] TCM began airing a new program titled Friday Night Spotlight and, in effect, TCM Underground was moved from its Friday time slot to Saturdays beginning April 6, 2013 (a TCM broadcast day runs from 6 am – 5:59 am EST the following day, making Underground, in fact, airing on Sunday); however, on March 10, 2018, the series returned to its original Friday night time slot. Promotional bumper material and opening credit sequences were created by Raygun. The series was periodically preempted by special month-long or seasonal scheduling themes, such as February's "31 Days of Oscar" film series and the month-long "Summer Under the Stars".^[5] When it did not conflict with a special theme, TCM Underground aired in its usual slot early on Saturday morning.

The cult films featured in TCM Underground belonged to a number of genres, including but not limited to blaxploitation films (Coffy, Darktown Strutters, The Mack), horror, slasher, and giallo films (Let's Scare Jessica to Death, Black Christmas, Hatchet for the Honeymoon), and counterculture films (An American Hippie in Israel, Ciao! Manhattan, Blue Sunshine). On October 13, 2006, Plan 9 from Outer Space was the block's first film broadcast, paired with Bride of the Monster; it was also the block's final film when it closed on February 24, 2023, paired with various drug education short films.