The Terror

I'm a massive fan of the novel and, two episodes in, I'm a massive fan of this show.

They needed to spend A LOT of money on this to make it work, and I think they did. The actors are great, the costumes are excellent, the sets are mostly convincing and the pacing is just about right.

Although there are already some major differences to the novel, I think the changes were mostly due to the transference to a visual medium, so I am happy to forgive them.

I'm looking forward to the rest of this series.

The first season was atmospheric, a constant sense of foreboding and hopelessness permeated by and air of creepiness. The acting and casting was spot on and the season evolved really nicely.

Enter season 2. BORING !!!!!

Slow paced, mediocre acting, shallow cast. The story line is a little thin, the supernatural element tries to communicate intended suspense, but comes across very bland. Even the limited make up and special effects are poor.

By the time they add a tragic element to the supernatural element, it simply pours water on an ember that was barely smouldering anyway.

It may be a wonderful drama to some and some will harp on about the books.....

30 minutes into episode 8 of season 2 and i don't think I can be bothered anymore!

This is a fictionalization of Captain Sir John Franklin's lost expedition to find the northwest passage through the Arctic in 1845-1848. He has two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, filled with the latest technology. Captain Francis Crozier (Jared Harris) piloted the Terror and led the expedition after the death of Franklin (Ciarán Hinds).

This is a very good ten episode limited series. When I first heard about this series, I feared the portrayal of the native population as the villains of the story. Historically, Lady Franklin with supporter Dickens had made the natives savages while disputing the report from explorer John Rae. It would have been tragic to continue that old colonial attitude. While this has some supernatural elements, the drama is the crew itself. There is a great villain and a very tense story. The outcome is not in doubt but the journey is fascinating. The isolated atmosphere is strangely haunting. There is harrowing action. There are great characters and more importantly, there are great actors. This is a good little surprise from AMC.

ADD: Apparently, its original success allowed the show to turn from a limited series to an anthology series. The second season has new showrunners and a ghost story about the WWII Japanese-American internment. I like the unique Japanese culture. I like the moment in time. It has a feel of a mixture of the J-horror and a modern slasher horror. It does meander a bit and the story would probably be much more compelling in a shorter span. It's a step down from the first season.

Based on the book by Dan Simmons, The Terror gives a somewhat fiction account of the real-life doomed 1845 Franklin Expedition to find the Northwest passage - with an added element of supernatural danger.

Having watched the entire season I feel a little cheated by the final episode. The atmospheric tension throughout the first 9 seemed to vanish as episode 10 progressed, in a race to get to the punchline with the little screen time they had left - and the rushed punchline became a total anticlimax. They strayed a little from the book, which happens, but, you can't help but think that with a little more time, and some better editing, the finale could have been so much better.

This miniseries about two crews looking for a passage from England to India and China through the frozen north is very promising. I watched the first installment last night and was impressed with the acting, story and characters. I will watch future episodes in the dark. My tv doesn't have the best picture and I feel I may have missed some very subtle moments. It is beautifully filmed and the acting is top notch! I just wish I had a better tv! This series deserves it.