The hit AMC series shows what it takes to make that British stiff upper lip quiver
History is replete with mysteries, unusual events that have yet to be met with explanation. Such is the case with the voyage of the HMS Terror and her crew, lost to the Arctic in the mid-1800s and only recently rediscovered. In between, and still now, theories abound as to the fate of the crew, offering one of those perfect opportunities for a storyteller to weave truth with fiction and deliver an alluring piece of entertainment.
Synopsis:
A crew of a Royal Naval expedition is sent to find the Arctic’s treacherous Northwest Passage but instead discovers a monstrous predator, a cunning and vicious Gothic horror that stalks the ships in a desperate game of survival, the consequences of which could endanger the region and its native people forever.
The story itself is adapted from Dan Simmons’s acclaimed novel, a fictionalized account of a lost expedition in 1845, where two ships of the line of the British Royal navy, the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, set out to the Arctic to find and map the Northwest passage. The two ships and their crews were never to return from their mission, leaving Simmons to flesh out with his pen what happened. The ships get stuck in the ice, forcing the crew to hunker down and survive the winter until the summer loosens the ships. Until then, they must deal with a confined space, intensifying cold, escalating conflict, dwindling supplies, and a sickness spreading through the ranks. Compounding these problems, an unnatural threat out on the ice forces their hand to attempt to find a way to safety.
Like the book, many of the characters featured in the show are based on real members of the crew. Captain Sir John Franklin (Ciarán Hinds), in charge of the Erebus; Captain Francis Crozier (Jared Harris), commander of the Terror; and fellow officer Commander James Fitzjames (Tobias Menzies), not to mention the lower ranks, fill up the complement. The Terror takes the time to show these people, their relationships to each other, their personal history, and most notably the demons that some thought they left behind when joining the service, only to return when plunged into this nightmare. This is sometimes achieved in flashback, sometimes with something as simple as an exchange at a dinner table. It’s expertly constructed, shining a light on these people as well as issues of the day, particularly class and racial issues, and prejudice against the Irish most notably — pieces of the puzzle that fit together to fuel the animosity, strife, and fear that takes them. The problems come from threats within, as well as from without.
Aside from the crew, there are a few natives to the Arctic land who become involved in their plight, Inuits who live in harmony with the land. It’s telling that the encounter of a family with a small band of the crew results in waste. The key figures are an elder who has removed his tongue and a young woman nicknamed Lady Silence (Nive Nielsen), the only female present physically, who seems far more attuned to what’s happening than any man. This is a climate, a land, and a culture the crew neither truly understand nor respect. In accordance with this they are faced with a creature informed by the locals’ terror (sorry/not sorry), a manifestation of the land as well as their fears, the Tuunbaq. It’s just one more facet to the unfolding shitstorm these men are in, another tightening of the noose.
Showrunners David Kajganich and Soo Hugh, together with executive producer Ridley Scott, have crafted a compelling tale, one paced expertly to embed us within this crew and their gradual submergence in misery. A creeping horror is punctuated by jarring grisly moments. All aspects of the production reek of authenticity and atmosphere: set and costume design, historical facts, and an expert cast who bring a classical gravitas to bear. This gravitas gives way to baser male instincts as things progress and the command structure starts to degrade. In a sense, The Terror delivers a tone that feels like a mashup of Master and Commander and John Carpenter’s The Thing. It’s a 19th century costume drama, albeit with British Royal Navy uniforms, with suspicion and selfishness fueling the nightmare that makes that stiff upper lip tremble. Whether the concept can be retooled for a second season remains to be seen, but if they can get close to the levels achieved here, then bring it on.
The Package
The Terror has a truly authentic aesthetic, with period sets and costumes all given a worthy showcase by this Blu-ray transfer. Many of the exterior sequences embrace the blue hues of the Arctic, often drained of color. These brighter moments don’t show up any flaws in the transfer. Detail is impressive with strands in rope, the splinters in the wood making up the ship, even the cracked visages of the crew adding a tangible quality to the production. Special features are mildly lacking, and limited to a few featurettes on disc 3:
- A Look at the Characters: With the number of characters and the talent bringing them to the screen, a sub-4 minute is really an injustice, especially with how much historical information could have been referenced.
- A Look at the Series: A brief overview that’s more akin to a trailer/recap rather than anything else.
- Ridley Scott on ‘The Terror’: The show’s executive producer talks a little about the story and the production itself.
The Bottom Line
The Terror showcases impressive production values and a stellar lineup of talent, all contributing to a tangible sense of authenticity, one exploited by some fine writing that builds the horrors that gradually engulf these men. While the show impresses, the package here is a little disappointing considering the amount of history drawn from and talent that went into bringing the tale to the screen. Still, The Terror remains essential viewing.
The Terror Season One is available on DVD and Blu-ray from August 21st, 2018.