The Terror Review: The Final Four Episodes

The final four episodes form a definite arc of the story, and a single director oversees the crew’s march into history– and death.

Titles: “Horrible from Supper,” “Terror Camp Clear,” “The C, the C, the Open C,” “We Are Gone”

Directed by Tim Mielants
Written by Andres Fischer-Centeno, David Kajganich, Soo Hugh, David Kajganich
From the novel by Dan Simmons

Cast
Jared Harris as Francis Crozier
Tobias Menzies as James Fitzjames
Paul Ready as Henry Goodsir
Adam Nagaitis as Cornelius Hickey
Ian Hart as Thomas Blanky
Alistair Petrie as Dr. Stanley
Tom Weston-Jones as Lt. Graham Gore
Sebastian Armesto as Charles Des Voeux
Edward Ashley as William Gibson
Ronan Raftery as Lt. John Irving
Charles Edwards as Dr. McDonald
John Lynch as John Bridgens
Richard Riddell as Sgt. David Bryant
Christos Lawton as Lt. George Hodgson
Jack Colgrave Hirst as Thomas Hartnell
Nive Nielsen as Lady Silence
Kevin Guthrie as Henry Peglar
Mike Kelly as John Gregory
Anthony Flanagan as John Morfin
Owen Good as Charles Best

Premise

The surviving crew set out from their ships and across the Arctic. We know they won’t be returning home. We just don’t know what form their deaths will take, or how each will face it when it comes.

High Points

I cannot think of a single High Point. The show brews a near-perfect storm of beautiful arctic visuals, credible characters, and strong acting. All of these carry a story which remains suspenseful despite our foreknowledge that no one will get out alive.

More or less. I anticipated someone surviving but never returning. I did not guess the identity of that survivor correctly.

Of course, ultimately, no one get out alive.

Low Point

I have no real Low Point, either, do I’m going to raise a point to ponder. We have always turned to history for drama. I suspect we always will. Do the grotesque turns and disturbing portrayals of this story, however, present a problem? Does the author owe anything to these people or their descendants?

The Scores

Originality: 4/6 In the end, the Tuunbaq’s multiple metaphoric significances justify including it in the first place.

Effects: 5/6 The visual style and environmental effects continued to impress me to the end. After so many perfect scores, I have to note that the Tuunbaq, while impressive, is not perfect.

Acting: 6/6 The story may have moved slowly, but it features some of the best performances I’ve seen in recent television. We encounter heroes and villains, but none who lack complexity, nuance, or contradictions.

Emotional Response: 5/6

Story: 5/6 These episodes feature a few contrived developments, but the story kept me engaged until the cold, bitter end.

Production: 6/6

Overall: 6/6

In total, the final episodes of The Terror receive 37/42