This episode begins with a snap shot of London showing Lady Jane (Sr.Johns wife) and Sophia (his niece) trying to convince the folks in charge of the navy to send out a rescue expedition for the Terror and Erebus. Lady Jane gives a marvellous speech but the admirals are not moved. The ships have enough provisions for 3 years(except they don't because of shoddy canning work). The two ladies then decide they'll fund their own expedition. I really enjoy seeing these two.
Their hope at finding the sailors alive is then beautifully, and viciously contrasted by the state of the Ships, and Captain Francis. He is in a bad way, the loss of Sir John cut him deep and his drinking has gotten worse. His ship is sinking, and then to escalate things future the beast attacks.
A marine is dropped with a nasty gash, he survives and we see Francis's care for the men in his charge with how quickly he reacts, how adamant he is that the stricken man gets help.
Between moments of fear and panic there's snatches of discussion. The Inuit woman has camped near by, some claim they've seen her talk to the beast. That the way the creature attacks is not how an animal would attack. It uses distractions and faints well above animal intelligence.
Hicks, and a few other men decide to take the initiative and go out and capture the Inuit women. When she's dragged back to the ship the men riot, and she's a few moments away from being lynched when Captain Francis shows up and orders everyone to kneel. He berates them for their conduct. Shes ordered to be kept safe on the Erebus and is put in the care of Dr.Goodsir(who continues to live up to his name) while several of the men responsible are taken into private.
And this is where the episode gets very hard to watch. Captain Francis orders the men lashed, and when Hicks objects, his punishment is increased from 16 to 30, and then escalated to being given "as a boy". Which given that I know little of marine stuff I had zero idea what this meant other than that it couldn't be good.
It turns out that being punished as a boy means the lashes are across the ass instead of the back, and to add humiliation to agony it's done with the victims pants down while he's tied to a table. The show doesn't shy away from it. We see Hick's pain, the lacerated disaster of his flesh, the men's discomfort, the fact Francis has to keep order the man whose doing the lashing to keep going. The men don't approve, you can all but hear them thinking of mutiny.
Then Francis gives an announcement with the hobbling Hicks in the background, due to The Terror being in a precarious position any volunteers who want to can switch ships. All but ten of the 65 or so men leave.
On board the Erebus Goodsir gives Hicks and the other victims of the flogging compassion, and trying to build a connection with the intuit women whose been given the name Lady Silence by the crew. She's not impressed by the food(which given that it's stale salted meat, hard tack and canned 'food' I don't blame her.).
It's clear by the end of the episode that Sir.Francis' command is tenuous, his mental health is compromised as his drinking becomes heavier. Even if I didn't know everyone was doomed due to the real history I'd guess that everyone was doomed.
Something the show does outstandingly though, is highlight how beautiful the desolate land can be. The final sunset of "summer", the stunning beauty of the northern lights, it makes me to some degree, understand why people would want to stay there. (Even though I loath the cold) Seriously look at these screen shots, are they not lovely?
Photos borrowed from https://seat42f.com/the-terror-season-1-episode-4-photos-punished-as-a-boy/
Rating: 83/100
Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.
