Based on the true events of the HMS Terror and HMS Erebus, The Terror is a work of fiction that takes the true events and adds a spiritual twist to the narrative, describing a more unlikely, yet frightening truth behind the deaths of two crews.
Attempting to establish a shorter passage through the Arctic to China for the purpose of more efficient trade, the two ships find themselves stuck in the thick ice, blocking any attempts at moving further. Eventually, the choice to abandon the ships and search for an escape is made.
There's a lot more to the narrative, but the show is only ten episodes long, each at an hour in length. Despite being very dialogue-heavy, the show moves quickly with some great pacing,and constantly having you question just what is going on.
The show focuses mostly on character development as a result of its harsh living conditions, rather than the supposed main threat -- a spiritual-like threat -- and it captures that anxiety rather well. Crew-mates begin to turn on each other as a result of different opinions and agendas, further resulting in their constant state of danger, and the constant feeling of paranoia.
As is expected with a dialogue-heavy show, character development is strong, and essential. It allows for the characters to feel more authentic, and their horrific demises holding more emotional weight, which can be seen across the board of characters presented to us.
Overall, the show is excellent, and will have you longing for more of its genre. It's strange, holds a sense of helplessness, and is simplistic in its narrative.
