The Terror (2018–2025) User Reviews

Jared HARRIS and THE TERROR of the North Pole

[ZeddaZogenau · 9/10 · 14 April 2024]

Outstanding anthology series from AMC!

While searching for the Northwest Passage, the icebreakers EREBUS and TERROR get stuck in the eternal ice of the North Pole. One winter turns into three. The men of the two crews are confronted with the worst stresses imaginable. And then there is the encounter with the legendary TUUNBAQ...

What a board! North Pole, monsters, paranoia and the untold secrets of Christian seafaring... This little series is at its finest! Jared HARRIS (MAD MEN) in probably his best role as captain of the TERROR! In a supporting role there is a reunion with the 90s beauty Greta SCACCHI. And then Adam NAGAITIS in the role of Cornelius Hickey...great cinema!

This series is a must for all fans of adventure series! She also goes where the makers of IN THE HEART OF THE SEA based on Nathaniel PHILBRICK's book didn't dare to go. So: Not for the faint of heart!!!

Unpopular opinion S2 vs S1

[christophercoles · 7/10 · 7 April 2024]

I can't deny the acting and the filming in season 1 was mastery. There are some particularly good scenes though some absolute naff CGI. Unlike almost everyone else I found season 2 scarier; tbh I didn't find any part of season 1 scary or psychological scary at all - I can not recall a single bit which shocked me, made me jump or left me uneasy though there were plenty of gore scenes - but I don't count those scares. Ex-RN so maybe it was absolutely as I expected and maybe not for others; and enjoyed some of the RN contributions such as using ranks, the sods opera, the stoker, and superb set detail including dress. Even the heads, they missed the skippers bath. Season 2 made me feel uncomfy late at night looking down my stairs in the dark - if the hair on your arm is standing on end you know it's had a psychological effect. Though it also has some naff CGI which was not great. Season 2 doesn't have 1/10th the same camera mastery (angles, atmosphere, etc). Season 2 I felt was a bit better paced than Season 1 - which at times was a bit slow. When I compare both seasons to some Stephen king miniseries, from, haunted hill, Bly manor etc I don't think it ranks below those. Though compared to shows like midnight club, AHS, Them, Channel Zero (all of which I also enjoy) - it certainly ranks better. I give this 7 out of 10. That's not a bad score.

I would recommend this and look forward to season 3.

Hopefully they can blend the better parts from both seasons. Let's keep this show alive though for a few more seasons after 3! 😀

It's BORING. Wasted potential

[grygong · 5/10 · 1 April 2024]

There was a lot of potential here, and I mean a lot. Amazing costumes, good sets, a cast of great actors.

But I got extremely boooored after just 4 episodes. Nothing really happens here; there is little conflict, almost no music. I don't understand why this is labeled as horror, when there is nothing scary about it.

The show refuses to focus on characters enough, their motivations and fears. It's all one-note and flat for the first four episodes at least.

This show drags and drags and I simply don't understand all these 9s and 10s here from other reviewers.

Plus it would help to understand where exactly we are, what this land is and so on.

CGI gets a lot of praise but I think it's subpar, I can always tell it's a set with fake ice and snow, the sound is not good enough and they're not really acting cold.

Boring and just meh, gets 5 stars for costumes.

Fantastic Side of Captain Sir John Franklin's Lost Expedition

[jack_o_hasanov_imdb · 8/10 · 26 March 2024]

The first season of the series is very good. I had no idea it was inspired by an actual event. I did some research about it. It is a very mysterious and intriguing subject. Knowing that the ships and crew were real people made the series even more interesting. Adapted from a novel. Of course, mystical and fantastical elements were included. This is not bad. The series is not easy to watch. I watched the first season of the series. I didn't watch the second season. Yet. However, it has nothing to do with the first season. They collaborated with different producers, scriptwriters, and so on. They made an anthology series. This is a bad idea. They should have created a separate series. Here, the name of the directory is the same as the name of the ship. But I don't know what the second season is about yet. It didn't interest me. The acting in the first season was amazing. They were all amazing. The locations, costumes, and make-up were very good. Some visual effects were weak, but not too bad. Overall, I liked the first season of this series. I wish it had stayed as a one-season series.

THE TERROR: Darkest Dread

[Jinxxa_Wolf · 10/10 · 2 March 2024]

THE TERROR (2018-2025) was an excellent and highly disturbing production, heavy on psychological suspense and horror, and simply oozing with dark dread. This show is epic in quality and production, well written story, excellent cast and music, as well as vivid settings. A very well crafted series, that leaves unforgettable traces in the imagination afterwards.

"Supernatural, semihistorical, horror anthology series, where each season is inspired by a different infamous or mysterious real life historical tragedy."

The first season takes place aboad the naval vessel the HMS Terror and the HMS Erabus on a grueling and semingly endlessly long journey to the Nothern Passage, made by Cp. Francis Crozier and crews. The second season takes place in a Japanese internment camp located on Terminal Island and follows the strange mysterious deaths that take place there.

This series is intense and haunting, dark and disturbing. Excellent stories and powerful script make this show memorable. A great but decidedly unsettling watch. Hope to see more.

S1: Pretty good but slow

[stephenl7797-426-545181 · 6/10 · 6 February 2024]

Season 1 is a pretty good rendition of my favorite book. I thought Jared Harris was a bad casting choice for Crozier. I also wished less time was spent on Hickey and more on Irving, as the book does. Overall it's pretty entertaining and the quality of production is good.

Season 2 also has good production quality, but is very bad. Writing is awful. The spirit has no set rules so random stuff just happens. It takes control of people for zero reason, whereas it seems it could accomplish its goal in one step. Just nonsense all around.

As the norm apparently goes in Hollywood now, every white character is a one dimensional devil. They even have to clarify that the one apparent white person who helps the protoganist has jewish ancestry lol. Not a big deal, just clearly noticeable and weird they actually discussed this in a writing meeting.

Because of season 2, a perfect concept is downgraded to 5 stars

[Queenbee60 · 5/10 · 31 December 2023]

SEASON 1 : I agree with everybody else that the first season was great. I couldn't find any flaws in it.

SEASON 2 : The gist of this season is an interesting one. Certainly not covered before in my opinion. But unfortunately, the producers get caught up in believing that each season has to be 10 episodes. And for that reason, this show suffered greatly.

The story centers around Japanese Americans who are rounded up and put into camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. One family seems to be haunted by an evil entity that wants a baby that is due to arrive in this family.

That seems straightforward, except that this entity which followed the family from Japan to America, seems to target non-Japanese people as well. And it's at this point I got confused as everything became a puzzle as to who was who, what was what, and whose baby belongs to whom, and where's the baby?!?

This series would've been so much more coherent if it was just 4 or 5 episodes. But pushed to stretch it to 10, the writers created obstacles and added characters that weren't needed and only confused the viewer.

I give season 1 : 10 stars, but for season 2 : I'll deduct 5.

A classic

[prince_vlad · 9/10 · 24 December 2023]

I always loved a classic era film. Ciarán Hinds and Jared Harris make quite a pair for this movie. The movie is based by true events happened in that time, in the british empire. It was an era of discovery and exploration also. The artistic touch is also impressive in this movie.

I know Ciaran Hinds from "Rome", an original TV show back in the days about Roman empire, Caesar days but seen through the eyes of a centurion and a legionaire. Ciaran, there, plays as Caesar, but rather as a backseat of the show compared with the main plot. Jared Harris recently impersonated the Hary Seldon, Isaac Asimov's main character from the Foundation saga. Both are heavy weight champions on the stage, no matter what film are they distributed in.

The doomed Franklin Expedition

[amyebarrett · 9/10 · 14 December 2023]

The first season is one of the best adaptations from book to tv/film I've ever seen. The cast is superb, especially Jared Harris as Captain Crozier. I've rarely seen a show convey a specific atmosphere so well, you can almost feel the frigid air flowing off your tv screen. Your living room begins to cant with the ships as the ice push them higher and higher. The only failure is with the CGI of the Tunnbaq, though it's still better than most.

The last 2 episodes are absolutely horrific, as the true monster is revealed. What's worse is knowing this is so close to what must've happened in reality. While everything that happens after they leave Beechey Island is speculation, scurvy and lead poisoning are almost certainly what hastened their end.

Some liberties are taken, mostly around the Carnivale and Lady Silence. In the book she's never able to speak, having lost her tongue before encountering the crew out on the ice.

It's amazing that this was produced only a couple of years after Erebus and Terror were finally found. I didn't know much about Sir John and his expedition before seeing this show. After reading the book, I've read many of the books about the actual expedition, which is true horror.

May they all rest in peace.

Season 1 Only

[tomjensen-63423 · 10/10 · 3 December 2023]

Have not yet viewed season 2. I understand this is an anthology series, so season 2 is unrelated to season 1.

Season 1 is now in my top five. Along with Mad Men, Hell on Wheels, Band of Brothers and The Pacific, Terror - Season 1 is as good as it gets. I love period pieces and this one does not disappoint. The acting, the sets, the suspense, the background stories, and the linkage (with large poetic license) to historical fact are top-notch.

I will say that it also offers a mixed view of British Imperialism, showing some of its complexities. Did the Brits brutalize primitive peoples and go where they weren't welcome? Yes. But did the Brits bring civilization to the world, the benefits of which are still being reaped? Yes. I like the fact that the characters showed British exploration in a more complex light, heavily dependent upon the personalities executing it.

Jared Harris really is at his best. And honestly, I REALLY liked the ending.

All in all, this one is at the top of my list of recommended viewing.

You'll fall for the crew and Silna of course

[AquaTofana · 10/10 · 24 November 2023]

"The Terror" (2019) first season delivers a captivating narrative centered around the ill-fated Franklin expedition, weaving a gripping tale of survival and horror in the Arctic. The show's strength lies not only in the historical intrigue but also in its ability to breathe life into a rich cast of characters. It truly invites viewers to form a deep connection with the crew, enhancing the overall viewing experience. I read the book afterward and I have to say that this was a rare case of the show being better than the novel.

The show's fanbase on platforms like Tumblr is a testament to its ability to resonate with audiences, making it a compelling choice for those seeking a blend of history and suspense in their comfort shows.

Don't read the book first

[nghgpmdqhf · 5/10 · 25 October 2023]

After reading the book, I've just finished half the series and it is honestly one of the worst adaptations I've seen. Characters essentials are changed, the events are changed in ways that don't make sense except budgetary reasons with VFX.

I'm so dissapointed, all the scenes I thought would be amazing on film aren't even present. If you watch it without knowledge of the book, you'll enjoy it. But if you read the book first, it's just a big let down sadly. I'm normally quite easy going on adaptations, but this just greatly missed the mark. Modifying some plots is okay, especially when you are condensing several years. But it's inexcusable to alter a character as much as they did Crozier. Hickey also has been slightly lost in translation. His ending in the book far more satisfying than what happens here.

First season is a masterful achievement of isolation, cold, and horror

[Amthermandes · 9/10 · 30 September 2023]

Very few movies or tv series come even close to the caliber of John Carpenter's "The Thing." Granted, the fear and special effects of the first season of "The Terror" aren't even comparable to such a work of horror of such a masterpiece. But when you compare atmosphere, it's close. And when you compare storytelling, it's even closer. All around, season 1 is an unpredictable and engrossing story of man pitted against both the elements and the underestimated supernatural.

Haven't seen season two yet, but I have seen season one twice, and it's well worth a second watch. Such a wild rendition of a historical event with a freaky twist, it's fun and exhilarating. You can tell the actors gave it all they got. Even the extras. Seriously, with the set of season one, it feels like a classic Star Trek episode gone wrong for the characters.

Do yourself a favor and give it a chance. At least.

Awful version of a mediocre book

[davidtxum · 1/10 · 25 September 2023]

Why do they version a book and change everything.... to worse.

The monster is horribly done... it is even funny.

It seems the characters are in the Caribbean sea not in the Arctic.

The silence girl, speaks! It was a teenager in the book and here is a grown woman.

Most of the situations are signed to a different character then in the book.

Every geographical info is gone.

The only common pint that book and series share is that is too long and boring.

The only amusement seeing this was the best that looked like a clown with hangover.

Absolutely ridiculous.

And now I need to write some other characters.

Season 1 falters, Season 2 follows suit.

[Stephan_fr · 4/10 · 11 September 2023]

Firstly, this is not an 'anthology' in the proper sense of the word. It's 2 stories in 2 seasons, with the first being a book adaption.

I think the numbers tell the whole story : 3.6 million tuned in to watch the pilot, but by the time the credit rolled on the second season finale, viewership was a catastrophic sub half-mil. Meaning, the series was an abject failure financially, and was never renewed (bar a pathetic effort to enlist George Takei in a real-life study of 'mysteries', which is best ignored)

Season 1: great acting all around, fantastic set dressing. Some last minute real-life discoveries led the team to adjust the story line accordingly, however. This is felt very strongly around episode 6, and the series goes downhill from there: a harbinger of things to come in S2, if you will.

The first season has a great overall narrative (the book is excellent), but while human interactions get a proper treatment, the 'horror/supernatural' aspect is a let down. The more we see of it, the less we want to know or discover more, as it loses its 'mystery' and by extension, its power over the viewer.

7/10.

Season 2: Something must have happened mid-series, as the show starts strong without too many tropes. The opening credit are beautifully executed on , and that cinematography peaks mid -season with a surreal visit to the spirit world.

Sadly, and rather baffling, after that scene the whole shows goes downhill at breakneck pace. Plot holes abound, characters (both natural and supernatural) change personalities and modus operandi, there's zero consistency and by the time the series end, the show is laughably bad. You can set rules, break them, and break them a second and third and fourth time and not expect to lose your audience.

I feel it's very likely George Takei ruined the show (and can't act for that matter). There's also a great deal of non-historical events depicted , including a rather absurd scene where cackling middle class Americans rejoice hysterically in the street, complete with fireworks, at the death of countless of innocent Japanese children in Hiroshima. I checked and no such celebration took place. But George Takei will be George Takei.

1/10 - avoid.

Stupid, absurd, full of mistakes (Season 1)

[eugeniemuminova · 1/10 · 4 August 2023]

I can't imagine how anyone who has read the book can enjoy the series. The book is clever, sophisticated, scary, engaging and full of interesting technicalities that Dan Simmons had researched and used. The movie is laughably stupid and flat.

How could they not use the scene of seduction in the pond? Bright multicolored rooms at the carnival and the disrespectful costumes of the dead commander and the great bear? Hickey dancing among the rocks, naked, like a leprechaun? I understand the movie could not include everything the book had in it, but those would have been beautiful scenes.

Speaking about the content, I believe some core ideas have been lost. Crozier was supposed to have a "Second Vision", for instance, and that made him eligible to become a shaman. Also, his drinking wasn't impairing his competence as a captain, the author emphasized it.

The creature was supposed to stalk them in a stubborn manner, getting on their nerves, and not just appear now and then out of nowhere. It is also too clearly visible, very boringly so, lacking the vagueness of the original that frightens so much. It looks artificial, and is no scary at all, sorry. The book is way scarier.

There's not enough emphasis on the poor planning for the expedition. It would be lovely to hear more about the engines, coal, heating, and other technicalities on the ships. And why on earth did they need to swap the ships making The Terror more severely impacted by the ice? Why not tell us about the ice a bit? It is interesting.

People keep running around half dressed, with their heads naked and coats unbuttoned. Sorry, it is laughable. I understand that they can't be properly dressed for the film as they would all look the same, but it is just stupid to have them walk around like they are strolling a street in London in October. It is -40 or -60F, their heads would freeze off!

A large dog is on the ship, really? When people are starving? Who can be that stupid to keep and feed it?

It would take too long to list all absurdities of the film so I will stop here. All in all, the movie is ridiculous and a huge disappointment.

Season 1: Solid story, brilliant acting

[afcn · 8/10 · 14 July 2023]

First of all, I liked the format: One Season for one Story- Period. So, there is no danger to overstretch things by adding season after season, until eventually the plug is pulled.

Episodes 1-2 deliver a brilliant job in building-up the setting in a decent pace, while 3-6 deal with the situation on the ice-locked ships and 7-10 the journey (or rather odyssey) on land. The last act has the slowest pace, but as the viewer is by now very familiar and engaged with the characters, things keep very interesting, while the very last episode felt a bit rushed (and some material likely ended up on the cutting floor, leaving things up to the viewer for interpretation). Mainly filmed on sound stages (not always in cold temperatures, but most of the times) with CGI, but all very well made, especially considering it's a series. The environment sound mixing contributes very well to the atmosphere, although sometimes too dominant (e.g. The lamps burning, or the walking on the stones).

While I didn't read the novel, I was remotely aware of the lost expedition. This story alone would have had enough material to fill 10 episodes, so I consider the addition of the Tuunbaq unnecessary, especially as it becomes the deus ex machina on more than one occasion. The left behind skeleton crew's fate could have made a good sideline.

Anyway, I enjoyed Season 1 a lot, one of the best series in recent years with brilliant acting!

Boring Boat. Interesting Internment.

[southdavid · 6/10 · 16 June 2023]

It's been several years now since the second season and I'm confident enough that the show isn't coming back now to put a review here. I reviewed each season, and you can find those reviews against the final episode of each run.

In Season One. A two-ship expedition led by Captain John Franklin (Ciaran Hinds) tries to find a fabled northwest passage to aid quicker transportation around the Northern Coast of Canada/North America. The ships become trapped in the ice and are forced to spend more than one winter in the tundra. As isolation, frostbite and eventually starvation take their toll on the crew, they are also picked off by a polar bear so unfeasibly large, as to be the stuff of nightmares.

Despite the enviable quality of the cast, despite the (mostly) excellent CGI and practical effects work, "The Terror" was just too slow for my taste. It may indeed have been my loss, but I feel it's telling that I missed four episodes, came back for the finale and didn't feel like I'd missed anything that made me struggle to understand what had happened. It was only a sense of interest in what the conclusion would be, that kept me from giving up entirely. This is again, accepting the fact that some of these actors I think are extraordinarily good, Ciaran Hinds, Jared Harris, Tobias Menzies and Paul Ready.

In Season Two. Already facing prejudice treatment, the Japanese-American residents of Los Angeles are rounded up and sent to an internment camp when the Pearl Harbour attack draws the US into World War 2. The Nakayama family are one such family sent to the camp, their party including Luz (Cristina Rodlo) the pregnant girlfriend of the son Chester (Derek Mio). There is, however, a vengeful spirit within the camp, one with a tie to the Nakayama's but who will kill indiscriminately to meet their ends.

The meshing of genuine stories of man's inhumanity, with a supernatural element is not an uncommon one at the moment, last year's Amazon series "Them" for example, did something similar. As I said above, it didn't really work for me with the first season of "The Terror" and the slow pace led to me skipping some. I didn't do that here, but overall I'd describe the series as good, but inessential.

Despite me watching them all, I would say that the show could have cut the number of episodes without significant damage to the story. It hit similar story beats a little too often. The strong visual effects and the performances though mean I feel much more positively about this season, and am a little disappointed that there won't be a third.

Season 1 A dark tale of desperation in the frozen north.

[fleetfoot-77225 · 10/10 · 1 May 2023]

For many years I have read accounts of the men that sailed up the coast of Greenland on the tall ships, hunting whales, and exploring through the ice packs in the frozen north, often with fatal consequences for the ships and their weathered crew. This excellent adaptation of Dan Simmons novel of the same title, brings the desperation of the Arctic to life.

A superb cast of character actors, smart period dialogue, haunting visuals interspersed with arresting scenes which portray both the hardiness of the crew and their descent into madness. There were so many moments where I thought that's exactly how it would have been for the doomed Franklin expedition, only to be stunned by a jaw dropping line, a spectacular visual or sudden plot twist.

Some may find the supernatural elements of the story distracting, but I loved the tension that it added.

If you love period drama, quality characters and story and don't mind some casual brutality and gore, then this is a must see.

Great series about our nation's history & it's mistakes...

[tomtalker2000 · 10/10 · 10 April 2023]

As everyone else has written on here season 1 was VERY well done. Great acting, and a completely horrific tragedy that happened too the sailors. However, i can't stand the bashing for season 2. First off, i think it's because many folks couldn't understand what was being said. Go too a website that has subtitles when you watch this and it will transcribe the Japanese into English for you. Since they didn't provide subtitles for this second season something they should have done. However, the story itself and acting was VERY well done. It's basically how this nation treated Japanese American's after the Pearl Harbor attacks. And the suffering and overall hell they went through living in this nation. It's a history lesson just like the first season with a horror twist. The only difference is the second season was something our nation SHOULD NOT be proud of. And i think that's where some folks struggle too understand this tragic story. Many of us have little room for any sympathy or empathy when we are at war. And a race of different people are living in our nation. Need i remind us that while what the Japanese did was horrific. What we did in retaliation too there country was FAR, FAR, worse. And they suffered for years from radiation poisoning as did their children. The bottom line is we went WAY too far committing such atrocities on another country. And it's the reason why Japan today doesn't believe nor have nuclear weapons. And honestly, can you blame them...? So unlike others on here reviewing season 2 i give it 10 stars. Well acted and depicted during a horrible time in this nation.

Horror element weakens what could have been a great historical drama

[grantss · 6/10 · 13 March 2023]

A horror series set against historical events. In Season 1 we follow Sir John Franklin's 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage. Season 2 examines the plight and treatment of Japanese-Americans living in the USA during World War 2.

A series that initially had me hooked because of its historical background, making it feel like a docu-drama. The telling of the 1845 Northwest Passage expedition was initially very interesting and made me think it was non-fiction. The cast is great - Jared Harris, Ciaran Hinds, Tobias Menzies, and the special effects and general production are excellent. Very realistic.

However, over time the supernatural elements start to come into play, diluting the plot and diminishing the realism. It's also drawn out unnecessarily - the story could have been told in seven episodes - ten episodes is overkill.

In the end it's still quite interesting but would have been much better if told as a simple imagining of what happened on the Northwest Passage expedition (as little is known of the exact events) rather than including all the supernatural stuff.

Season 2 follows in the same vein. The setting was once again very interesting: Japanese-Americans living in the USA when America enters WW2, fighting Japan. Despite many of them being born in the USA they are regarded as the enemy and interned.

Once again the series then detours in supernatural territory, pretty much from the outset this time - in S1 it took a few episodes to surface. It's laid even more thickly this time - at least with S1 the majority of the episode was still about the expedition, here the supernatural aspect dominates. Once again the supernatural side weakens what could have been a great historical drama.

Season ratings: S1 7.5/10, S2 5/10.

season 1

[michalakvet · 10/10 · 4 March 2023]

I have only seen the first season and it has changed me as a person. The narrative is incredibly dense, there is not a line is wasted. The acting is incredible. If I had to name one show that has changed me as a person it would be this one - I started watching film/TV shows more criticaly, i became interested in Arctic/Antarctic exploration. The fandom is genuinely the most inspiring one I have ever seen - Terror Camp is becoming a tradition now and I wholeheartedly recommend looking it up. The show is a labour of love, and it shows not only in the show but also in its reception. It's not a show you can watch once - you will watch it again and again and find something new to love every time. It truly is life-changeing.

The first season is some of the most thrilling, horrifying, breathtaking spectacle I've seen on TV

[leon211-530-111150 · 9/10 · 13 February 2023]

The writing, the acting, the overwhelming sense of dread, despair, hopelessness. The constant feel of danger and threat even though nothing is happening and the few crumbs the show drops every so often, leading you to your own resolutions and realizations. The show is still flawed. The later episodes struggle to hold up to the high standards the other episodes have set up and - depending on your expectations - the ending might leave you disappointed. But I can without a doubt say that the journey is worth it regardless. I have watched this shows 3 years ago and still think about it to this day. Which is great. But I'd also like to forget about it for some time to rewatch it again with at least some of the sense of wonder it left me with during the first watch.

Season 1 is amazing

[konrad-40-205915 · 10/10 · 10 February 2023]

Season 1 is one of my favorite TV shows ever. The atmosphere of the time is so well done, and I was completely immersed in the story. It's basically a three chapter show, each of which could have played out entirely along it's own lines and been a great show. But each of them taken into a great direction. Loved it.

Season 2 ... I was very confused by this. It's nothing at all like season 1. It really should have been created under another name. I didn't like it and stopped watching after a few episodes. Really wasn't for me, and it was quite disappointing since i expected more after seeing season 1.

Season 1 is fantastic

[annebeth-39807 · 9/10 · 7 February 2023]

Well this was a surprise. While browsing on Amazon Prime I found this little gem. Not expecting anything but boy was it something. Well made, well acted, well written and satisfying. It is entertaining to watch but it also makes you think about what it means to be human and alive. It makes you realize we are only little specs of dust blown away by the wind. The only thing we have is our souls and moral fibre, the choices that you make. It's about friendship and hardship and about hubris. Very fitting in these times really. Lovely actors all around, all parts even smaller parts are significant. I thoroughly recommend.