Episode #1.8
- Episode aired Feb 20, 2022
- 48m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
608
YOUR RATING
A reunion, deadly dockside danger and red tape mean Phileas Fogg faces failure.A reunion, deadly dockside danger and red tape mean Phileas Fogg faces failure.A reunion, deadly dockside danger and red tape mean Phileas Fogg faces failure.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe actor portraying the Gang Leader is David Tennant's son, Ty Tennant.
- GoofsWhile accurate to the original Jules Verne novel, it seems highly unlikely that Phileas Fogg and his travel companions completed the entire second half of their journey without ever once learning the date. In particular, with Abigail being a journalist, it's hard to believe that she of all people would never once have looked at a newspaper in that time, nor that none of them would ever have so much as overheard anyone mention what day it was.
- Quotes
Phileas Fogg: You've had a good life.
Estella: Well, I've had a life. Some of it was astonishing, some of it was sad. Day and night, sun and rain, it all makes up a life.
Featured review
Season One Review
Whilst not as wild a departure from the source material as Howard Overman's "War of the Worlds", this version of Jules Verne's classic novel will, no doubt, upset some reviewers with its extensive reimagining of the plot and characters. In my review of the BBC's "Dracula" adaptation a few years ago, I argued that slavishly recreating the story exactly isn't always the way to go - but that adaptations can go well, or badly entirely on their own merit. All this is precursor to say that I thought this was rushed, but OK - but if you're looking for the "they've ruined it by putting a woman in it" argument, maybe click "no" and move on.
Wasting away in a London club, Phileas Fogg (David Tennant) is inspired by an article to attempt to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days. He's accompanied by Abigail Fortescue (Leonie Benesch) who wrote the article and by Passepartout (Ibrahim Koma), a French Valet who is has his own reasons for wanting to get out of London in a hurry. As the trio attempt the journey, they face hazards to both their success and their lives. Particularly as Fogg has placed a wager with his old friend, Bellamy (Peter Sullivan) whom is in dire financial straits and who needs desperately for Fogg to fail.
I like the central three characters. They play off each other well and, as the relative relationships change over the story, they became my main reason for watching. I actually read the book to my young son not that long ago, and were forced to skip the odd section that takes place in an opium den, or descriptions of native Americans crushed under steam locomotives - so I can understand why they didn't do a straight adaptation. What they've replaced it with are a series of dramatic problems, perhaps even melodramatic would be a better term, as our heroes cross damaged Italian bridges, are lost at sea, fight the KKK and steal a priceless antique in Hong Kong. It's all fine, if perhaps a little uninspired.
It does feel rushed though. Eight episodes is perhaps not enough time to tell this sort of story (Willy Fogg took 26!) and whole countries are dashed over or ignored altogether. I'd have liked a little more travel struggles, rather than just the main epic problems too.
The finale does the surprising thing of hinting that the second season may adapt "20,000 Leagues under the sea" which would be an interesting story to push these characters into. Though I don't think this was particularly memorable I like those characters enough to be back for that one.
Wasting away in a London club, Phileas Fogg (David Tennant) is inspired by an article to attempt to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days. He's accompanied by Abigail Fortescue (Leonie Benesch) who wrote the article and by Passepartout (Ibrahim Koma), a French Valet who is has his own reasons for wanting to get out of London in a hurry. As the trio attempt the journey, they face hazards to both their success and their lives. Particularly as Fogg has placed a wager with his old friend, Bellamy (Peter Sullivan) whom is in dire financial straits and who needs desperately for Fogg to fail.
I like the central three characters. They play off each other well and, as the relative relationships change over the story, they became my main reason for watching. I actually read the book to my young son not that long ago, and were forced to skip the odd section that takes place in an opium den, or descriptions of native Americans crushed under steam locomotives - so I can understand why they didn't do a straight adaptation. What they've replaced it with are a series of dramatic problems, perhaps even melodramatic would be a better term, as our heroes cross damaged Italian bridges, are lost at sea, fight the KKK and steal a priceless antique in Hong Kong. It's all fine, if perhaps a little uninspired.
It does feel rushed though. Eight episodes is perhaps not enough time to tell this sort of story (Willy Fogg took 26!) and whole countries are dashed over or ignored altogether. I'd have liked a little more travel struggles, rather than just the main epic problems too.
The finale does the surprising thing of hinting that the second season may adapt "20,000 Leagues under the sea" which would be an interesting story to push these characters into. Though I don't think this was particularly memorable I like those characters enough to be back for that one.
helpful•31
- southdavid
- Mar 3, 2022
Details
- Runtime48 minutes
- Color
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