Ep 1. Go for Broke

The Terror season 1 episode 1 named "Go for Broke" takes place in the year 1845. The episode starts with Sir John Franklin leading two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, on an expedition to find the Northwest Passage. The crew is made up of experienced sailors and a mix of officers and lower-ranked crew members, totaling 129 people. However, as they navigate through the harsh Arctic conditions, the crew begins to face a series of obstacles that will test their patience and their survival skills.

The episode introduces the viewers to some of the main characters, such as the tight-lipped captain of HMS Erebus, Francis Crozier, and the first officer of HMS Terror, James Fitzjames. Other important characters include Dr. Harry Goodsir, the ship's surgeon, and Cornelius Hickey, a troublemaker among the crew who is soon promoted to petty officer.

The crew faces their first hurdle when HMS Erebus gets stuck in the ice and begins to drift off its planned course. Despite the best efforts of the officers to free the ship, it remains trapped. The situation soon worsens when a crew member dies and is buried on the ice, marking the crew's first death of the expedition. This death sets an ominous tone for the rest of the episode, and the viewer is left with the unsettling feeling that more deaths will follow.

As the crew attempts to free HMS Erebus, they run into another issue when the ice begins to break around HMS Terror. The crew must quickly evacuate the ship and set up camp on the ice until they can move both ships to a safer location. This setback is compounded by the fact that the ships are running low on provisions and morale is rapidly declining. The crew is not only facing physical exhaustion but also a lack of leadership, as Sir John Franklin is seen as out of touch and unable to make tough decisions to save the crew.

Despite all these challenges, the crew carries on with their mission to find the Northwest Passage. They eventually come across a native Inuit tribe, which they presume to be friendly. However, the encounter ends in a tense confrontation when the Inuits refuse to give the crew food or shelter. The incident highlights the culture clash between the European crew and the native inhabitants, and the viewer is left questioning the consequences of this divide.

In addition to the physical challenges of the expedition, the crew also faces a mysterious and unknown entity that seems to be stalking them. This entity is only hinted at in the first episode, but it adds a sense of unease to an already tense situation. The viewer is left wondering what this entity could be and what kind of danger it poses to the crew.

Overall, The Terror season 1 episode 1 sets the stage for a gripping and suspenseful drama. The harsh Arctic conditions, dwindling supplies, and unknown entity provide a tense backdrop for the crew's struggle to survive, and the viewer is left anticipating the crew's next move. The complex characters and rich historical setting make "Go for Broke" a promising start to the series.