The Terror is an American supernatural horror drama anthology television series that aired on AMC. The show was initially released on March 25, 2018. Following the success of its first season, it was renewed for a second season titled The Terror: Infamy, which premiered on August 12, 2019.
The first season of The Terror was developed by David Kajganich, while the second season was created by Max Borenstein and Alexander Woo. The show is based on a novel of the same name written by Dan Simmons and was published in 2007. Each season features a different cast and is set in a distinct period.
While The Terror incorporates a fictional plot, it is inspired by true stories. The first season, set in the late 1840s, draws from the real-life events of the Royal Navy's polar exploration ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
The second season also draws on historical events, though it includes fictional elements, it is inspired by the true story of Japanese American internment camps post the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941.
The true story behind The Terror Season 1
The first season of The Terror draws inspiration from the Royal Navy ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. In 1845, these ships embarked on an expedition to find a navigable route through the Northeastern Passage in the Canadian Arctic.
The ships carried around 129 officers and were led by Captain Sir John Franklin. They attempted to traverse the Northwest Passage but soon disappeared along with the entire crew.
As reported by Dexerto, the ships were later found in Victoria Strait near King William Island, where they had been trapped for over a year. Reports indicate that approximately two dozen crew members, including Captain Franklin, likely died from starvation or hypothermia.
The remaining men attempted to reach the mainland but also disappeared and were never found. While the exact fate of the remaining men is unknown, it is presumed they could not survive the harsh and unforgiving environment.
Season 1 of The Terror is a ten-episode series based on this incident. It stars Jared Harris, Tobias Menzies, Paul Ready, Adam Nagaitis, Ian Hart, Nive Nielsen, and Ciara Hogan.
The synopsis of Season 1 as written on Amazon Prime reads as:
"Haunting, suspenseful and based on true events, The Terror centers on a perilous Arctic voyage by the British Royal Navy. It’s an extreme tale of survival in wholly unforgiving landscape - with the crew's fears exacerbated by an unknown threat,"
The Terror: Infamy explores the impact of Pearl Harbor on Japanese Americans
The second season of The Terror delves deeper into Japanese folklore following the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. On December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, leading to a war between Japan and the United States.
However, Japanese Americans living in the U.S. quickly became victims of this conflict. Residents of Terminal Island were forcibly evacuated from their homes and sent to live in internment camps during the war, as reported by the NationalWW2Museum.org.
The second season is based on the Japanese American community. Although it primarily tells a fictional story, the narrative is inspired by the historical event.
The Terror Season 2 aired in 2019 and consists of ten episodes. It stars Derek Mio, Kiki Sukezane, Cristina Rodlo, Shingo Usami, Naoko Mori, Miki Ishikawa, and George Takei.
The synopsis of The Terror: Infamy as written on Amazon Prime Video reads:
"Set during World War II, "The Terror: Infamy" centers on a series of bizarre deaths that haunt a Japanese-American community, and a young man's journey to understand and combat the malevolent entity responsible."
The Terror has been renewed for a third season, set to premiere in 2025. The upcoming season is based on the novel The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle.
You can watch both seasons of The Terror on Amazon Prime Video. The two seasons consist of twenty episodes, each running approximately 40-50 minutes.
