AMC’s new drama “The Terror” is a series that was constructed for you to pull apart.
Seriously, co-showrunners David Kajganich and Soo Hugh told the TheWrap they want nothing more than for you to “fact check” their historical horror, which has quickly caught the attention of fans and critics alike since it premiered last month.
“This show is absolutely built for that,” Kajganich told TheWrap in a recent interview. “There is a lot more going on in the show at any given moment, in any given scene, than people will realize watching it the first time. You know, things that seem completely innocuous, objects that seem completely innocuous, lines of dialogue that seem completely innocuous in the scene they happen in, become of major importance later.”
Based on Dan Simmons’ 2007 novel of the same name, the Ridley Scott-produced series is set in the Canadian Arctic in the 1800s, and is a fictionalized account of a British expedition that becomes stuck in the ice. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the crew — which includes Jared Harris as Captain Francis Crozier, Ciarán Hinds as Sir John Franklin, and Tobias Menzies as Captain James Fitzjames — was haunted by a horrifying creature.
Because “The Terror” can be placed in both the historical and supernatural categories, Kajganich and Hugh want viewers to go forth and theorize.
“There are people who are starting to pick up on that,” Kajganich said. “And also people who are starting to pick up on the fact that the show has a very strange sense of humor, and that it is OK to laugh at the show at times. So the people who are starting to tune into those elements of the show are really starting to already realize that the show is inviting them to do that. And the show is encouraging and rewarding them for doing that. So, yeah, every time I look online, I’m hoping for one more comment or post or tweet that is picking the show apart — because we want people to. There is so much there to dig into. So we’re just thrilled when people do it.”
“It’s also been nice to see the fans dig into the real life history element, which for Dave and I, just tells you that history is fascinating,” Hugh added. “And so just to see the ripple effect on social media and with various news outlets, people saying, ‘Wait, what really happened? I want to go back and start googling about the expedition. I’m going to read this book, I’m going to read this book’ — that’s great.”
“‘Cause not only do we want fanboys and fangirls to look at all the hidden Easter eggs in our show, but we also want them to dive back and go back to the historical narrative. ‘Cause fact check that — please!” she said, laughing. “We love that kind of stuff.”
“The Terror” is executive produced by Kajganich and Hugh, along with Scott, David W. Zuker (“The Good Wife”), Alexandra Milchan (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), Scott Lambert (“Jane Got a Gun”) and Guymon Casady (“Game of Thrones”).
The series hails from Scott Free, Emjag Productions and Entertainment 360 in association with AMC Studios.
“The Terror” airs Mondays at 9/8c on AMC.