From the Writers’ Room

Behind the scenes tweets from @TheTerrorAMC, including many from writers’ assistant Alex Eldridge.

On an 1837 voyage, the arctic ice squeezed #TheTerror so tight, the stern itself shattered. A violently crushed ship was on Crozier’s mind when offering the men to berth on Erebus.

On set of #TheTerror in Budapest, an artificial aurora rages above the pressure ridge where a trap is laid for one of the ship’s boys. Get more from the Writers’ Room during a new episode tomorrow at 9/8c.

Men were required to keep every element of the ships impeccably clean, including themselves, to ward off ailments like typhus, known as “ship’s fever.” #TheTerror

In the months between the final sunset and first sunrise of winter, temperatures plunged to their absolute lowest and the men aboard #TheTerror were consumed by 24 hours of darkness.

#TheTerror was one of the ships firing the ‘bombs bursting in air’ referenced in America’s Star Spangled Banner. During polar service, it was outfitted with two six-pound cannons.

Recreated by #TheTerror Art Department: Fraser’s Patent Stove, which featured a hot plate, two boilers, an oven, a water desalinator, and a brazier.

#TheTerror Art Department constructed a portion of the ship’s mast on an exterior location in the countryside of Budapest, Hungary.

The song Lady Silence sings in tonight’s episode of #TheTerror is an original composition by @nivenielsen.

Each officer’s cabin, even Crozier’s, was only 5.5 feet wide and just under 6 feet long. Roughly half the size of a London prison cell of that time. #TheTerror

The Moonlight Swim tent repurposed one of the 21 iron water tanks on #TheTerror, which contained 38 tons of fresh water in total.

https://www.tumblr.com/cold-boys-fandom-hub/707886711384031232/before-the-crew-abandons-the-ships-take-a-look-at

Take a look at the early conception of a Carnivale layout in the writers’ room vs. miniature design built by #TheTerror Art Department.

A laborer was often paid 3x more on #TheTerror than he could make ashore, including advance pay. This made enlisting well worth it for many families.

Borrowing directly from Dan Simmons’ novel, the working title in the writers’ room for tonight’s episode was “Solitary, Poor, Nasty, Brutish and Short.” #TheTerror

“Some of what these men have packed is impractical at best, Francis.” – Fitzjames. In 1859, a dozen years after the crews abandoned #TheTerror, rescue parties were perplexed to discover items like fine china and navigational dip circles cached and abandoned on shore.

One tantalizing possibility of the discovery of Erebus and #TheTerror is the chance that one of the captains left the ship’s log somewhere onboard.

In his 25 April 1848 Cairn note, Crozier listed the number of men who travelled ashore as 105, down from the 129 who entered the Arctic region. #TheTerror

Peruvian Wine of Coca was a stimulant, typically used to treat rapidly weakening motor muscles. One might experience some overwhelming side effects from consuming an excess dose. #TheTerror

Take a look at a Mahogany medicine chest discovered on the shore of King William Island – a relic from the Franklin Expedition.
Courtesy of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. @RMGreenwich

We’re taking you inside the writers’ room. Tonight, writers’ assistant @chuxander will be taking over our Twitter account to answer all your questions about what it took to make #TheTerror during tonight’s new episode at 9/8c.

Greetings Terror fans! Tonight’s episode takes place over 3 months during Arctic “summertime.” Also 3 is the number of times I’ve personally cried watching it. -Alex #TheTerror

Question: I want to know how y’all researched and decided how to portray the effects of scurvy and lead poisoning. LOVE the show!
Answer: That was a tough job! I made reference documents for each ailment, with photographs showing the worsening symptoms at each stage. Disgusting. Also I have a massive grid of all characters and their illness progressions! -Alex [12:03 AM · May 15, 2018]

Question: [From a now deleted tweet, asking about Fitzjames’ “Caesar crossing the Rubicon” line and the casting of Tobias and Ciaran, who previously played Caesar and Brutus opposite each other in Rome]
Answer: That line was in the script prior to the casting of any roles! It was a happy coincidence that those two fine fellows ended up playing them. -Alex [12:12 AM · May 15, 2018]

**Question: [From a private account]**
**Answer:** As much as possible! The officers had more available info to incorporate (Battersby’s bio of Fitzjames or Irving’s letters, for example). We also discussed the traits on this whiteboard as they applied to each character. -Alex #TheTerror

Question: 1) After reading the book I’m curious why you decided that Fitzjames will not speak with a lisp ? 2) Was the platypus pond scene never included in the script or did it fall victim to some editing and we’ll be able to see it with the deleted scenes ? Thanks. Love the show, btw!
Answer: 1) In the novel I don’t think it’s meant as a lisp in the conventional sense. It’s more of a type of affectation that comes with upper-class British accents of the era. Personally I didn’t yearn for a soft ‘s’ on all FJ’s lines! -Alex #TheTerror [1:41 AM · May 15, 2018]
2) Platypus pond never made it outside the novel. It felt like the essential Crozier/Sofia dynamics could be conveyed without it, while spending more time on the visceral and psychological elements of the expedition itself. -Alex #TheTerror [1:43 AM · May 15, 2018]

Author Charles Dickens was a close friend of Lady Jane. He was instrumental in raising funds for rescue expeditions, and using his celebrity to downplay eventual reports of cannibalism. #TheTerror

At one point I made flashcards for every man on the expedition, including their first name, ship, rank, and duty, to memorize for continuity as their numbers dwindled. -Alex #TheTerror

More stellar recreation work from #TheTerror props department.
Artifact photo courtesy of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. @RMGreenwich

This scene between Fitzjames and Crozier was the final scene that was shot in the entire series, on the very last day of production.

Showrunner Dave Kajganich demonstrates the positioning of where the men will bury an officer on Pag Island, Croatia. #TheTerror

On the left, you may recognize Mr. Armitage, the Gunroom Steward, as an ally of Hickey’s going back to when Hickey covered to get him out of a whipping. #TheTerror

Papers found alongside a skeleton presumed to be Henry Peglar. They contained passages from which this episode is titled.
Courtesy of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. @RMGreenwich #TheTerror

Question: OK, totally frivolous question: what resources did the costume designer use to design the Royal Navy Discovery Service uniforms. I would love to make one of those officer’s greatcoats for myself.
Answer: This wasn’t within the purview of my duties, but from a research standpoint it’s amazing what you’ll learn simply by reaching out to places like @RMGreenwich or @HMSTerror_model and asking what it was really like! I’ll see if I can find out more for you. -Alex #TheTerror [3:01 AM · May 15, 2018]

Writer Vinnie Wilhelm in the role of “Tuunbaq” and showrunner @shugh100 in the role of “HMS Terror” during a table read. #TheTerror

https://www.tumblr.com/cold-boys-fandom-hub/708696720946708480/shoutout-to-the-phenomenal-crew-of-theterror