‘The Terror’ Recap: ‘First Shot a Winner, Lads’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

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If has often been said, that idle hands are the Devil’s workplace and there’s definitely some merit to those words, just not in a manner we traditionally think. Because laziness simply engenders laziness and potentially, a nap. If anything, what gives that phrase genuine weight goes far deeper than simply sitting on the couch, scrolling on our phones, it’s really all about having a higher purpose and direction in our lives. For when we feel stuck or hopeless, we tend to lash out and cause trouble in unique ways and hurt others with our words, and all of this is on my mind today, due to the fact that the next episode of The Terror zeroed in on how the human mind responds to direction and hope, or a lack thereof.
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Because when we catch up with the crews of the Erebus and Terror in ‘First Shot a Winner, Lads’, we are privy to a tale of two worlds, one that involves the two elements I just made mention of, and this particular dynamic was fascinating to see. Because the men on Erebus are functional and with purpose since Captain Fitzjames is finding ways to focus their minds in the midst of this brutal winter, and their spirits seem to be up because of it, whereas… things are simply a disaster aboard Terror. For everyone on that vessel is listing, much like the boat, and their days are filled with routine and sour thoughts and it’s getting so bad that the dead are being treated as though they’re everyday people and well, some of this definitely stems from the vessel’s leader.

For when we see Captain Crozier in this tale, it’s obvious now that the drink has taken hold of him, and this newfound hobby, has left him unfit to command and distant from his senior officers and oddly enough, it’s also emboldened him in ways we never thought possible. Because Francis eventually demands a parlay with Lady Silence, wherein we come to learn that the crew is being hunted by a mystical being called the Tuunbaq, and it is a spirt that can assume the form of whatever animal it wants and it would seem that it’s in a mood to feed because it’s master, Lady’s father, is no longer around to keep it in check. But before we could dive any deeper on the Tunnbaq, Captain Fitzjames’ arrival and the return of the Tuunbaq led to one incredible finale.

Because once again, the monster came to feed and it was quite successful in its endeavor to enjoy a warm meal in the freezing depths of winter, until Mister Blankey stepped in. For he made the beast focus upon him and only him and by becoming the bait, and calling out the right kind of signals, he was able to make the impossible happen and get the men to wound this monster and scare it off into the snow, and while it was nice to see the crew fight back, the end of this battle was quite costly. Because more men were lost to the Tuunbaq’s hunger, and Blankey lost a leg while luring the beast into harm’s way and to top it all off, Lady Silence escaped as well. But for now, at least, there is peace aboard the Terror and a little shred of hope for its captain since Francis made the bold decision to quit the drink.

If anything, what impressed me about this particular episode, was its ability to balance horror and story perfectly, and in subtle fashion no less. Well, subtle at least when it comes to how the men are doing aboard the Terror, since we didn’t need an entire episode to discover that what’s left of that crew there, is falling to pieces. But truly, it was the scares that shined in this tale since the arrival of the Tuunbaq made for one tense sequence of events, the kind that actually left me cheering when the men finally hurt the creature that has been hurting them for months and well, while this episode was more transitional in nature since not much else happened outside of that snapshot of the crew’s mental health and a battle royale with the Tuunbaq, at least we got to learn the monster’s name and see Francis snap out of his reverie and everything here was handled in fascinating fashion at least, and I am definitely ready to see what comes next now that man and monster have traded blows. Until next time. 

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