Around the World in 80 Days - Season 1

Around the World in 80 Days is a fresh film adaptation of a classic story that mainly revolves around the attraction of the protagonists. Last month, I had a great time watching the BBC film adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days. In this adaptation of Jules Verne's novel, English inventor Phileas Fogg (David Tennant, Doctor Who) bets one of his best friends that he can circumnavigate the globe in 80 days. With his assistant Jean Passepartout (Ibrahim Koma, Maman a Tort) and the journalist Abigail Fix (Leonie Benesch, Babylon Berlin) on his heels, he hurries to Paris for the first stopover. But as soon as the boat has left, everything goes wrong, and his traveling companions also seem to have their own reasons for going with him.

The first season of Around the World in 80 Days consists of eight episodes of approximately 50 minutes each. Each episode features a different stop on Fogg and Co's journey. While the storyline is mostly ongoing, each episode is a mini-adventure on this layover. This gives the series variety and makes everything manageable. The book was originally an ode to the beauty of the world and that is clearly reflected here too. The variety of areas comes out nicely. From the bustling streets of Paris, to stately Hong Kong to the pristine wilderness of the Rocky Mountains. Each location has its own charm.

This adaptation is not faithful to the book, but that's okay

Regardless of the idea and name of the main character, Around the World in 80 Days is not a faithful film adaptation of the book. For example, the locations deviate from the source material, just like the way Fogg and his cronies end up there and the adventures they experience there. I didn't have much trouble with that myself, because the series knows very well which story needs to be told and does so.



For example, Passepartout is no longer a docile servant who solves chores for Fogg without complaint. He has his own problems and the will to solve them. Abigail Fix does not appear in the book, but is a completely new character. She is based on a historical figure named Nellie Bly. Bly was a nineteenth-century journalist who, following Verne's book, decided to try the journey and did so in 72 days. Fix offers an interesting female perspective to the series and that is very nice. Both characters add a lot, complement each other and Fogg well and the actors know what to do with their characters.

But the big star is of course David Tennant. His version of Fogg has many faces. In eight episodes he goes through a realistic growth process. Fogg is closed, doesn't know the world, but slowly learns how things work. It goes by trial and error, and sometimes he takes a good beating twice before he realizes what the world actually expects of him. The reason why he actually makes the trip is tragic and Tennant knows how to bring that out well.

Everything about the series breathes adventure

Around the World in 80 Days is a pretty smooth series. Everything about the series breathes adventure and the classic Victorian setting offers enough handles to bring that feeling to the fore. The sets, vehicles, clothing, music, you name it. Everything creates that hopeful sense of discovery. The tone is generally light-hearted, but isn't afraid to hit a serious note at times. Because apart from the cheerfulness, a little uncertainty certainly does the series good.

The new attempt to translate Jules Verne's classic book into a series has succeeded. It is given a fresh look and that works well. The main characters are also very nice. Although (little spoiler!) the journey in 80 days is over at the end of this season, the BBC has still attached a second season to it. Fortunately, the ending offers an interesting opening for that and this will probably be an adaptation of another Jules Verne book. Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing more of Fogg, Passepartout and Fix.