The Terroris a series of limited series developed for AMC. I was first aware of it as the first season adapted Dan Simmons’ novel The Terror, but since that found success, they have developed the show so that each season covers a different story with different cast. This is a similar-ish approach to shows like American Horror Storyand Scream Queenswhere each season has a different plot but in those cases uses the same cast.
Season 3 of The Terroris based on the novel The Devil in Silverby Victor Lavell, and is six episodes long. This is a benefit because unlike many ‘limited series’ it doesn’t outstay its welcome and does not need padding to make up the length, issues which often plague this format, making the shows drag and end up being a chore to get through four or five episodes of plot expanded out to ten or twelve episodes.
The plot follows Pepper (the always excellent Dan Stevens) who is arrested by police after a fight and thrown into a mental asylum, the New Hyde Hospital, rather than just being charged. The hospital staff immediately drug him and he finds that the other residents there are likewise drugged and have been there for a long time.
There’s something creepy going on there too, with people hearing voices and having visions of nocturnal vistations … plus there is a mysterious silver locked door … which no-one must enter … it’s all very well done, creepy, and well played.
When the revelations start to come, they’re well developed, and we discover what is really happening here, and what lengths the ‘management’ are going to in order to keep their secrets and to keep whatever the strange entity is happy.
I won’t give it all away here, as the show is worth watching, and as it’s only six episodes, is an excellent binge-worthy watch for Halloween!
The entire season is now available on blu-ray from Acorn Media International, and Seasons 1 and 2 are also available. The blu-ray also contains a very short behind the scenes documentary and a photo gallery.
Spooky Goings On!
Name: The Terror: The Devil in Silver
Description: The Terror: Devil in Silver tells the story of Pepper (Dan Stevens) – a working-class removals man, who through a combination of bad luck and a bad temper, finds himself wrongfully committed to New Hyde Psychiatric Hospital – an institution filled with the people society would rather forget.
David J Howe, is the author and co-author of numerous books about the TV Show “Doctor Who”, as well as being a freelance writer and Editorial Director of Telos Publishing Ltd.