Around the World in 80 Days

As opposed to film, television proves itself to be the ideal format for adapting Verne’s tale, given how each new location lends itself nimbly to a new episodic adventure, and the pace across the first season stays lively.

Around the World in 80 Days isn’t an earth-shattering Jules Verne adaptation, but it is a lovely one. Thanks mostly to the way it understands how to harness David Tennant’s magnificence on screen.

This Around the World frolic might just be the ticket for those whose wanderlust was curtailed in recent years. Buckle up. [3 - 16 Jan 2022, p.9]

The pace was glacially slow.

Masterpiece’s adaptation of the Verne classic adds almost nothing significant to the story of Phileas Fogg and his companions. It remains firmly within the limits set by the novel in 1872, turning a journey around the world from an adventure into unknown lands to a stroll along a well-trodden footpath. It is an expansion that does not exceed the constraints of the original tale and perhaps even flounders under the weight of attempting to tell every aspect of Verne’s story and then some.

London and Paris look nearly identical here, perhaps both shot on the same block in Romania. In every frame, you can sense corners being cut. ... TV is finally in a position to faithfully remake Around the World in 80 Days, so why not give it the treatment it deserves?

In the end, this “Around the World” is more cringeworthy than fun.

Movies and TV are becoming ridiculous in their ever-decreasing pandering to every bandwagon that gets them cool likes from 'underdogs' everywhere. While I was a fan of the Mike Todd movie, I didn't think Shirley Maclaine fit anywhere: playing Asian or otherwise. As for this, females that were never a part of the story and a Passpartout who, even though France certainly had African colonies/dependencies, is clearly included to tick that particular box. In the end, it is just another example of tired television/movie money-grabbers opting for the cheapest (and not necessarily the best) options for a quick cash-grab/viewer tally. Thus, regardless of actual acting talent or production value, I vote these things down in a big way in protest to boring and 'woke' output.