This show is supposed to entertain rather than enlighten - and I think it does that very well. This aspect of Fog's transformation plays out against the interesting main story arc of the 'romp' around the world in 80 days - an at times cavalier and hair raising journey that is quite entertaining - requiring some suspension of disbelief to be sure, but what classic heroes journey (within the realms of entertainment) doesn't. His transformation from upper class man of leisure and suspended animation, who doesn't really care for anything anymore beyond his own comforts, into someone who eventually finds a part of himself and can begin to live, to be involved in his life. In the story by Jules Verne, Fogg gets into an argument with his fellow members At the Reform Club over an article in The Daily Telegraph. It seemed clear to me that one of the main themes of this version of the tale was the particular journey of Phileas Fog (David Tennant). There was dramatic tension between the three protagonists - who go on the adventure - and the antagonists were suitably nasty and conniving. For me, this was a successful retelling of a classic story. That allows for some creative license and rejigging in its retelling of the original story. The key word here is adaption - this show is not the book, nor is it an attempt to represent the book in a methodical translation from page to screen - it's an adaption. He’s learning to open up through the people he meets, through the experiences he has and through the wild, spur of the moment, uncanny decision to go and do this thing and try to travel around.
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