Ridley Scott’s Near-Perfect 94%-Rated Show Is the Perfect Watch After Netflix’s Below

Netflix’s Below has unleashed terror from the depths of the North Atlantic, but Ridley Scott’s The Terror takes maritime horror into even more treacherous waters. The AMC anthology’s first season boasts an impressive 94% Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score, making its 10-episode Arctic nightmare an ideal follow-up to Josh Hartnett’s six-part Netflix creature thriller. Both series trap vulnerable communities in hostile environments where mysterious predators threaten survival.

However, The Terror swaps Below’s contemporary Newfoundland fishing village for a doomed 19th-century expedition, where freezing temperatures, dwindling provisions, and human desperation prove just as formidable as the supernatural threat. Scott executive-produced the adaptation of Dan Simmons’ bestselling historical horror novel rather than directing it. Nevertheless, its unflinching brutality and atmospheric storytelling make it a compelling addition to his science-fiction and horror legacy. For viewers still nursing the chills from Below, this is one expedition worth taking.

The Terror’s 94% Score Is No Fluke

The Terror Season 3 | Credit: AMC

The Terror Season 1 dramatizes Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated 1845 expedition, when HMS Erebus and HMS Terror departed Britain in search of the Northwest Passage before disappearing into Arctic obscurity. Jared Harris portrays Captain Francis Crozier, alongside Ciarán Hinds as Franklin and Tobias Menzies as Captain James Fitzjames. When the ships become trapped in ice, starvation, disease, and deteriorating discipline begin dismantling the crews’ confidence.

Then something monstrous starts hunting them. AMC’s official series guide establishes the historical premise, while Rotten Tomatoes records the season’s near-perfect critical reception. The series’ masterstroke is refusing to make its supernatural predator the sole attraction. Harris explained to AMC that he was drawn to the material because it transcended conventional creature-feature territory. 

Crozier battles alcoholism and professional resentment, while Fitzjames struggles with insecurity beneath his polished military bearing. Their internal conflicts become a powder keg as supplies dwindle and survival demands increasingly ruthless decisions. The drama also interrogates imperial arrogance. Britain’s explorers arrive convinced that discipline and technological superiority can conquer an unfamiliar landscape, only to discover that nature couldn’t care less about naval rank. Co-showrunner Soo Hugh discussed the importance of grounding the supernatural elements in historical research during an AMC interview.

The result is a masterclass in slow-burning dread, where humanity’s capacity for cruelty becomes every bit as frightening as the creature stalking the ice.

Why The Terror Is Perfect After Below

Credits: Netflix

Netflix’s Below follows Calvin Penney (Josh Hartnett), a struggling Newfoundland fisherman whose community faces economic ruin before a mysterious underwater predator begins terrorizing its residents. Created by Jesse McKeown, the six-episode thriller also stars Mackenzie Davis and Charlie Heaton. The resemblance between the two productions goes beyond maritime monsters.

Both examine isolated communities whose survival depends on cooperation, yet whose internal divisions become increasingly dangerous under pressure. In Below, financial hardship and environmental uncertainty threaten a fishing town’s livelihood. In The Terror, rigid naval hierarchy becomes a liability when conventional leadership proves inadequate. Their storytelling approaches, however, are markedly different.

Below embraces contemporary creature-feature thrills, while The Terror favors psychological attrition, historical realism, and an almost suffocating atmosphere. One unleashes immediate panic; the other lets dread seep into every crevice. The AMC series also has an impressive legacy beyond its inaugural voyage. Its second season, The Terror: Infamy, explores supernatural horror against the backdrop of Japanese American incarceration during World War II. The anthology’s third installment, The Terror: Devil in Silver, shifts the nightmare into a psychiatric institution, demonstrating the franchise’s willingness to reinvent its setting rather than recycle familiar scares.

For viewers specifically seeking another ocean-bound ordeal, though, Season 1 remains the undisputed starting point. It is available through AMC+, although streaming access varies by region. The distinction between these two shows ultimately comes down to their understanding of fear. Below asks what terrifying creature might be lurking beneath the water. The Terror asks what happens when the people stranded above it become monsters themselves. And that is a considerably colder proposition.

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