Around the World in 80 Days is a historical drama adventure television series based on the 1872 Jules Verne novel of the same name, in which, for a bet, Phileas Fogg travels the world in 80 days by various means both traditional and new. The series first premiered on La Une in Belgium, on 5 December 2021, and later on BBC One in the United Kingdom on 26 December 2021.
In November 2021, ahead of the premiere, it was announced the programme had been renewed for a second season. However, in October 2024, it was reported that there were no current plans for further seasons beyond the first.
Contents
Premise
The story is about Phileas Fogg making a £20,000 (equivalent to £1,579,052 in 2021) wager with his boyhood friend and fellow member of the prestigious Reform Club that he can circumnavigate the world in 80 days, joined by his new valet Passepartout and journalist Abigail Fix. Although the story is fictional, real-life people such as Adolphe Thiers, Jane Digby and Bass Reeves are portrayed interacting with the fictional characters.
Cast and characters
Main
David Tennant as Phileas Fogg
Ibrahim Koma as Jean Passepartout
Leonie Benesch as Abigail Fix Fortescue
Recurring
Jason Watkins as Bernard Fortescue, Abigail's father and Fogg's friend
Peter Sullivan as Nyle Bellamy, Fogg's rival
Richard Wilson as Grayson, Fogg's butler
Leon Clingman as Roberts, maitre d'hôtel at Reform Club
Anthony Flanagan as Thomas Kneedling, Bellamy's henchman
Jeff Rawle as Hughes, Bank manager in London
David Sherwood as Samuel Fallentin, a Reform Club member
Guest
André Penvern as Monsieur Lome, inventor of a balloon
Alain Guillo as Adolphe Thiers, President of France
Geo Dobre as Chief of Police in Paris
Masali Baduza as Edith, employee at the Reform club
Giovanni Scifoni as Niccolò Moretti, an Italian industrialist
Simone Coppo as Marco, conductor of the train Turin - Brindisi
Alexandru Bindea as train driver
Ilinca Hărnuț as an Italian mother travelling in 3rd class
Lindsay Duncan as Jane Digby, an Englishwoman
Faical Elkihel as Sheik Medjuel El Mezjuel Mezrab, Jane's husband
Shivaani Ghai as Aouda, an Indian woman
Patrick Kennedy as Sir Henry Rowbotham, British Governor in Hong Kong
Victoria Smurfit as Lady Clemency Rowbotham, Sir Henry's wife
Thomas Chaanhing as Jiang Liei, Passepartout's former boss in Hong Kong
Susan Danford as Mrs. Hildreth, Lady Clemency's friend
Sean Cameron Michael as chief bank manager
Gary Beadle as Bass Reeves, US Deputy Marshal
Production
It was commissioned by the European Alliance, a co-production alliance of France Télévisions, ZDF of Germany, and RAI of Italy, with additional co-production partners of Masterpiece (US) and Be-Films/RTBF (Belgium). It was produced in the UK, France and South Africa, with filming also taking place in Romania.
Filming locations included South Africa and Romania. Filming was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but resumed on 1 October that year. In November 2021, ahead of the premiere, it was announced the series had been renewed for a second series. The main title score is by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg. In October 2024, TVLine reported that a spokesperson from Masterpiece could not "confirm any further seasons" beyond the first.
Release
Around the World in 80 Days first premiered in Belgium on 5 December 2021. ZDF released the complete series online in Germany on 11 December 2021, with an on-air telecast from 21 December to 23 December. The series premiered on France 2 in France on 20 December 2021, and in Norway on NRKs streaming website on 25 December 2021, with linear broadcasting the following days during Boxing Week. In the United Kingdom the series premiered on BBC One on 26 December 2021, and on Masterpiece for PBS in the United States on 2 January 2022. The series premiered on Rai 2 in Italy in January 2024 and simultaneously was streaming on Raiplay. In Greece the show aired on ERT3 in August 2024 at 8:00pm.
Reception
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 82% approval rating with an average rating of 6.4/10, based on 17 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Around the World in 80 Days sometimes stumbles when it tries to add modern resonance to Jules Verne's globetrotting epic, but the core cast make for terrific travel companions." Metacritic gave the series a weighted average score of 61 out of 100 based on reviews from 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Rebecca Nicholson of The Guardian gave the first episode four out five stars, praising its cast, production values and escapism, but found the episode slow in its setup. The Telegraph gave it three out of five stars. Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter felt the plot did not justify eight episodes, but praised Tennant's performance.
Ed Cumming of The Independent gave it two stars, feeling the budget did not do the epic scope of the novel justice. James Delingpole in The Spectator also gave a negative review of the series, complaining about its attempts to speak to contemporary political issues. He criticized the updated characteristics of Fix and Passepartout, as well as inconsistencies such as Passepartout's lack of upset at the death of his brother.