Titanic Season


The cast in shock to learn that they die a slow death of four episodes.
(Photo courtesy of digitalspy.ie)

It is the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic and there are many TV programmes to choose from.  It would be impossible to count how many programmes there are but one that comes to mind is Julian Fellowes’ not-so-imaginatively titled ‘Titanic.’  Twitter has already dubbed it ‘Downton Abbey at Sea’ and has more imaginatively titled it ‘Drownton’ – a hashtag worth checking on Twitter.

In the four-part series, the boat is already sinking and we, the audience, are left to think that there we have to get through four episodes of a sinking boat, there cannot be anything else is there to add.

This got me thinking.  Is there really anything else to add?  Why did Fellowes decide to sink the boat in the first episode?  Is it going to be worth watching the rest of the series?  I am edging towards ‘no’ as there are only a certain amount of flashbacks I can take and ‘Titanic’ is too similar to other dramas to warrant further interest, although my interest in the subject will not wane.  I fear this version will sink like the ship itself.

Another question popped into my mind; my ‘writerly’ mind asked, what would I do?  There are so many similar takes on the Titanic theme, so my curt response to myself was that I needed to come up with something from a completely new angle.  Oh well, back to the drawing board.