Around The World In 80 Days Episodes 2 and 3

 In episode 2 (Why are there no chapter names?), Fogg and crew set the balloon down that got them out of France in a hurry, near a railroad track. Fogg is sure an Italian rail car will be by soon so they can continue their journey.

It is a long wait, but eventually a train comes, and they hail it like a taxi.  Then, Fogg and Fix get luxury accommodations as if they'd been expected.   Passepartout is in third class, traveling with families and farmers and their chickens.

Passepartout soon wins over the crowd in his section of the car, and is invited to a card game.

In first class, Fogg is bullied by a businessman who had been expounding his economic and political theories before Fogg and company showed up fantastically in their balloon. 

Niccolo Moretti demands to know where Fogg has traveled, getting a rather weak response about their trip so far.

Luckily, the whole episode isn't spent excoriating Fogg.  When a portion of the tracks over a bridge has fallen into a ravine, and Moretti's son is injured, Fogg figures out how the train can make it over the gap and gets the child to a doctor.

Episode 3

After a successful trip by ship from Italy to Egypt, our trio needs to make it through the desert in two days to keep on schedule.

Unfortunately, Fogg hires a man who mostly seems to want to steal Fogg's pocket watch.  Passepartout and Fogg leave Abigail behind, as they are told no one survives the desert journey.  Though the guide will get them to safety, he says.  Instead, he leaves them stranded with only their luggage, which has been rifled through.

Abigail, furious at having been left behind, convinces an adventuring Englishwoman and her spouse to help her follow the men, and rescue them if need be.

 

Thanks to Abigail and her new cohorts, everyone makes it through the desert, though the experience has changed all three travelers and  has shaken them to their foundations.

Arriving at Aden, Passepartout is approached by a man who means to make sure Fogg doesn't make the journey in 80 Days, thus losing the bet made to a man in deep debt who needs the 20,000 in winnings.

He appears to be taking on the task of betrayal, but I have faith Passepartout will come through.

 

DOA's Answer Key For The January 2, 2022 Fallen Phrase Puzzle

 I was inspired to look through the book version of Around The World In 80 Days by Jules Verne for a nice quote for the Fallen Phrase Puzzle.  I have an adapted version myself, but I used Project Gutenberg's full version to look for my phrase.  

What a grand adventure!

PBS has an adaptation Jan 2-Jan 20.

 

Around the World In 80 Days (PBS)

 

Although the first episode of Around the World went by quickly, and was largely enjoyable, I have that schism in my enjoyment due to changes in the characters from the book to the small screen.

Phileas Fogg, in the books, is a precise man, unflappable, never panicking, brave when it's needed.  In the PBS adaptation, he's weak, unreliable, and he can barely manage anything. He's a buffoon.  This is a terrible thing to have done with the character, and I hope they'll give him a story arc where he improves.

I'm also disappointed in the way Passepartout is made to be somewhat dishonest, a cad, a liar.  Given that Passepartout really has the bulk of the adventures in the book, and that he's honorable, brave, and a good friend.  Ack.  It looks like maybe they'll be able to let Passepartout be that character in the series, but I would rather they had let Fogg and Passepartout be partners.

Abigail Fix taking the place of Detective Fix is a bit sad too, because Fix was such an odd, obsessed man, that he was a fascinating character.  The friendship Passepartout and Fix developed looks like it will play out differently here, and that's fine.

I'll recover for next week's adventure.