Phileus Fogg makes an important decision.
- Some are born to adventure. And others, frankly, are not.—Bellamy
Victorian gentleman Phileas Fogg makes a rash bet that he can travel the world in 80 days. He's joined by his new valet, Jean Passepartout, and journalist Abigail "Fix" Fortescue. Fogg and Abigail have something to prove, both to others and to themselves, while Passpartout needs to avoid some trouble.
The trio run into trouble early as political unrest rocks Paris, and all three will come under fire.
Tropes:
- Absurdly Spacious Sewer: After being implicated in an assassination plot against the President of France, Fogg and co escape the Gendarmerie through the sewers of Paris.[Passpartout opens a manhole]
Fogg: Do we have to?
Passpartout: Do you want to live or die, Monsieur?
[Fogg still looks doutful] - Artistic License – History:
- The Paris Riots were in 1871, a year earlier than the episode is set.
- De Lome's airship was a dirigible, which flew only once in February 1872, ten months before the episode is set.
- The Bet: Phileus Fogg bets his friend Bellamy twenty thousand pounds (about two million in modern money) that he can travel the world in eighty days, returning to the Reform Club no later than one o'clock on Christmas Eve.
- Chekhov's Gun: The hot air balloon Fogg mentions to his friends in the Reform Club, which is being developed by a man in Paris. Bellamy is derisive, but Fogg, Abigail and Passpartout use that very balloon to escape the Gendarmerie.
- Chekhov's Skill: When making his bet, Fogg calculates eighty days from that day as Christmas Eve very quickly and in his head, indicating he's very good and quick at arithmetic. His numerical skill will come into play in later episodes.
- Cowardice Callout:
- Fogg's decision to travel around the world is sparked when he receives a postcard with the single word, "Coward".
- Passpartout's brother calls him out for disappearing after their father's execution.
- Did Not Think This Through: When attacked by a mob in Paris, Fogg protests that he's English. His point was that he's not involved in their politics, but being English is comically unlikely to make French people like him any better.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Passpartout is discomfited to hear that the first stop is Paris, and reassured to learn that they won't be there long. However, political unrest results in closed train stations, stranding them and Abigail in Paris, where Passpartout and Abigail are press-ganged into joining his brother in an assassination of the French president which is certain to end in all their deaths. This is where Abigail learns that their father was a political dissident who was executed by firing squad on the president's orders.
- Establishing Character Moment:
- Fogg is first seen in his house, getting ready to go out to the Club as usual. He seems quite sad and lonely, but becomes animated when presented with a postcard with the single word "coward" on the back, which clearly means something personal to him.
- Passpartout is introduced breaking up with a woman who clearly hoped for a real relationship with him. He gives no real reason and says that whoever does marry her will be a lucky man, indicating his tendency to runaway when feelings rear their head.
- Abigail anxiously waits for the newspaper with her article in it to be released, eagerly anticipating her father's pride in her work. She is, however, incensed when her article is printed under a man's name and marches into his Club to give him a piece of her mind. This shows her Well Done, Daughter Girl tendencies as well as her willingness to Call The Old Man Out when she sees fit.
- Fiery Redhead: Abigail "Fix" Fortescue has red hair and is not shy about barging into the Reform Club to shout at her father when he publishes her article under a male pseudonym.
- Gilligan Cut: Fogg issues orders to Grayson and Passpartout to prepare for the journey with enthusiasm and optimism. Cut to him being sick over the side of the ferry.
- Guile Hero: Passpartout is in a spot of bother and needs to make himself scarce in a hurry. Hearing Fogg ask the Club's front desk to send him another valet from the agency, he intercepts the message and presents himself to Fogg as the new man.
- Helpless Observer Protagonist: Passpartout can only watch as his brother is shot to death by the Gendarmerie.
- Historical Domain Character: Dupuy de Lome was a real inventor who made an airship that flew in 1872. Artistic License – History is also in play, though, because the airship was a dirigible that flew in February.
- Nom de Mom: Abigail Fortescue uses her mother's maiden name of Fix for professional purposes to avoid backlash against a woman writing from damaging her father's reputation. This is after he published her article under a male pseudonym.
- Pet the Dog: Fogg's reaction to elderly butler Grayson spilling most of his tea is to comment that they must get bigger cups.
- Pocket Protector: Fogg accidentally steps into the path of a bullet meant for the French Prime Minister but survives, as the bullet is stopped by the brandy flask from Estella.
- Rapid-Fire "No!": Fogg's reaction to the fact that a journalist, Abigail Fix, will be following him and chronicling a journey that he expects will end in failure.
- Smug Snake: Bellamy is utterly dismissive of Fogg's ambitions to travel. See page quote.
