Is Around the World in 80 Days woke?
Around the World in 80 Days (2021)
TV Show
Released: January 1, 2021
Wokeness Score
7/10
Strongly Ideological
Woke messaging is very prominent and often feels forced or shoehorned in. Characters and plot are primarily shaped to serve the ideology. Many viewers feel the agenda overshadows the entertainment.
Key Summary Points
- Passepartout recast as Black with expanded racial backstory and identity themes.
- Fix gender-swapped to female journalist facing systemic sexism and empowerment arcs.
- Story inserts commentary on colonialism, racism, and imperialism at key locations.
Wokeness Analysis
The 2021 adaptation significantly alters Jules Verne's original novel through modern casting and character revisions that prioritize diversity and inclusion. Passepartout is reimagined as a Black Frenchman with a backstory emphasizing racial experiences in 1870s Europe, shifting focus from the source material's light adventure to explorations of racism and identity. Detective Fix becomes Abigail Fix, a female journalist navigating sexism in a male-dominated profession, introducing gender commentary that frames her role as a struggle against patriarchal norms. Episodes incorporate deliberate social messaging on colonialism, British imperialism, and post-Civil War America, including encounters highlighting exploitation and prejudice. Reviews note these elements often feel shoehorned, with plot points serving ideological lessons on globalism, xenophobia, and empowerment rather than pure escapism. Audience feedback on platforms like Rotten Tomatoes criticizes the '21st century EU Woke lecture' and forced interracial dynamics, indicating the messaging overshadows entertainment for many viewers. While the core wager and travel remain, characters and subplots are reshaped to deliver commentary on marginalized perspectives, aligning with heavily ideological adaptations common in contemporary productions.
Plot
Gentleman adventurer Phileas Fogg, portrayed by David Tennant, wagers he can circumnavigate the globe in 80 days after a bet at his London club. Accompanied by his new valet Passepartout and journalist Abigail Fix, the trio travels through Europe, Asia, and America using trains, ships, and other means, encountering obstacles, cultural encounters, and personal growth. The eight-episode series expands on the 1872 Jules Verne novel with original subplots and character developments while retaining the central race-against-time premise.