Is The Terror on BBC 2 based on a true story? Updated: 24 Mar 2021, 20:21 It's inspired by true events, making it even more gripping viewing. 2 Is The Terror on BBC 2 based on a true story? The Terror is based on true events. The BBC say: "The series is inspired by true events and is a fictionalised account of Captain Sir John Franklin’s lost expedition to the Arctic. "It follows the Royal Navy’s perilous voyage into unchartered territory as the crew attempts to discover the Northwest Passage. "Faced with treacherous conditions, limited resources, dwindling hope and fear of the unknown, the crew is pushed to the brink of extinction.