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Episode 3: "Leading Men"
Scott arrives in New Zealand in May, 1910 and inspects the ponies brought to there from Siberia by Meares and declares
them first-rate, while horse expert Titus Oates, whom Scott did not approach about going to Siberia in 1909 due to Oates'
South Africa location at that time, does not believe that any of the ponies are fit for the expedition. Oates confronts
Scott about this in front of a group, and Scott resents it. While still in New Zealand, a drunk and disorderly P.O. Edgar
Evans falls off of the docked Terra Nova, but when Lt. Teddy Evans orders the P.O.'s discharge, Scott overrides him on
the basis that Edgar Evans' size and strength are vital to the expedition. Teddy Evans argues with Scott, threatening to
publicize his allegations of incompetence unless Scott guarantees to him a place in the final polar party. Scott
patronizes his Number One officer with a vague, oral promise to this effect. The Terra Nova leaves New Zealand for
Antarctica via the Ross Sea but becomes caught in pack ice from the previous Antarctic winter and loses several vital
weeks. Amundsen's crew arrive in the Fram at the Ross Sea coast with no obstruction and establish their base, Framheim, in
the Bay of Whales on a frozen-over island along the sea rim of the Great Ice Barrier. A hut is built at McMurdo Sound by
Scott's expedition, and an exploration team led by Lt. Victor Campbell is dispatched along the coast while a depot-laying
party led by Scott travels south into the Great Ice Barrier. Campbell's team encounters Amundsen's base, and, as
Amundsen's guests, they view Amundsen's huge number of sled-dogs and learn that Amundsen's base is 50 miles nearer to the
Pole than is Scott's. Scott opts to halt his depot-laying mission 11 miles short of target, a decision that will haunt
him, and return to McMurdo base for the winter. He receives word from Campbell about Amundsen and is furious. Amundsen and
his men embark on their own depot-laying trip into the Ice Barrier, and they penetrate much deeper into the Ice Barrier
than Scott did, setting marker flags two miles away from the depots, on both sides. "This is not the place to take
chances," says Amundsen. He and his companions return to Framheim for the winter.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• DRAMA