Snowpiercer as a film told the story of the “tailies” desperation to break away from the tail and find new and comforting lives up the train. They had endured years of horrifying actions and conditions and finally decided to fight, even if it meant dying, for the chance to take over the train. However, the movie concludes with a mixed ending, resulting in a most tragic fate and the optimistic suggestion that the world has started to heat up again. While the movie Snowpiercer highlights several of the dark and horrifying parts of surviving on the train in the tail, TNT’s television adaptation allows the story to grow in ways the movie did not have time for.
By growing out the story in a television series, Snowpiercer has far more time to tell its story, get to know its characters, and understand the world they find themselves in. While the television show may not be as intense at times as the movie was, the television show surpasses its movie counterpart in other ways due to having more time to build out the world and character relationships. Supporting characters from different parts of the train gets a more significant focus while people try to figure out the best way to survive.
Expanding on Revolution
TNT
Snowpiercer spends its first season leaning toward Andre Layton leading the tailies to a revolution. They have grown tired of their awful living conditions, and although previous revolutions have failed in the past, they gain the upper hand when Melanie brings Layton to the front to use his previous world skills as a detective. With Layton’s leadership, the tailies strived in their revolution, succeeding in finally taking over. That is until Mr. Wilford and Big Alice come knocking.
At which point, Snowpiercer expands on their revolution. Although the tailies still want better living conditions, the tail is now essential to keeping the border between Snowpiercer and Big Alice. The following seasons expand on the aftermath of the revolution, with Layton now in a place of power, joining Melanie in making decisions. Season three also continues the quest for revolution, overturning power, and questioning who will be in charge of the train.
Time Spent On Character Growth
2013’s Snowpiercer film has a run time of about two hours. While that is sufficient time to create developed characters and stories, a television show naturally gains more time due to being episodic. The television series has aired far more than two hours of content. In all that extra time, Snowpiercer could dive deeper into the characters and develop them at a slower pace.
They could understand their missteps, gain redemption, or better understand their values. In addition, many main characters benefited from more time to develop as people or better grasp their dynamic as friends or allies. While certain character elements remain at the person’s core, there is a noticeable difference in many characters from their first appearance to where they are left off in the season three finale.
Different Perspectives on Survival Cause Rivalry
In the movie, this is certainly true too. Except, because it is given less time, there is not as much space and time devoted to much other than knowing who the hero is and who the villain is. In the television adaptation, people can be a little more complicated. Depending on the moment, scene, or plot necessity, Melanie is either a hero or a villain, but regardless, she always has complex reasons for her actions. Layton, Melanie, and Wilford’s constant back and forth is a prime example of the power struggle. The citizens of Snowpiercer want to survive, but want a leader they believe in to ensure that. However, Layton, Melanie, and Wilford have habits of representing different variations of the future. But, while Layton and Melanie can get along, Wilford is the instigator of the conflict.
Layton and Melanie are constantly forced to fight against Wilford’s perspective of how to survive, mainly because he seems more interested in his desire for power than he cares about the survival of the remaining human race. Rather than a one-on-one war, TNT’s Snowpiercer turns it into a legitimate battle of beliefs about who should remain in charge. Who has the best pull on the citizens? What is the key to survival? Snowpiercer can ask more of its audience and characters because it has the time to do so. People discussing, even through argument, creates more perspectives and points of view to come out. People do not just cause a rebellion for no reason. People argue because they do not believe in who is in power. They fight for the best life they can. Snowpiercer, as a television show, created the space to have these conversations the movie never had the time for.
