The AMC network struck gold with yet another phenomenal series: “The Terror,” which premiered on March 25.

Adapted from Dan Simmons 2007 novel, “The Terror” is loosely based on the true story of two British naval vessels, the E.M.S Erebus and the E.M.S Terror, searching for the Northwest Passage in the 1840s. Both ships mysteriously disappeared, however their remains were found on the ocean floor in 2014. The audience sees the journey through the eyes of the crew, who endure horrors far worse than the freezing cold.

Featuring an impeccable cast including Ciarán Hinds, Jared Harris and Tobias Menzies, “The Terror” immediately sinks its claws into the audience and doesn’t let go. The characters and their interactions are brilliantly written. The show takes its time to establish the lives and relationships of the crewmen, displaying their inner conflicts in their struggle for survival.

A major standout element of “The Terror” is its production design. The costume and set designs are second-to-none. Stunning cinematography includes frequent lingering shots of the arctic horizon and terrific use of the Kuleshov effect that make for a beautiful viewing experience. Topping the film off is the wonderfully written original musical score by Composer Marcus Fjellström, one of the biggest contributors to the horror factor of the show.

On the surface, the show appears an ill-fated nautical adventure, when it’s actually a deep look into the essence of fear itself and its effect on us. The horror element in the show is perfectly executed; the show doesn’t rely on obvious jump scares or other cheap scare tactics, but instead seamlessly instills a feeling of looming dread in the audience.

Unlike other horror TV shows like “The Walking Dead,” “Stranger Things” or “American Horror Story,” “The Terror” explores fear in nearly every conceivable form. The steadily declining morale of the crew, the unforgiving wrath of nature and the ominous presence of something out in the endless vastness of the arctic all perfectly swirl into a satisfying slow burn which builds the suspense and tension from early on.

“The Terror” is easily one of the best horror TV shows to appear in recent years. It’s a much needed breath of fresh air in a genre slowly becoming stale.

“The Terror” is on at  8 p.m. Mondays on AMC.