THE RIG (Season 1, Television Release UK 2021)

Ben Meyers' Summary Rating: 3.9|5.0 Stars ììì

Summary of The Rig: Season 1

The Rig: Season 1-begins with an interesting concept presented in Episode 1. Episodes 2 through 5 drag. Episode 6 picks up pace a bit to make its pitch for Season 2. The request for a Season 2 should have been an on-going request from its first episode. This watch works for an audience who does not respect the importance of demanding quality entertainment for time involvement. Note that there may be difficulty in understanding some dialogue lines due to the exceptionally thick Scottish accent of the actors as they fulfill the needs of the Scottish characters this televised series relies upon, but the series is excellently subtitled to overcome the handicap.  

Television Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

An offshore oil rig becomes troubled by supernatural events. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Directors John Strickland and Alex Holmes for directing effort. Thank you to Amazon for Prime Video for distribution. Thank you to Executive Producers Derek Wax and John Strickland for making the film possible. Cast includes: Iain Glen, Emily Hampshire, Martin Compston, and Mark Bonnar. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Maybe. While it’s not a terrible watch, it doesn’t have a lot of story to work with and basically tells the same story in the same setting over and over and over through each episode. It’s a time killer with no benefit provided other than something for the eyes to follow while sitting on a couch. 

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

Episode 1

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.1|5.0 Starsìììì 

Episode 1—unusual, obscure—presents a limited stage setting, small cast, and redundant job positions that do not allow for expansion for a long running series. There is no relief to develop characters beyond what is. The episode is interesting but further development is likely going to run into problems rather like a short story that tries to enter the realm of a full-length novel. Episode 1 works at the edge of weird and loses its ability to be the high quality watch so desired in television series. In spite of this, Episode 1 does manage to create minor anticipation for Episode 2. The acting is good and the presentation is good/suitable. The story does not have high quality writing. The subtitles are good and help with dialogue that can be a bit difficult to understand for the international audience. 

Additional Thanks

Thank you to John Strickland for directing effort. Cast includes: Iain Glen, Emily Hampshire, Martin Compston, and Mark Bonnar.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. Episode 1 is a good/suitable watch that makes one think about what it is like to work on a drilling rig on the ocean. To proceed further with this series seems unnecessary after watching Episode 1. 

Ben Meyers

Episode 2

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì 

Episode 2—bland, simple—does not leave much hope that the series will improve. The watch does not go anywhere. The acting is good and the presentation is good/okay.  The storyline leads its audience into Episode 3  but most audiences will not want to follow the lead.  

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to John Strickland for directing effort. Cast includes: Iain Glen, Emily Hampshire, Martin Compston, and Mark Bonnar.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Maybe. Not much happens here except increased gloom and eeriness. 

Ben Meyers

Episode 3

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì 

Episode 3—shrouded in mystery—does not shed light on why this series should continue. Its sole purpose seems to be leading the audience to watch another episode rather than developing a good storyline. Its reason for being seems lost. There is some suspense but definitely not on the level of series like Gunslinger Girl or X-Files.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director John Strickland for directing effort. Cast includes: Iain Glen, Emily Hampshire, Martin Compston, and Mark Bonnar.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Maybe. This episode has a small improvement in presentation. 

Ben Meyers

Episode 4

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì 

Episode 4—low-grade—tangibly tries to move the story forward. The acting is good/fair. The writer  has incorporated some suggestive themes into the basic storyline possibly in an attempt to increase interest.  

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director  Alex Holmes for directing effort. Cast includes: Iain Glen, Emily Hampshire, Martin Compston, and Mark Bonnar.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Maybe. An audience who wants to finish the series only has two more short episodes to watch. The obscurity in story continues with no real reason for the obscurity.

Episode 5

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.8|5.0 Starsììì 

Episode 5 continues its attempts to be mysterious but reveals a small peek that is rather comical and the audience may decide that Episode 6 will be the big 'reveal.' . 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Alex Holmes for directing effort.  Cast includes: Iain Glen, Emily Hampshire, Martin Compston, Mark Addy, and Mark Bonnar. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Maybe. The series continues to work at the bland level. Mark Addy appears in this episode and boosts the interest level of this episode. 

Ben Meyers

Episode 6

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì 

Episode 6 concludes with a cliffhanger as its bid to watch Season 2. But the cliffhanger is not strong enough to encourage further watching. The series continues its blandness through Episode 6 and while Mark Addy reprises his role in this episode, it is not enough to help the storyline. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Alex Holmes for directing effort.  Cast includes: Iain Glen, Emily Hampshire, Martin Compston, Mark Addy, and Mark Bonnar.  

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. The episodes need much improvement in depth of writing. 

Ben Meyers