Is Rubicon is the Best Show You're Not Watching? (Hint: Yes)
Look, I gave up on this show, too. I mean, the original showrunner gave up on this show for "creative differences." That's a pretty terrible sign. I was actually supposed to cover Rubicon on a weekly basis, but I didn't particularly care for the first episode (though, that train wreck was certainly cool!) and the show, after one recap, became an afterthought. I even went as far to remove it from my DVR queue (which is rare considering that I still have something called The Loop, which hasn't been on the air since 2007, on my DVR queue). A funny thing happened: AMC kept sending me early screeners and, eventually, I could no longer keep staring at poor James Badge Dale on the cover of the DVD, running toward me, begging me to watch. So I started watching. I watched as far as the episode that's airing this coming Sunday. My reaction: Holy hell, this has become a really good show.
At one point, Rubicon was in prime position to set the world record for "slowest paced episodic television show." I even joked that I wasn't smart enough to understand Rubicon. As it turned out, though, it wasn't particularly confusing, it was just boring. Through the first three episodes, no character ever seemed to turn on a light let alone say something interesting. Minutes of screen time would be spent watching a guy we barely knew sit alone in the dark. I'd think, wait, that's what I'm doing right now; why would I want to watch someone else to that on television?
Rubicon, if you're not up to speed, is the story of Will Travers (James Badge Dale) who works at an independent intelligence agency called API, an organization whose purpose is to analyze the intelligence from all the different government agencies in an effort to help those agencies communicate with each other. Will's boss (and former father-in-law) is murdered and he attempts to get to the bottom of what happened -- while being bugged by his own employer -- while, at the same time, help his team decode information which can prevent a terrorist attack.
Somewhere, around the sixth episode, something happened. I mean that literally -- something finally happened. But things kept happening and, most importantly, the characters started developing personalities. I'm not making this up, Kale Ingrim (Arliss Howard) just may be the best character on television right now. See, that was a problem with the early episodes, the conspiracy of what happened to David, Will's murdered boss, took precedence over, you know, building characters.
If you ducked out early, you left too soon. But that's not your fault, it shouldn't take a series half a season to get interesting. I'm just letting you know (an "FYI," if you will), that with two unaired episodes left, it's gotten really good.
If you don't want to catch up On-Demand or iTunes, here's the basics of where we are headed going into Sunday: Will has gotten way too close to the truth about David's death and how this all ties into a pending terrorist attack. So close that Truxton Spangler -- the head of API -- ordered a hit (that's slang for, "will you please kill this man for me in exchange for some money?") on Will. It failed, barely, and Kale was called in by Will to clean up the mess in his apartment -- a la The Wolf in Pulp Fiction. The Katherine Rhumor (Miranda Richardson) storyline is finally paying off. She and Will frequently converse and, as it turns out, her husband, who killed himself in the first episode, was very much a part of this entire conspiracy. So much so that it drove him to suicide. Also, Grant is not near as prickish as he was in the first few episodes; he's actually become a likable enough guy.
We live in a society of forgiveness. You need to forgive Rubicon. This is certainly not one of those pieces -- you know, admonishing you for having the audacity not to be interested in the finer aspects of what I happen to feel is great television. You were right to give up on Rubicon, it was going nowhere. Though, miraculously, with a new showrunner, it turned itself around and did go somewhere. Somewhere pretty great, actually. I can't blame you if you don't watch -- especially if you feel compelled to sludge through the first few episodes -- but, I promise, you'll be rewarded. (Or, at least, I promise that it's better than The Loop.)
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Comments
Great show; and yes, nothing really happened at all in the half of the season. There were times when I thought "why the hell am I still watching this?" But now it's my favorite show on TV.
I never gave up on it, and I'm glad I didn't because it is excellent TV. I wouldn't say the show was boring in the beginning, but I would say that it requires patience (which I don't see as being equal to being boring). It has a lot in common with a show like The Wire where it _seems_ like nothing's happening in the beginning of a season, and you're not really sure what or who you should be focusing on the most, and what significance that thing or person might hold, but your patience pays off in spades as the plot snowballs.
I agree with the thought that the first half of the season wasn't as much boring as it required patience. Even through those slower episodes where nothing seemed to happen, I found myself wanting to watch the next episode immediately. I wonder if this show might have more success as a DVD release where you can pound it out in a weekend or so. What am I saying, EVERY show nowadays is a better DVD release. And yes, Arliss Howard played The Wolf in last week's episode better than Harvey Keitel did!
Thank you for this wonderful article - and giving Rubicon the props that it deserves. It is an excellent show that has gotten better and better and become the BEST show on T.V. The only problem is that viewers may have given up too early and the ratings are low. Thus - Rubicon may be in trouble in terms of being renewed for a second season. All loyal fans need to email amc at
amccustomerservice@amctv.com and let them know how wonderful this show is and that it DESERVES a second season! I think if enough fans band together - we can let AMC know that there show is incredible - people WILL and DO watch - and more people WILL watch when word of mouth spreads because of articles like these. Thank you!
I agree---The Loop was a pretty good show for 1 season.
BEST SHOW ON T.V.! Started off good but slow - and got better and better - episode 4 on have been amazing- it's the best show on the air. Long Live another season!
It very well could be. I wouldn't know, because I'm not watching it.
Hmm...sorry, I loved it from the start. The whole business with Will dealing with Spangler and also Kale (gay, no less -- Arliss Howard is fantastic) made me keep tuning in. Originally, I watched it on my iPhone but started watching in "real time" when True Blood wrapped up. It reminds me of something British. Low key, few explosions. Running before Mad Men makes this a fab two-hour block on Sunday nights.
That's actually how I came to Dexter (watching the first full season on OnDemand). I couldn't imagine it would be something I liked, but now it's a fave. Sometimes it helps to not have to wait week to week.
Totally agree. I was ready to give up on it, but damn the last few episodes have been intriguing.
Is this what watching The Wire as it unfolded was like? I had the good fortune to be able to plow through The Wire on DVD. Loved it, but I sometimes wonder, if I had watched it at 1 hour per week, would I have given up? Especially those first two seasons.
Not saying Rubicon is going to be The Wire of conspiracy shows, mind you.
Liked it from the start. Very subtle storylines, visual details you have to watch closely to get, we thought it was a hit from the first show. The lighting and film angles and the New York neighborhoods are facinating but maybe you'd have to have spent time in NYC to pick up on that part. So many details going on it seems like an hour show lasts longer but not from boredom - it's intrigue. While in college my friends and I postulated that there was a group of industrialists in league with the gov't to start wars and skirmishes around the world, assisinate individuals or cause the deaths of masses to sell weapons and other products, obtain raw resources and to affect the markets resulting in the ultimate of personal power and profit. Couple of decades later here is a TV show hinting the same thing. Deja vu. Love it. Never saw The Wire.
I always find the mark of a good show to be whether I get engrossed enough in the world to want to be there week after week. This show I feel myself LONGING to be back in the world. They've created such a rich landscape and there's something really compelling (and sometimes creepy) about it and it just works. Not to mention all of the characters are so well-written and the actors are sublime. I think AMC knows that they have a slow-build show here and are probably going to renew it, viewers be damned. By this time next season I bet word of mouth has gained the show tons of new viewers, because it's SO worth it.
I always find the mark of a good show to be whether I get engrossed enough in the world to want to be there week after week. This show I feel myself LONGING to be back in the world. They've created such a rich landscape and there's something really compelling (and sometimes creepy) about it and it just works. Not to mention all of the characters are so well-written and the actors are sublime. I think AMC knows that they have a slow-build show here and are probably going to renew it, viewers be damned. By this time next season I bet word of mouth has gained the show tons of new viewers, because it's SO worth it.
I've been thinking the same thing.
Yes, the pace was extraordinarily slow, so slow in fact that it was probably a realistic portrayal of what really goes on in intelligance agencies. I've always liked the show for the very reason it seems the only example of realism in the entire gendre. Don't get me wrong, I love watching sexy young blondes save us all from terrorists, but I also love seeing writers write and actors act closer to the way the human brainiacs who are really protecting us from terror, foreign and domestic, probably do.
Totally agree with this article. I gave up on it after 2 shows. Then one night I turned on AMC thinking it's time for "Mad Men" but I'm an hour early so I thought what the heck and next thing I know, I'm gripped! The pacing for the season reminds me of doing a huge jigsaw puzzle where you spend the first hour looking for those edge pieces and then BOOM, it all starts to come together & you get the picture. The last 2 episodes in particular have been excellent and kept me on the edge ofmy seat. And what about the acting and that cast?! Just fantastic.
Pray to God this gets another season. I'm sick to death of garbage like "How I Met Your Mother" and "Private Practice" getting renewed into syndication infinity while a great THINKING show like this may not get a chance.
Yes, the pace was extraordinarily slow, so slow in fact that it was probably a realistic portrayal of what really goes on in intelligance agencies. I've always liked the show, for the very reason it seems the only example of realism in the entire gendre, though I always wished the pace to pick up, and was glad when it did. Don't get me wrong, I love watching sexy young blondes save us all from terrorists, but I also love seeing writers write and actors act the way the human brainiacs who are really protecting us from terror probably do.
This show is really wonderful. All the characters/actors are great, the writing is good, the directing is good. I love the languid pace, less slow than deliberate.
Rubicon is an outstanding creation!! The acting and the filming is brilliant. The storyline is mezmerizing and compelling. This is television at it's very best. Please continue this production!! I anticipate the next show all week long, read the blogs, and do crosswords and online games to keep myself in analytical shape.
Rubicon began slowly but continuously picked up momentum with each succeeding episode. It is now one of my families most watched shows. It would be a shame to drop the show- it is one of the few shows that requires you to pay attention to the plot. If they drop the show- I will not watch any more open ended serialized shows-- I will have had it with the idiot cable net works
I loved this show from the very 1st episode! The action was all mental & mysterious. I will be heart-broken if it's not renewed.
Totally agree. I gave up in the middle of 5th episode. Then people told me I should really go on. Watched episode 6 (never watched the end of the 5th), 7... And 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. And am eagerly waiting for season 2. A brilliant show, with acting I had not seen for a while, a conspiration theory which seems "likely", not something you would never believe, characters totally humans, full of contradictions, weaknesses.
The best show on TV currently. Really hope it gets a second season. Else I'll have to watch it again, without skipping end of episode 5 😉
I stuck with Rubicon from the very beginning. Great television, great actors and I loved every minute of it. Bring it back for a second season!!! Please!!!
Rubicon was the best show on TV.