The Rig – Series 2 Review
First Reaction – The Rig Series 2 lacks the depth for the bigger story.
Watch The Rig on Prime.
Director: John Strickland
Writer: David Macpherson (Creator)
Cast
- Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek)
- Iain Glen (Resident Evil Franchise)
- Mark Addy (A Knights Tale)
- Alice Krige (Chariots of Fire)
- Owen Teale (Game of Thrones)
Plot: A group of workers on a remote Scottish oil rig are due to return to the mainland when a mysterious fog enshrouds them and supernatural forces take hold.
Runtime: 50 Minutes Per Episode
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Verdict on The Rig Series 2
Episode 1
The returning episode follows the crew relocated to a remote base by Coake (Addy). They are offered a deal to keep quiet, as Rose (Hampshire) and Magnus (Glen) must discover what the company is all about. Elsewhere, the countries are recovering from the devastating tidal wave which hit the coastal areas in the North Sea. The crew get to learn more about the organisation as they prepare to help solve the problems the supernatural threat leaves them facing.
The returning episode creates a bigger mystery and unlocks a bigger one. It grabs our attention and reunites us with the crew. This has leaned more into the sci-fi and away from the horror now, but that has helped by embracing the final sequence of the last season. We are prepared for the bigger battle they are facing and left wanting to see what can be unlocked. (4/5)
Episode 2
This episode follows the team facing an emergency. They both have somebody trapped on the bottom of the ocean and they must put their differences aside to rescue them. This involves a daring operation to move the base and see the dangers on the ice. Elsewhere, other members of the team return to the mainland to see the aftermath of the destruction and hope to find their loved ones.
This episode sets up everything moving forward. It creates the sides on the station between Rose and Coake. Elsewhere, we see what is happening on the mainland. The sides have been drawn and now it becomes the battle to stay ahead of each other. It is a nice set up episode, as we wait to see what is going to happen in the future. (3/5)
Episode 3
This episode starts with Coake seeing an opportunity to take control. Elsewhere, Hutton and Cat continue their search for Cat’s wife. The team on the base face challenges for control and the mystery behind the connection and the ancestor takes over.
This is a slower episode, it focus more on the human conflict over the bigger problem. It struggles to get going on the same level it needed to after the first two episodes. (2/5)
Episode 4
This episode follows the aftermath of the incident on the base. It sees Magnus and Rose needing to make the big decision on what to do next. However, the battle for power remains strong. Elsewhere, Hutton and Cat continue to clash over what to do on the mainland.
This episode moves the battle for control forward, as we see Magnus and Rose use their strengths to maintain control. However, the search for motivation takes control making it difficult to stay in power. It is a slower episode keeping things around the human battle for control and not diving into the supernatural side of things enough. (3/5)
Episode 5
This episode starts with Bremner needing to be talking down, while his reasoning comes to light. Elsewhere, Cat prepares to help with her wife’s medical treatment as the mainland problems are spiralling out of control. Meanwhile, Magnus leads his team through an encounter they never expected to get.
We are now finding ourselves in the third episode with the same story of control happening. Everything on the base is getting repetitive. Even though the stuff on the mainland is still interesting seeing how the battle for power in the organisation has. The most interesting side of the episode comes from the mystery about the Ancestors. (3/5)
Episode 6
This episode starts with the team recovering from the incident and deciding what to do next. It leaves them with a startling revelation that changes their position on control. The company is still trying to cover up the incident and Magnus and Rose lead the charge to expose the truth, but they need proof.
For the final episode, we get the see the unity between the original team as they look to save the day. It shows how quickly the company look to solve their problems and it doesn’t matter who gets in their way. Sadly, it feels more like a mid-season finally as it leaves too much open for a potential new season. (3/5)
Overall
The Rig Series 2 continues on from the cliffhanger ending of series 1. It starts promising with the bigger picture of what is going on. However, it struggles to keep the momentum, as it stumbles through a lot of human battles instead of the bigger connection to what is happening. It doesn’t help that the show is more interested in leaving things open to the next season, rather than completing a main story.
Final Thoughts –The Rig Series 2 starts well, but doesn’t get into the bigger story enough.
