Review: The Rig

The Rig is not one of the mega-budget streaming originals and it can be derivative at times, but it still delivers a gripping eco-horror thriller that is worth checking out.

There are lots and lots of scripted shows out there these days, and it is certainly hard to keep up with all of them (though we do our best here at The Sci Fi TV Site to put out as complete of a list as possible).  There are so many shows, including foreign entries, that sometimes they premiere and almost nobody knows that they are available (and I fault the streamers for not doing a good job of promoting their own originals).  One such show is The Rig which arrived on Amazon’s Prime Video on January 6th with almost no notice.

This Scottish-made production takes place on the oil rig Kinloch Bravo located in the North Sea.  Communication is cut off from the mainland and a strange cloud envelops the offshore platform.  Some of the crewmembers start manifesting strange behavior and dangerous tremors start to affect the rig leading the rest of the crew on a struggle for survival as a mysterious presence threatens them and the world beyond.

This is the latest in a long line of eco-horror thrillers and it sets up a tense and at times claustrophobic atmosphere as the people aboard the rig try to make sense of what is happening while trying to keep themselves alive.  The show is populated with its fair share of roughnecks along with the expected corporate types that have their own agenda (you almost expect Paul Reiser’s Burke to show up at some point).  But the writers add just enough characterization to keep them from turning into complete stereotypes and they offer some twists as the story progresses.  Plus, the actors make the most of their screen time as they bring their characters alive.

I won’t spoil the nature of the eco-terror, but you will probably figure out the gist by about mid-way through the show’s six-episode first-season run.  It does actually deliver an interesting big bad that has some basis in science and presents some challenging moral quandaries.  It doesn’t go quite into tree-hugging territory, but us humans do take some hits for indiscriminately ripping up the environment.

And if you have a recurring feeling that you have seen that actor somewhere before, it’s because you have.  The production includes quite a number of familiar faces including Shitz Creek’s Emily Hampshire playing against type as the corporate foil and Game of Thrones‘ Iain Glen as the troubled leader of the rig.  Other faces that will look familiar include Abraham Popoola (Andor), Rochenda Sandall (Doctor Who), Owen Teale (Game of Thrones), Stuary McQuarrie (Foundation), Mark Addy (Game of Thrones), and Nikhil Parmar (Foundation).

This is not a mega-dollar production like Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power or Netflix’s The Sandman, but it doesn’t need to be and it makes the most of what money it has.  The Rig appears to mix in practical effects with CGI and the set for the offshore platform is rather effective.  And while it can be cheesy at times, the production values are mostly solid.  Combine that with the stand-up job by the actors and a mostly solid storyline (even if not completely original), and you have a sleeper of a sci fi series.

Unfortunately, the first season ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger and does not resolve all the main storylines, and there is no guarantee this one will stick around for a second season.  The fact that it is not a super-expensive original should help, but since it received next to no promotion, I’m not sure many people have tuned in so far.  It is still worth a look, especially if you are a fan of the eco-horror subgenre.  And it is a pretty quick watch at six episodes all around the 50-minute length.  But whether or not a second season of this little-known series will make it to Prime Video (or shift to another venue) may depend on fans making some noise to assure it gets some attention. [Update: This show has been renewed for a second season.]

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