RUBICON

[Maui]

The interwebs are a-buzz with Rubicon news. AMC’s new drama is described as a conspiracy thriller. The show won’t debut until August, but AMC has aired a telling sneak preview foreshadowing the plot of the entire first season. They’ve also made the preview episode available online and that means you can watch it now.

Rubicon follows an analyst, portrayed by actor James Badge Dale (The Pacific, The Departed) who becomes part of a New York City Think Tank project full of mysterious twists and turns. Dale here sports fuzzy curls, a departure from his usual close cropped, almost military look. I suppose the new hairstyle is that of an intelligent mind. You know, like Einstein. Jessica Collins, Dallas Roberts, Miranda Richardson, Christopher Evan Welch, Arliss Howard, and Lauren Hodges are also in the cast. For me the show feels like a political version of CSI. I was also heavily reminded of Robert Redford’s film, Three Days of the Condor. Others have compared Rubicon to the West Wing.

Rubicon is defined in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary as a bounding or limiting line; especially one that when crossed commits a person irrevocably. Clever title, no? The show’s tagline is “Not every conspiracy is a theory.” We covered the show’s preview earlier this month in case you missed it. AMC is also the network of Breaking Bad, which is going to enjoy a 4th season. You can read about that on BSC. AMC is also the place for The Walking Dead, a series for which we have casting news. As for Rubicon, the show premieres August 1st

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I've already watched the pilot episode (which is available online), it's rather impressive. Thx SFG for the rec!



Hey, it's Leckie from The Pacific.

[John-Locke]

I watched about 30-35 minutes before falling asleep out of a mixture of extreme tiredness and pure boredom. From what I saw these guys are paid to analyse stuff (what exactly I don't know) in case there is some kind of national security threat or something? wha? Needed more explanation. The dialogue was way too complex and impenetrable to follow when they are talking shop and unless things took a dramatic turn in the last 10 minutes I had no idea why his boss was killed for telling his superior about the crossword thing which made no sense as it was, don't even get me started on the train crash stuff, do they not have drivers or was it going backwards when it crashed? OHHHH IT'S ALL SOME MASSIVE CONSPIRACY!!!!111???

I'm going to try the pilot again at some point to see if I missed something but it all seemed a bit too clever and complex for it's own good going on first impressions.

[Maui]

I think the first episode did an excellent job of setting the tone, introducing the characters and confusing us all. The crossword puzzle stuff was rather convoluted - how it led to that guy's death BUT we aren't supposed to know yet. It's the pilot. You want answers too soon. The train crash is curious. Maybe the answers on the crossword puzzle were track coordinates for those 2 trains. Doh! Well, no not really, we know that 3 of the answers on the crossword puzzle represented government sectors, the 4th answer is unknown (or something like that). AMC has a great record with Breaking Bad, Mad Men, etc. and I'm sure Rubicon and soon The Walking Dead will be no exception to AMC's near perfect programming.

I loved the 70s look and feel of this show and James Badge Dale is fantastic. He's a rising star I say. One to watch out for.

13

[stereosforgeeks]

I think the first episode did an excellent job of setting the tone, introducing the characters and confusing us all. The crossword puzzle stuff was rather convoluted - how it led to that guy's death BUT we aren't supposed to know yet. It's the pilot. You want answers too soon. The train crash is curious. Maybe the answers on the crossword puzzle were track coordinates for those 2 trains. Doh! Well, no not really, we know that 3 of the answers on the crossword puzzle represented government sectors, the 4th answer is unknown (or something like that). AMC has a great record with Breaking Bad, Mad Men, etc. and I'm sure Rubicon and soon The Walking Dead will be no exception to AMC's near perfect programming.

I loved the 70s look and feel of this show and James Badge Dale is fantastic. He's a rising star I say. One to watch out for.

13

I think it shows a lot of promise but really it all depends on how the show progresses at this point.

[Ribbons]

So, wait... this show ISN'T about the Jeep vehicle?

[MacCready]

Or Julius Caesar?





fail

[burlivesleftnut]

I really liked this, though the sudden death of Peter Gerety in the pilot sickened me. Why taunt us with a hot Irish drunk and then kill him in the first episode. AMC are assholes always now.

[TheBaxter]

I really liked this, though the sudden death of Peter Gerety in the pilot sickened me. Why taunt us with a hot Irish drunk and then kill him in the first episode. AMC are assholes always now.

they could always bring him back in The Walking Dead.

[Ribbons]

Has anybody been watching this show? I've recorded them all so far, but I haven't seen an episode yet.

[The Vicar]

Not yet - I just got AMC though, so my odds are going up. See if Mad Men is kark or what. Have a ringside for The Walking Dead. Yeah booooyyyy.

[stereosforgeeks]

The last episode was really great. It's basically dealing with thew human aspects of intelligence analysts. Do we kill "so and so" or don't we.

It's finally feeling like a lived in world.

[Maui]

The last episode was really great. It's basically dealing with thew human aspects of intelligence analysts. Do we kill "so and so" or don't we.

It's finally feeling like a lived in world.

Yeah, I think that picture of Obama helped.

AND thank god that preschool narration did not return for last night's recap of past episodes. What a painful experience that was week before last to listen to him recap what's been going on. Does AMC really think this show is that hard to follow that the viewers require this type of hand holding?

Anyways, I've been hooked from the pilot episode. Good stuff.

[TheBaxter]

i've been taping it, just looking for an opportunity to watch.

[RaulMonkey]

Yes, I think I like the cut of this show's jib. Over the course of four episodes I've gone from skeptical to intrigued to admiring. The "conspiracy" itself seems to be something that could plausibly occur in the real world, as opposed to a fantasy about some huge power that controls every aspect of our lives and is the root of all suffering. More "All the President's Men" than "The Matrix."

[Fried Gold]

After three episodes I'm hooked. It is rather intriguing stuff and they are taking their time with story.

James Badge Dale is much better in this than he was in The Pacific (although that may have been more a problem with The Pacific than with him).

I like the points where Miles, having worked through some intelligence and figuring out the key outcomes, becomes troubled that it all gets ignored (by whatever authorities he thinks he's ultimately working for).

Ingram is a weird fellow.

(also UKers, BBC4 are going to be showing this soon)

[Nice Marmot]

Really liking the show. However, most of the time I'm wondering why Will and Kale aren't trying MUCH harder to not get caught or noticed. I feel like I would do a better job being secretive without any training.

Also the relationship between Will and the artist woman across the way seemed pretty damn rushed to me.

Other than that, great show. I love what was set up at the end of the last one.

[Fried Gold]

Also the relationship between Will and the artist woman across the way seemed pretty damn rushed to me.

Possibly. But it comes at a time when he's in desperate need for someone to trust in and, for a complete stranger, she let's him invade her apartment with a hokey story.

[stereosforgeeks]

This show turned out to be pretty awesome. The actual conspiracy was been there done that but the workplace intelligence analyst stuff worked really well. I hope we do get a second season and it could be likely as AMC owns the building where most of it is filmed.

[TonyWilson]

I have about 10 episodes on my hard drive to catch up with, I'm pleased to hear it's still good TV despite the change in showrunner.

[Fried Gold]

I have about 10 episodes on my hard drive to catch up with, I'm pleased to hear it's still good TV despite the change in showrunner.

As far as I'm aware, the pilot was the only episode the original showrunner worked on.

[stereosforgeeks]

I have about 10 episodes on my hard drive to catch up with, I'm pleased to hear it's still good TV despite the change in showrunner.

As far as I'm aware, the pilot was the only episode the original showrunner worked on.

I think it was the 4th or 5th episode where you can really see the second showrunner's fingers on it and also where it becomes something truly interesting.

[Nice Marmot]

Also the relationship between Will and the artist woman across the way seemed pretty damn rushed to me.

Possibly. But it comes at a time when he's in desperate need for someone to trust in and, for a complete stranger, she let's him invade her apartment with a hokey story.

NOW what do you think???

[Fried Gold]

Also the relationship between Will and the artist woman across the way seemed pretty damn rushed to me.

Possibly. But it comes at a time when he's in desperate need for someone to trust in and, for a complete stranger, she let's him invade her apartment with a hokey story.

NOW what do you think???

About what?

[Nice Marmot]

Have you watched the finale? I'm talking bout Will and the lady across the way having a relationship that I felt was rushed, in which he blabs to her way too much (not careful enough as usual) and on top of that, she's a friggin' agent, monitoring the situation? I don't know. Way too much of a coincidence.

Love the show, though!

[Fried Gold]

Have you watched the finale? I'm talking bout Will and the lady across the way having a relationship that I felt was rushed, in which he blabs to her way too much (not careful enough as usual) and on top of that, she's a friggin' agent, monitoring the situation? I don't know. Way too much of a coincidence.

Love the show, though!

That didn't particularly surprise me though.

What seemed strange was the way Will just walked away from Catherine Rhumour after she'd was Markoved.

It had a feel of one of The X-Files season finales about it - the way the team is completely shaken up, a conspiracy is partly blown open, and key sources are killed off.

[RaulMonkey]

It had a feel of one of The X-Files season finales about it - the way the team is completely shaken up, a conspiracy is partly blown open, and key sources are killed off.

I miss Deep Throat.

[Fried Gold]

It had a feel of one of The X-Files season finales about it - the way the team is completely shaken up, a conspiracy is partly blown open, and key sources are killed off.

I miss Deep Throat.

It's okay though, he gets replaced by Black Deep Throat.

[Nice Marmot]

RUBICON just found a four leafed clover. . .

http://www.deadline.com/2010/11/the-can ... on-wheels/

[Fried Gold]

RUBICON just found a four leafed clover. . .

http://www.deadline.com/2010/11/the-can ... on-wheels/

Fail.

[TheBaxter]

ok, so i just heard this was cancelled. i didn't watch it, but was thinking of catching up with it on dvd. my question is, knowing the show will be confined to this one single season, does it have a satisfying conclusion? or does it end with a cliffhanger, or with lots of dangling threads that will now never be resolved. i don't want to waste my time watching this if it's just going to be a dead end.

[Fried Gold]

my question is, knowing the show will be confined to this one single season, does it have a satisfying conclusion?

Yes.

or does it end with a cliffhanger

No.

or with lots of dangling threads that will now never be resolved.

Not especially.