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The Rig is a new Prime Video series, and I don’t know much much water seems to ‘fart’ as gas escapes to the surface, but that happens in the opening of this six-parter.
It’s a series where a camera ‘zooms’ around the rig, showing various members of the cast in a sweeping motion, including shots as it shows the cast working inside the structure, when it’s clear that particular shot is filming the cast with a false outer wall over the top of them.
There’s a lot of strong Scots accents in this drama, so it doesn’t help that the preview I’m watching doesn’t have subtitles, while the cast moan at each other, existing on ‘banter’.
But if you’re looking for a plot, there’s been a power failure on a nearby platform, which is affecting crew from getting away for the next changeover, so they can go home and relax. Sure, they’ll get some overtime, but they want to get back to their friends and family.
But with a fog coming, is this… The Fog?
Early on, you see a fire burning off, but while I’m not an expert in this sort of thngs, I’ve no idea just how much they’re in danger, or whether it’s all within safety limits. Either way, a lot of things seem to shake, rattle and roll, causing everyone to hang on for dear life. Is it all down to the fact they’re drilling into the Earth and it’s pushing back?
However, it’s causing an even bigger problem… the TV signal is out!
In The Rig, some crew are at each other’s throats, some are having it away with each other, some are about to experience rag-doll physics when the fog descends and they have a trip or fall that will enable them to call Claims Direct.
The premise talks about supernatural stuff happening as a result, and there’s certainly some weird activity out there, but as to what it is, you’ll need to watch to find out.
However, since there’s also a team of people stuck in a remote location with no means of escape, it also clearly borrows from another John Carpenter movie, The Thing. Let’s see if anyone’s head falls off.
Yep, after two episodes of this, I’m not wholly sold on it at all. Maybe I’ll check out more if it turns out to be amazing from the reviews, but for now, I think I’ll swim back to land…
Thanks to our friends at Prime Video for the screener prior to release.
The Rig is on Prime Video from Friday January 6th, and the entire series is online from day one.
Cert: 
Running time: 45-55 minutes per episode (6 episodes)
Release date: January 6th 2023
Studio: Prime Video
Format: 2.00:1
Series Directors: John Strickland, Alex Holmes
Creator: David Macpherson
Producers: Matt Brown, Suzanne Reid
Writers: David Macpherson, Matthew Jacobs Morgan, Meg Salter
Music: Blanck Mass
Cast:
Fulmer Hamilton: Martin Compston
Rose Mason: Emily Hampshire
Magnus MacMillan: Iain Glen
Baz Roberts: Calvin Demba
Heather Shaw: Molly Vevers
Easter Ayodeji: Abraham Popoola
Cat Braithwaite: Rochenda Sandall
Grant Dunlin: Richard Pepple
Lars Hutton: Owen Teale
Colin Murchison: Stuart McQuarrie
Garrow: Cameron Fulton
Roughneck: Steven Barr
Kacey: Neshla Caplan
Coake: Mark Addy
Harish: Nikhil Parmar
Leck Longman: Emun Elliott
Charlie CR10: Neila Stephens
Alwyn: Mark Bonnar
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.