The Rig (2023– ) User Reviews

Ridiculous character spoils it all

[ben-j-ellis · 5/10 · 11 January 2023]

I will concede that I do not, and have never worked on a rig. So if you have, and I'm wrong, feel free to correct me.

That said I cannot believe that a personality like that of the character "Hutton" would ever be allowed to work on a rig. Every unrealistic minute he's on screen irritated the heck out of us and ruined a promising show.

Smashing up the surgery during emergency treatment of a colleague, openly challenging the chain of command, shouting, physically threatening colleagues of both genders. That guy wouldn't be allowed to work anywhere, let alone a rig.

Just couldn't deal with that one character. Not the actor's fault he is obviously poorly written and poorly directed towards histrionics.

So so

[antide-42376 · 5/10 · 10 January 2023]

This wasn't as good as I hoped that it would be. A largely good cast give decent performances although Emily Hampshire isn't always convincing and I felt the part was too big for her at times. The story is in very basic terms a global warning, harm the planet anymore and it sure as hell will harm us.

Six parts was too long for this drama and it definitely dragged at times. It also gets a touch too preachy and sends home it's message with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Will there be a second series? It does end with the possibility that there could be but I'm not too sure I would bother with it if this happens.

First 4 eps were very enjoyable

[hazzaboombatty · 7/10 · 11 January 2023]

I must be in the minority on this one and I'm sure lots of people who disagree with me will downvote this review in disgust or perhaps because they can't accept that other people might enjoy something that they didn't enjoy and they want their opinion's constantly reflected back to them.

But... I thoroughly enjoyed this and watched the first 3 together and would rate those 8 for enjoyment. Ep 4 was ok and the last 2 didn't enjoy as much and I found the climate messaging to be hamfisted and a bit preachy but as I say I did actually enjoy it overall and not really sure why people seem to be down down on this show.

I'd give it a go if you haven't tried it. Love the actors too especially the GoT brethren.

Great binge watch

[rosemaryandthyme · 7/10 · 6 January 2023]

Not sure why the negative reviews. This series reminds me of Vigil but I am enjoying it far more. There are some stellar and well known faces in this series, especially Owen Teale in a different role for him. Also it seems to me that anything with Martin Compston or Mark Bonnar in it is sure to be a good watch and they have not disappointed. It's not particularly original, there are subtle shades of Alien, The Thing and various other horror movies that I can't remember the titles of, but definitely not as frightening. This is a good solid thriller and mystery to enjoy after the excitement of Christmas and the current wet weather here in Oz.

what a mess

[redinnevada · 3/10 · 6 May 2023]

Given the star power involved in this endeavor, I immediately thought "oh, this'll be good!" plus I usually enjoy a good disaster movie having grown up on the first forays into the genre in the 70's. Even campy disaster movies can be great fun just for the thrills of there-by-the-skin-of-my-teeth near death experiences they evoke.

But the truest disaster here was how much it devalued these stellar actors by making me wonder "what the heck were they thinking?"

Did NONE of them read the lazy script? The dialogue is brutal to have to listen to. It's so ridiculous, childish, tantrum throwing bs that it's actually comical, not worrisome. Not exactly what they were going for there, I'm sure.

Every other scene has every other actor flip-flopping on their attitude about what's happening and around and around they went.

Then throw in the most hateful character I've seen in a while and wow...just WOW! He's the main one I WANT to see die off and quickly, yet he's one of the survivors? Yah..no pleasure there.

This series had absolutely NO saving grace from start to finish. The ONLY reason I stuck it out was because I wanted to enjoy said death hateful person that never came.

Note to self: quit while ahead...turn this garbage off.

Fury from The Deep.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 13 January 2023]

Strange things happen on an oil rig in the middle of the sea when a strange fog descends, and a member of the crew suffers an accident.

The much anticipated Rig is one of those shows that you could easily watch in one gulp, it's very watchable, action packed and fast paced.

If you're a Doctor Who fan, and know Fury from The Deep, it's quite a similar storyline, it has that kind of vibe, I spent the first couple of episodes wondering exactly what was going on, was it a thriller, a mystery, it doesn't really fit one genre, it covers quite a few.

Some wonderful visuals and special effects, this series is jam packed with atmosphere, you get a real sense of claustrophobia here.

Billed very much as The Martin Compston series, and he is good, but in the first few episodes he's not hugely present, it's Owen Teale that stands out early on, but Compston does come into his own later on.

I won't argue that it's brilliant, there are quite a few flaws, but I did think it was very good.

7/10.

Starts well, but ultimately runs out of steam...

[kevdexxx · 4/10 · 10 January 2023]

My wife and I binged watched this over 3 nights, and it certainly started well, with an interesting premise, but then, it just became a bit weird. That's not to say it didn't keep us interested though, you kind of want to know what's going to happen next all of the way through, but not in a way that made it compelling, more curious to see what they were aiming for with the writing. I will also say that some of the effects were pretty shoddy, which, in this day and age, is unecessary. In the end, I thought it was a load of clichéd nonsense, which, while well acted and written, was a great disappointment.

Exciting series.

[andyreviews1974 · 9/10 · 13 January 2023]

Another fine no from Amazon Prime. It's no wonder people are turning their backs on terrestrial.

A very different kind of plot, all we seem to get are boring Police procedurals, and heavy, boring shows like Vigils, this dared to be a little different. The science fiction angle coming as a refreshing change. It may have felt a little bit slow in the middle section, but it was never slow, far from it. A good set of actors and actresses, and good use of CGI.

I don't understand why the reviews are so negative, reading some reviews, people are basing them on ten minutes of the first episode, it makes zero sense, misleading.

Stephen King's "The Mist" probably did it better

[daisyralphie · 6/10 · 6 January 2023]

After 40 years working on North Sea oil production platforms I was quite happy with the "1st Generation" oil rig sets, and the reasonably acurate patter. Remember lighting the flare with a shotgun. Just brushed over the lack of safety glasses and lack of oil risers. Visually good, however the story was not great. Stephen King's "The Mist" probably did it better.

Nice touch that most of the actors are named after North Sea oil fields.

Iain Glen - Magnus Molly Vevers - Heather Richard Pepple - Dunlin Martin Compston - Fulmer Owen Teale - Hutton Stuart McQuarrie - Murchison Mark Bonnar - Alwyn.

Absolute waste of a cool premise

[t-feier · 4/10 · 14 January 2023]

I've been looking forward to The Rig and really liked the premise of the show: An oil rig in the middle of nowhere gets enveloped by a mysterious fog that cuts off all communication while something huge begins to stir at the ocean floor. While this might sound exciting the creators completly squandered the potential of a great idea. The result is a poorly crafted by-the-numbers show that feels like it is based on a fifty year old script. Everything you'll see here has been done before and much better.

To be fair, there are a few good individual performances but that isnt enough to save the show. Especially since some other performances are so bad that the respective characters ruin every scene they are in.

The special effects and visuals are also pretty disappointing. The interior of the oil rig is pretty cool but everything on the outside looks so fake that its immersion breaking. The backgrounds look fake, the lighting is off and there is nothing like rain or wind that would convince the viewer that the show is taking place in the middle of the ocean. All things combined it often felt like watching an old sketch comedy show.

The worst part for me was that I've been waiting for some cool twist or a redeeming idea until the very end but that never came. No big revelation, no cosmic horror and no tough decisions or moral dilemmas. Almost everything is completly by the numbers and the cookie-cutter characters behave exactly like you would expect them to. In addition there are huge plot holes and nothing to ground the show in reality.

All things considered the show was a huge disappointment and doesn't even work as enjoyable schlock. Best save your time and watch something else.

How do people create such different perceptions on life

[hgydg · 9/10 · 7 January 2023]

If your open minded, then this is for you. Complete binge worthy tv. A different take on reality.

Human nature at its ugly and best, just loved it.

The series was interesting for the start, multiple layers and twists throughout.

The ending was on point (looking forward to the next episode in June 23)

Don't accept the low reviews, watch it yourself and make your own mind up. It's not for everyone but it's not meant to be for everyone.

If you get it, you will enjoy it. The acting was on point, really became involved in the whole programme.

It's a yes from me and I will be recommending this to my family and friends.

Edge of your seat downer. Spielberg could have made this so much better.

[bay-77008 · 6/10 · 6 January 2023]

I almost quit watching mid' first episode due to the unrelenting anger among the entire crew just about. However I stuck by and watched the entire series. On one hand it kept me watching while on the other I couldn't wait for it to end. All in all it was quite absurd and the characters were given little to work with in range other than anger and resentment. A little of that goes a long way and and this went all they way. The acting for the main characters, with the exception of the female lead, was what I'd expect from them - good, considering the direction and dialogue. I was disappointed in Emily Hampshire's performance, though, even if it did improve as the series progressed (or should I say regressed). I liked her in Schitt's Creek, so expected more.

* Best performance was by Mark Bonnar who was the only reason I stayed after the first episode.

I didn't mind the set and I felt like I was on the rig, so I don't agree with other reviews that make fun of it. But the plant life and the premise were a stretch and the ending was even worse than the beginning.

If you can get through the first episode you might hang on for the rest, but the anger might exhaust you. Wondering if the director understands nuance and any other feelings than plain anger. I'm thinking he was working out his own issues with some of the characters.

Textbook example for why most actors don't watch their own movies/shows

[jimshire · 2/10 · 20 January 2023]

Owen Teale's character "Hutton" is so unbelievably over the top and not believable in any cinematic reality or universe. I would wager my own immortal soul that Owen Teale could not bring himself to watch his own performance in this series. I'm so bummed over this series' train wreck of a performance because I view British "cinema" or "media" (whatever the appropriate term) as the last bastion of hope for any quality programming in 2022/23 because Hollywood is unilaterally hot garbage. So, I am being brutally honest even though it truly pains me to be this critical over something that I really wanted to be palatable :/ There's never been a better time for international productions to infiltrate the US's domestic market, so I pray they can bring their "A" game and be our "life raft" (pun intended) as we're starving over here for good old fashioned entertainment void of detracting ideologies.

Don't expect much.

[waggydj · 6/10 · 9 January 2023]

The two main things that let this drama down are the poor script and the dreadful visual effects. You don't empathise with any of the characters therefore you don't actually care what happens to them with little to no suspense. As for the visual effects, very poor. It is so obvious this was filmed on a set. The lighting is all wrong and actually takes you out of the story it's so bad. There are a number of great actors in this drama but some seem miscast and the others are trying their best with the poor writing. The story isn't new, it's just a few ideas from a selection of 80's movies cobbled together.

mass product+++mediocre+++SOS

[schak23 · 5/10 · 9 April 2023]

All in all underwhelming given the cast and the premise. The setting is brilliant and the basic idea - isolated group of people vs the unknown - does deliver some good moments and developments. Yet this series does heavily suffer from haphazard and hasty development of characters which seems to work for the needs of streamers to present loads of content, but at the expense of depth and plot.

The cast feels wasted given the quite bad writing and dialogue at times. Many of the characters are annoying and very often conflict and plot developments feel pointless. This whole story could be told in a feature length film - there is no need for 6 hours given that basically not much is happening regarding the key storyline.

There are tons of events which create suspense but at the end of the day it is about the organism they find and the fact that they find out about a mass extinction event. So, prepare for an interesting story which you get to see in between scenes and scenes of technical gibberish, last minute problems and so on. Also, the emotional impact on people on the rig as well as relationships on board all appear a little too shallow and rushed. And of course, modern policy adhering, there needs to be gay love and sensitive versus brutal men and Greta Thurnberg-ish black-and-white characterisation regarding the environmental and philosophical aspects of the story. Some of it makes sense, other aspects mentioned are just pointless.

I really do not get why this is designed to go on as the end suggests a continuation. At the end I kept scrolling forward and forward just so I see the end. Second season: Not for me, thank you.

Delivers Eco-Horror Thrills with Homespun Charm

[FilmFanatic2023 · 7/10 · 7 January 2023]

A supernatural thriller that follows a group of oil rig workers who become trapped on their rig by a strange fog. As they struggle to survive, they discover that their drilling may have awoken an ancient, supernatural force that wants to punish mankind for disturbing the natural order. Despite its predictable survival-horror plot, "The Rig" is elevated by its charming cast of characters and its underlying themes about the damage caused by oil work and our responsibility for it. While the central mystery may not be particularly original, the body horror and special effects are well-done and add to the tension. Overall, "The Rig" is a satisfying, if formulaic, watch that is worth checking out for fans of the genre.

Great cast, appalling script

[mbell-56214 · 2/10 · 9 January 2023]

With a strong cast and an intriguing storyline I was actually looking forward to this show. However, even in the first episode there was the all too familiar characters that we have all seen a million times before, including the angry at the company, aggressive, always looking to stir up trouble one.

The far fetched story is the least far fetched thing about this show, as on numerous occasions we see the crew act in such stupid ways as to ruin the whole premise of the show. 'Make sure you stick together', the boss tells them, only for them to split up so something bad can happen to them. Or the discover of something important where they decide to tell a couple of colleagues but not any of the bosses who are trying to get things sorted. Or the Head Engineer/Technician, (so arguably one of the most important people on the rig), been the one who undertakes the most dangerous/life threatening of tasks that anyone else could have done.

The writer of this show was been tipped as a rising star, but if this is his best work, then I hope we don't see anything else from him.

I expect better from Amazon, and this feels more like the badly written stuff I'd expect to see on Netflix.

Steven King could have done this one.

[theonlyrealmeo · 8/10 · 8 January 2023]

This was surprisingly well done. It starts off a bit slow while introducing the characters, which is a style that gets you involved. Then it slowly builds tensions. The threat is alien and powerful but is a fresh idea that is credible. It is not a story like a video arcade shoot-em-up, and that is a good thing. I'll watch HALO when I want that. The mystery is only slowly revealed and it keeps you wanting to know more, so as it is revealed you learn just how non-human, non-alien, and non-evil this possible existential threat could be. Or else how it could be a new best friend that can potentially cure all injury and disease and fill in the entire living history of the planet all the way to the beginning. IF. If the narrow minded knee-jerk fear-ruled arrogant high positioned "power elite" don't kill it first or else force it to kill us all.

Nothing in our way except human weakness, narrow minds, power struggles, and the slow learning curve versus a looming limits on time and patience.

I liked that they left so much unsaid and so many plot possibilities open.

Spoiler ahead: On the rescue copter new questions emerge. Like, just where they were flying to (if 'not home'), how much remains of the human landscape after the new slip(s) and tsunami(s), and did anyone survive on the rig or the families on-shore.

Plenty of openings for a sequel.

It does not look like it should be especially pricey to make and if I am any example there is an audience.

How about it? Any plans yet for a "The Rig 2"?

Enjoyable schlock, but...

[TomFarrell63 · 6/10 · 8 January 2023]

I found this to be very easy watching,but there are several things that stopped it from being really good.

Won't mention any names,but some of the acting, including from fairly major characters, was truly lamentable and stopped this from being believable! Seemed to me that they were more schooled in stage acting than film/TV productions, with wildly over the top facial expressions at times!

Also, at times it didn't feel like it was filmed on an oil rig at all,I don't know if it was or it wasn't,but at times it had a stagey/set feel about it which took away from the feeling of isolation,that to me, it should have had.

Having said all this,it was an easy watch,just switch your brain off before you start viewing, and don't question it too much. I'm sure some of the bigger names in this might leave it off their CV though!

Written by a child and painful to watch

[fallyhag · 4/10 · 7 January 2023]

You don't need to watch for long to know that this is another dumbed down TV drama made for the lowest common denominator. It feels like it has been written and produced by children. It is just so painfully made.

Full of non sensical scenarios. Exaggerated characters. Convenient story lines. Ridiculous dramatic music that feels more suited to a parody.

I recognise a lot of faces in this and know they can act. But this is just too much of a lemon to hope for any success in the acting department. They all come across as amateurs. The story and direction sinks them all.

I have no idea why this was made. But if failed big time. It's an insult to any intelligent viewer.

Interesting Watch

[ReviewerSSH · 8/10 · 10 January 2023]

Not sure why people are rating this 1/10. It's absolutely nowhere near that bad. There are very few 1/2s on television, for example Tommy Wiseau's 'The Room' is 1/10. It's an interesting watch and quite gripping. Great Scottish cast; only disappointment is Emily Hampshire who isn't very convincing. It is pretty well researched with regards to offshore terminology and jargon. The writing isn't particularly bad either, it's hard to predict what will come next and how it will end. Currently on episode 4 and so far I've thoroughly enjoyed it. Great acting by Martin Compston and Iain Glen. Owen Teale's character is meant to be quite disagreeable - he plays that part well.

Better than expected but also could of been more

[imknight · 7/10 · 8 January 2023]

Sci-Fi with at least a different location. No monsters or Super Hero's . Acting was good but probably needed a little bit more suspense . A few goofs spotted and some CGI was noticeable in the outside scenes but it did feel like you were on a rig with the interior scenes .It was spot the GOT actors for a while and Mark Bonner turns up in everything nowadays as he is so dependable. So a good 7/10 for what it is . 6.5 for the CGI but its better than many others .Its set up for a 2nd series so should be good. Just good to away from all this Super Hero stuff in the Sci-Fi world and certainly takes a dig at fossil fuels and the worries of workers futures.

Slow, disappointing and trying too hard

[helencaroleyoung · 2/10 · 24 January 2023]

Amazing cast. I was so looking forward to watching this. But it's really slow, not gripping, doesn't leave you desperate to see what happens next, which you'd expect in a supposed thriller; in my case I'll just get to the end to see what happens if I don't fall asleep before then. Characters totally unbelievable (Iain Glenn maybe the exception). Hutton is not credible as an actual human being, Emily Hampshire is beyond annoying - weird makeup and corporate dress on an oil rig, totally unlikely romance with Martin Compston, no connection between them at all, she's all academic and about promotion but then she gets sent in alone to try and rescue Fulmer in the most dangerous part of the rig, when she's quite slight, would not be able to carry him, and is not operational. I'd love to know if the producer / writers etc have even watched this because they'd probably fall asleep. Reminds me a little of the disappointment of Fortitude, though at least that was gripping until the end. Save yourselves 6 hours of your lives, it's not the worst thing I've ever seen but I'll probably put it on again if I need something so make me sleep.

Worst 3D I've seen for years!

[MattTB87 · 6/10 · 12 January 2023]

First up, Ian Glenn is as always, excellent.

That's pretty much it though, support cast is bland and frequently speak like no person has ever spoken to another before, dialogue is more video game levels than big budget drama.

The main issue here is the greenscreen and 3d work, its terrible. Not even a bit terrible. Absolutely properly terrible. Ive tried this is 1080 quality and it's immediately obvious the water and most of the backdrops aren't real things, I've seen better water effects on 20 year old movies. 4 seconds on a scene with any water in it and you're immediately pulled out of the immersion on a good quality screen. Does amazon thing we're all streaming this at 480p using DivX? Jeeez.

Great cast. Lousy plot.

[Njs2016 · 5/10 · 7 January 2023]

The problem with the series is symptomatic of most of the big streaming giants. Good idea, great cast, adequate budget - then no idea of how a script develops. Six episodes for this was far too much, leaving the plotline long and dawn out. The character development is minimal and rudimentary and ends up with generalised cliche and arguments that they need to sustain conflict.

Owen Teale, Iain Glenn, Mark Addy and the effortlessly brilliant Mark Bonar are great. It's just the whole thing is drawn out, under developed and with four episodes the whole thing would have been tighter and the cgi budget more targeted. Not great.