CHUD.com Community › Forums › SPORTS, GAMES & LEISURE › Television › Rubicon on AMC
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Rubicon on AMC

post #1 of 90
6/14/10 at 1:56am
Thread Starter 
Anyone watch the sneak peek after Breaking Bad?

Quiet is the word I have to go with. It is building something, and for a while, I wondered if this show was going Incredible Hulk style, with James Badge Dale as Will Travers traveling the road while searching for the conspiracy. I liked the lovable superstitious boss and am sad to see him not continuing on the journey. Other than that, I am not sold on any of the characters, including the love interest.

Some quibbles:
One website described API, the organization Travers works for, as being a think tank. But with super secret access to intelligence documents, everyone has a window to the outside world which includes trains, bridges, and watercraft access for someone to stare into?

I know this is an AMC show, so I should expect long silences and thoughtful glances that tell me as much story as words, but there were some super long silences as Travers works on the puzzle of the conspiracy and all I hear is screechy violin. I had no background on the show, but I understand what ever the super organization is related to Clover. Check. If they need to show us that it takes him time to piece everything together, fine. Give me a 10 second calendar montage.

I am also not a New Yorker, but when mentioning a death at the World Trade Center, do people tell stories about why the person was there, and why people were not there at the time to complete strangers? It felt clunky, and then everyone stomps off, leaving the new girl to feel guilty about asking why the guy is depressed nine years later.


Right now, I am interested in the plot, but none of the characters. Dale looks too much like Matthew Morrison, and I don't care for the dark loner-genius characterization here. But, I will watch for a while, if only because I love Mad Men and have just started Breaking Bad Season 1 and am loving it.
Reply
post #2 of 90
6/14/10 at 2:18am
It has David Rasche in it so that's a plus.
Reply
post #3 of 90
6/14/10 at 2:44am
Terrible pilot. Maybe the show will turn out to be good, I'm certainly intrigued, but this episode was sort of a chore to sit through. I kept expecting the tempo to pick up and it never did... now I suspect that's just the style of the show and if so this could be a bust.
Reply
post #4 of 90
6/14/10 at 1:34pm
i enjoyed it frankly, more than a bit convoluted, but i find stuff that challenges my brain worthwhile, and these days its not much.

After seeing the trailer, i was definitely NOT expecting much action or much at all, really, but I liked the first part and cant wait for august to see the whole thing.

Is the guy at the end on the ferry, etc, the one our hero was supposed to meet "upstairs"? That confused me just a bit, because I thought that guy was the one eating lunch and was considered to be just another co-worker, but maybe that was the point ... I just didnt know, and didnt feel like rewinding to figure out.

P.S. My guess for the whole thing ... i think it needs no invisi-text since its a guess, but i think the fourth arm or whatever is the propaganda arm, and it will be responsible for all sorts of crap including 9/11


EDIT: I was also confused by the nature of his job/their workplace, and asaw the think tank description before as well... but thats clearly supposed to be part of the mystery, imo ... yes its unlike any think tank ive been to, e.g. windows, etc, but its not supposed to be or else it wouldnt be so mysterious.

And RE: 9/11 conversation, I didnt find it as offensive or out of place as the first poster, but yes i did struggle to find it acceptable to feel as bad for someone ten years later.... but as i said befre i think thats gonna come back to be important (e.g. something the 4th arm conspired to make happen)
Reply
post #5 of 90
6/18/10 at 11:14am
I randomly caught this while channel surfing last night and really enjoyed it. It wasn't the tightest series pilot I've ever seen but there was enough conspiracy intrigue and interesting characters to keep me in it for at least a few episodes.

I am a sucker for conspiracy shows and puzzles, though. Gimme a 21st century Parralax View and I'll be right as rain.
Reply
post #6 of 90
6/20/10 at 2:43am
I think it has a lot of potential. For a show about a huge conspiracy it seems very small in its scope. As a pilot it's not fantastic it didn't really have a great hook but it intrigues me, I hope the pace picks up in future episodes. I will give anything serialized a shot, esp if it involves a conspiracy.
Reply
post #7 of 90
6/20/10 at 5:53am
The pilot spent a LOT of time trying to set up a grand mystery and zero time getting me to give a shit about any of the actual characters. Tonally it felt a lot like Flash Forward to me, but Flash Forward did take the time to throw some early character stakes in which this pilot didn't even bother with.
Reply
post #8 of 90
6/22/10 at 12:33am
What the hell?!? No new episode this week. Canceled already?
Reply
post #9 of 90
6/22/10 at 12:35am
Doesn't actually start until August Swanson.
Reply
post #10 of 90
6/25/10 at 10:26am
I loved it. Really involving. I definitely cared about the characters. I can't believe people thought it was slow, when it finished I was like "huh, it's over already?" Felt like it lasted half as long as it did. Really enjoyed it.
Reply
post #11 of 90
8/1/10 at 11:17pm
Just finished the pilot, and will catch Ep 2 after my visiting mother gets to watch her HG TV show. (sacrifices are made when one owns just 1 tv). I share similar sentiments as above. Clunky, not enough character focus, 9 years after the WTC collapse but still so sad and lonely. He worked, however, daily with his father-in-law, stayed in NYC, so perhaps the reminders of his passed family being everywhere made for the glumness. Perhaps he liked it that way.

But going forward, being an AMC show, this should get way better, and Dale better step it up. He wasn't convincing as brooding widower. He just looked vacant of thought as opposed to solemn and introspective.

I'm just glad someone is finally trying to make Three Days of the Condor into a TV series.
Reply
post #12 of 90
8/2/10 at 12:15am
I watched the "sneak preview" back in June, and assumed last week was just a repeat. Is that right? Does the episode on tonight start after that sneak preview?
Reply
post #13 of 90
8/2/10 at 12:46am
I thought it was great. I missed the pre-credits so I need to watch again tomorrow. I will say that watching the pilot I felt paranoid and there is no doubt that it was very depressing. Especially the burned out code breaker Ed.

I don't mind the lack of characterization. They set the mood. Future episodes will flesh out the characters.
Reply
post #14 of 90
8/2/10 at 10:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by D. Richard View Post
But going forward, being an AMC show, this should get way better, and Dale better step it up. He wasn't convincing as brooding widower. He just looked vacant of thought as opposed to solemn and introspective.
I disagree. Considering that 70 percent of his screen time was him staring off into space and thinking, I thought he did a fine job. I thought Arliss Howard's character has major potential as well, but who knows? The characters are as inscrutable as the codes they're trying to break, which is an interesting idea, but the execution kept me at arm's length.

(Shallow note: I'm really distracted by Miranda Richardson's plastic surgified face. Hopefully I'll get used to it as her character becomes more prominent.)

It's a slow burn (one of the slowest I've seen), but I'm definitely in for a few episodes, at least.
Reply
post #15 of 90
8/2/10 at 12:53pm
Slow burn indeed. And perhaps that's why I'm getting frustrated with Dale. But I'll give it a whole season I think. If I can endure Human Target and Fringe, this should be easy and enjoyable.

Re: Richardson.
the wife & I didn't recognise her. She looks like a different person. I think I'll just go on pretending she's the mom from the AT&T rollover minutes ads.
Reply
post #16 of 90
8/2/10 at 3:47pm
less impressed with this episode, didn't really go anywhere different or new from the first, save the last couple seconds.

So obviously the greene book is the cypher key, right? edit: errr wait, didnt he decode it near the end, to mean "they hide in plain sight" ... nevermind.

I still think the fourth arm is gonna be a propaganda arm, and thats what this is all about ... the whole "sometimes they listen, sometimes they dont" while watching nigeria on tv, seemed to go along with it, too...

I'm probably in it til the end either way, but I am less interested after this episode than the previous one.
Reply
post #17 of 90
8/5/10 at 9:37am
I'll hang with it for a while. Plus I like Dallas Roberts.
Reply
post #18 of 90
8/5/10 at 12:56pm
Plus: I'm intrigued by the plot (I've always had a soft spot for conspiracy stories) and am willing to follow this a bit longer

Minus: After two episodes - I can't, for the life of me, remember the name of a single character. These chaps need to develop some personality.
Reply
post #19 of 90
8/6/10 at 1:24am
Haven't seen the second ep, but the first was at least intriguing enough for me to give it a shot, although how much mileage does shadowy white men in backrooms have secret scheme really have?

Also, god, that whole "Try wife and daughter. Try 9-11." line is one of the most laughably stupid pieces of dialogue I've ever heard.
Reply
post #20 of 90
8/6/10 at 11:33am
wait.. what? There are two episodes? I thought this premiers Sunday.

I'm kinda blah about it but I'm willing to give it a DVR spot and catch up on it when there is a little fanfare or at least a coherent argument for intrigue.
Reply
post #21 of 90
8/9/10 at 11:09am
Last week, I called this show a "slow burn." Maybe I should just call it "slow."

EDIT: That said, they seemed to have begun fleshing out the characters a little bit more, but aside from Grant and the backstory behind his name, I still couldn't tell you the names of any of the characters aside from Will Travers.
Reply
post #22 of 90
8/16/10 at 3:47pm
A better episode this week, I felt. I liked the focus on Travers' team this week, and this felt more like a solid self-contained episode rather than the dour aimlessness of the last couple of weeks. However, I can't deny that if this weren't on before "Mad Men," I probably would have stopped watching it.
Reply
post #23 of 90
8/16/10 at 5:37pm
AMC's reputation with Breaking Bad and Mad Men is the only reason I watched, the genre has kept me tuned in, but the show itself better start earning it.

This week was an improvement though. I enjoyed the team's struggle with the collateral damage decision. And we see Grant and Miles begin to empathise with Tanya for once. And then they bond over some liquor afterward. So that was some good character work for once.

Travers' field trip was awkward just as a trip with a boss you don't know well would be. So tonally, that was also quite good.

All in all, it's getting better, but still I think Rubicon is struggling to show its cards.... I'm just hoping it has a good hand.
Reply
post #24 of 90
8/16/10 at 11:34pm
I think the show did itself a real disservice by going 'OOOH! CONSPIRACY!' right at the beginning. If it had started out as just a character driven drama about a bunch of intelligence analysts (something that I don't think has really been done on TV or even in movies, really. Every work of fiction about Intelligence focuses more on the sexy operational side, when analysis is really the most important part, as this illustrated) and gradually revealed the conspiracy, it'd probably be a lot better received. As it is we, the viewers, are kind of sitting around going 'where's the conspiracy gone?'
Reply
post #25 of 90
8/17/10 at 9:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fafhrd View Post
I think the show did itself a real disservice by going 'OOOH! CONSPIRACY!' right at the beginning. If it had started out as just a character driven drama about a bunch of intelligence analysts (something that I don't think has really been done on TV or even in movies, really. Every work of fiction about Intelligence focuses more on the sexy operational side, when analysis is really the most important part, as this illustrated) and gradually revealed the conspiracy, it'd probably be a lot better received. As it is we, the viewers, are kind of sitting around going 'where's the conspiracy gone?'
I think the conspiracy could have been woven into the story in such a way that we could have learned more about the characters. The show is 4 episodes in, and I'm just now getting clear on the characters' names.

I know that the showrunner was replaced after the pilot. I wonder if it was a mandate from AMC to re-focus on the characters?
Reply
post #26 of 90
8/17/10 at 2:40pm
I've been tuning in because I like James Badge Dale and I'm a sucker for conspiracy theories and cryptology, but after Sunday's ep (which was supposed to be the good one), I don't think I can take the slow-as-molasses storytelling anymore.

Whoever decided that Miranda Richardson should walk around an empty apartment for four episodes without ever meeting up with Will or in any way coming close to merging with the rest of the story should be fired immediately.

I'm giving RUBICON one more episode. If things don't pick up considerably, I'm out.
Reply
post #27 of 90
8/31/10 at 3:54am
Seriously, guys? I had to go to page 3 of the Television Forum to find RUBICON? Why the hell aren't you people watching and discussing this every week? Sure, it's a slow burn but it's also providing a terrific character piece while the conspiracy angle gathers momentum.

Also, Jessica Collins is the new thinking-man's hotness.
Reply
post #28 of 90
8/31/10 at 4:35am
Jessica Collins is quite breathtaking. She enraptures me every time she's on screen.

Very much enjoying this. Kudos for Zack Whedon on writing possibly the best episode of the season so far. Talent runs in that family.
Reply
post #29 of 90
8/31/10 at 11:01am
As it progresses I'm looking forward to Rubicon more every week. Got a big time "Conversation" vibe when Will was searching his apartment. I think bearded analyst will probably get clipped sometime this year, don't know why, just a hunch.
Reply
post #30 of 90
8/31/10 at 11:13am
I missed last week's episode, and don't really have the desire to watch it. I think I'm done.
Reply
post #31 of 90
8/31/10 at 11:40am
I'm still watching, don't know why.. but I am. There better be some huge reward at the end of this, like a cookie or something.
Reply
post #32 of 90
8/31/10 at 3:03pm
best episode yet imo, but i wouldnt go praising whedon's lineage just yet.... its the only episode so far where worthwhile and truly intriguing stuff actually happened.... main character uses the gun for first time, confronts his shadow, and progress on relationship with the chick, the bugs search, arliss howards opening scene, etc ... It was a better plot, not necessarily better writing, imo.... although i will admit the cell phone photo and speech was nice.

I agree it seems like the bearded guy may die, but i hope not, hes my second favorite character on the show, and this weeks episode had great progress for his character.

They finally touched upon something i think might play a crucial part in the protagonists discoveries... the segregation of the teams... for a department that says it needs inter-agency cooperation, its a bit odd they keep everyone in API away from each other and disallow crossover at all.... I expected it to happen in this episode, but some point soon i expect the teams sharing of info to lead to discoveries about API's devious intents.

I dont trust howard either, he may seem to be helping but I doubt hes got the same agenda as our hero, and seems to be more interested in whos watching or manipulting API, not what exactly API is up to (as it seems Will was on the trail of an assassination sanctioned by API or howard himself, but now hes looking into the other guy).

But I agree, the show is getting better, and hopefully it can really get things going now.

Anyone know how long the season is?
Reply
post #33 of 90
8/31/10 at 10:37pm
I'm still watching, and, yeah, this week's was the best ep yet ... by a considerable margin. Leave it to a Whedon brother to come in and finally make this shit interesting.
Reply
post #34 of 90
9/1/10 at 1:27pm
Could tell this episode was going to be the best yet right from the cold open; probably the first one that didn't leave me yawning or shrugging. I've really only given the show this many episodes because of the AMC-factor.

One of the big things that's holding this show back (besides the glacial pace of the first set of episodes) for me, so far, has been the lack of character development for Will. I feel like 6 episodes in and we still barely know the guy. In fact I'm sorta more invested in Miles (I-don't-know-Urdu) and Kale (I-don't-like-Hot-Chip) than I am in the main character.
Reply
post #35 of 90
9/1/10 at 1:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon View Post
One of the big things that's holding this show back (besides the glacial pace of the first set of episodes) for me, so far, has been the lack of character development for Will. I feel like 6 episodes in and we still barely know the guy.
This is accurate. It's also why they're lucky they hired Dale, who can do a lot with a little.
Reply
post #36 of 90
9/5/10 at 10:40am
Thanks to tommy five-tone, I've found myself sucked right into this shows orbit. I actually kind of love the slow burn pace of the show and even the way we don't get as much from Will as a character as many of those around him (that said I find James Badge Dale pretty damn compelling to watch as an actor). I honestly don't know quite way I have faith in where this show is going, I can totally see why many have given up on it, but I myself find it utterly engaging.

This last episode was pretty great but it was hardly a watershed moment or a real change in pace. The show's still definitely taking it's time getting where it's going. I have to say tho, I'm hooked.
Reply
post #37 of 90
9/14/10 at 4:54am
great episode.

Im actually really getting more into this. Perhaps its more definition to the threat, but nonetheless suddenly im more into it, not less.

Loved all the character moments, really enjoy almost all of the good guys a whole lot, and arliss howard was just badass in this episode, pulling the strings perfectly from every angle, and truly in every way... loved the little reveals like about what the teams really been working on the whole time, her drug uses, the sudden connectedness of atlas in the office, etc... and the end with the symbolic smashing of the bug, especially after arliss howards remark in the elevator about not making a first move until he knew what he was up against.

good stuff.
Reply
post #38 of 90
9/14/10 at 4:43pm
I'm guessing that Kale is helping Will because he wants the API head job. If Kale bring API down himself he will never be trusted within the agency, so he willing to get Will to do the dirty work. Its a political move that even if Will succeds will stop promotion opportunities while Kale takes over. But that is truly just a guess.

This is the first "mystery" show in a long time where I don't know where we are going (I mean in a good way not in a "Persons Unknown" way).

I very worried about Sledgehamer this week.
Reply
post #39 of 90
9/14/10 at 9:37pm
Spangler's physical reaction to the reasoning behind Miles' behavior (he's excitable) was PERFECT. Had me laughing
Reply
post #40 of 90
9/20/10 at 8:04am
That was a weird episode. I want to say more but can't find the words to match what I'm thinking. Do we all agree though that the lady helping Will is crazy, or is it just me?
Reply
post #41 of 90
9/20/10 at 8:41am
I had a rather lengthy post that got erased by a wierd alt key combination... gist. This show just brought it to a whole new level. Loved it. Cannot wait to see the next episode!

It dawned upon me, somewhere around the point where Will confessed that he needed the hot window lady's help that this show is a modern version of Three Days of Condor remade in a television format. You have no idea how much that elevated my interest in this show and made me fall madly, deeply in love with all things Rubicon.
Reply
post #42 of 90
9/22/10 at 7:17am
snaieke ... id guess its around the time she called him robert redford (with that implication) ...
Reply
post #43 of 90
9/22/10 at 11:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brechtsky View Post
snaieke ... id guess its around the time she called him robert redford (with that implication) ...
You betcha!

I don't know, just makes the show that much more interesting to know there might be a future. Good Will Hiding is a lot more interesting than Good Will moping.
Reply
post #44 of 90
9/22/10 at 11:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DerekT View Post
Do we all agree though that the lady helping Will is crazy, or is it just me?
"I like that you have a gun." Alarm bells, big time.

Good episode. Things are moving along more quickly now. The widow going from house to house is still incredibly boring, but it seems like she's going to hook up with the more interesting characters soon.
Reply
post #45 of 90
9/22/10 at 3:04pm
Oh, all right ... this week's episode was wonderful and now I'm totally hooked on this damn show. I'm not sure if the writing has really improved that much or if the slow burn has finally won me over. Maybe a combination of the two. But the last three hours of RUBICON have been stellar television.

Also, interesting that the hot, probably crazy neighbor was, like Dale, in THE PACIFIC. Somebody at AMC subscribes to HBO.
Reply
post #46 of 90
9/22/10 at 3:10pm
I recognised hot neighbour as the woman in Friends who kept trying to steal Joey's food. My reference baseline is retarded.
Reply
post #47 of 90
9/23/10 at 10:37am
The neighbor was also the Asst DA on Law & Order for a couple of years. Her character was killed off from what I remember.
Reply
post #48 of 90
9/23/10 at 6:00pm
Watched this for the first time last night. It was the latest episode. Funny that some of you were already making 3 Days of the Condor references at the top of the thread when the series began, and then they went with a full-on homage with the neighbor even verbally referencing the film.

I liked it. I liked the pacing and dialogue of the opening scenes. Some of the other characters are a little too cutesy, and their office space seems ridiculous, like it must be romanticized as someone's fantasy version of what such an agency's office would look like, but what do I know?

I'm going to seek out the earlier episodes.
Reply
post #49 of 90
9/28/10 at 1:50pm
I want to watch a spinoff series where Kale travels around the country fucking up deadbeat dads.
Reply
post #50 of 90
9/28/10 at 2:11pm
I absolutely loved the park scene. When Donald Bloom sat down and chatted up Kathrine Rhumor, that was pure gold. You could see him speaking, imitating as Truxton Spangler delivering the message. Loved how he broke script and went on about the h in her name.. menacing.

Big second on the Kale \ deadbeat dad beatdown scene. This whole episode was just great.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Television
CHUD.com Community › Forums › SPORTS, GAMES & LEISURE › Television › Rubicon on AMC