Rubicon wraps up its first season tonight, doomed to be overshadowed by the season finale of its AMC neighbor, Mad Men. Which is too bad, because Rubicon became, after a meandering start, a crackerjack thriller.
Last week’s terrorist attack on an oil tanker in Galveston Bay, Texas, was one of those just-this-shy-of-doomsday scenarios that Will Travers and his API team were created to prevent in advance. But failure is one of Rubicon‘s greatest attractions — few shows seeking to establish audience loyalty would permit its central characters to botch the season-long assignment, lest viewers get turned off by them as losers, yet fans I talk to appreciate this risky novelty, combined with how much we’ve come to love hunkering down in gloomy rooms with these data analysts — Will, Grant, Miles, and Tanya — each neurotic in his or her own way. Rubicon understands that there are certain TV-watchers who enjoy seeing slightly heightened versions of themselves as overworked drones. (Of course, most Americans want to escape that very thing; that’s why millions more folks watch the cartoon antics of Desperate Housewives during the same time-period.)
Rubicon fans know that the terrorist here, the until-recently-mysterious Kateb, has proven to be an all-American Muslim convert, Joseph Purcell. One with great taste in music, listening to the Allman Brothers version of “Whipping Post” to psych himself up to do bad things.
And Rubicon fans know that Will is headed for some kind of showdown with Truxton Spangler, given last week’s Spangler comment, “He’ll be handled.” (Or rather, given Michael Cristofer’s wonderfully strangled line-readings, “Heeeel be hennndlled!”)
And having seen the finale, I will tell you these things, not in a spoilery way, but as an incentive to tune in:
• Someone gets promoted; someone gets demoted.
• Annie Parisse’s Andy: revelation time!
• You will, along with Miranda Richardson’s Katherine, learn the significance of Meet Me in St. Louis that her late husband Thomas wanted her to know. (No Judy Garland musical has carried the weight of more suspense since as children we sat at the edge of our seats hoping Dorothy Gale would be able to click her red slippers and return to Kansas in The Wizard of Oz.)
• You will see more four-leaf clovers in the finale — they are, of course, this show’s equivalent of the Godfather severed horse head.
The finale, written and directed by the series’ show-runner, Henry Bromell, nods vigorously toward the movies that Bromell has cited in interviews as influences, such as The Conversation and The Parallax View. Which is to say, it’s satisfyingly downbeat, agony for its characters while being a pleasure for its fans. If I was a wee bit disappointed in just how muted Bromell was willing to allow the conclusion to become, I have since realized that I’ve been thinking a lot about that ending. It’s haunting. It also allows you to see how the series can proceed into an engrossing second season.
But will there be one? Rubicon has developed an increasingly enthusiastic cult. I hope AMC recognizes that it has a show that’s growing in audience interest, and that James Badge Dale deserves another opportunity to deploy his curly hair and charismatic gloom as Will Travers.
Will you be watching Rubicon? Would you like to see a second season of it?
Follow: @kentucker
I hope it comes back. Terriers too. Only good new shows this season.
you posted the other day right…. youre just full of retarded statements…sheesh
I hate to agree with you Larry…hate…
I loved “Lost” ~~~ now “Rubicon” has replaced it as my “Must Watch” TV show. It may seem slow to some folks, but I appreciate the deliberate pace and the way that it’s NOT “action-packed.” Some of us don’t want to see a car chase or an explosion every five minutes. Plus ~~~ It’s gorgeous to look at ~~~ beautifully shot, atmospheric; just watching it makes me think of a fine oil painting in the way that scenes are framed and the colors that are used to create tension.
Ok, correction, I would never post this because I think this series is definitely the best show on television right now.
I hope Kelsey wasn’t talking to me on that post..
Love this show. It’s 24 for intelligent people.
Yes! You nailed it! That’s a great way to describe this show. Definitely my favorite new show this season. I can’t wait for season two, but I won’t be surprised if it doesn’t come back. But I do hope they have the sense to not leave us with some huge cliffhanger that will leave fans cold if it doesn’t return. I hate that.
I like this show, even if the plot lines and stories are very familiar and predictable.
Key Ken! you were the reason we started this show, your glowing reviews, please let this show continue!
My favorite new series this year! Refreshing change to have to actually watch and listen in order to keep up. Hope there is a second season!
Writers and producers are finally finally finally presenting intelligent entertainment!! After decades of nonsensical sitcoms, we can at last grapple with challenge and maturity on a weekly series like Rubicon! Bring it on for years and let’s see how creatively these writers can address issues that are potentially concerns for all societies. Thank you.
Ken Tucker refutes Bill O’Reilly by pointing to a fictional character in a fictional story? Whaaa??? Someone is in dire need of critical thinking skills.
Pardon me? I read the entire article twice and didn’t see Ken Tucker mention Bill O’Reilly at all. Are you responding to the wrong article?
Ken, I am so glad that you wrote this article. I have come to absolutely enjoy Rubicon. It is so smartly written and the cast is top notch. There is so much tension going into the finale. When I was watching this preview trailer I kept thinking, ‘No, Will, don’t tell him! He’ll think you’re crazy!’ Loved your teasers; I always thought there was more to Andy than met the eye. I hope to read your review tomorrow. If the people at AMC are as smart as I think they are, they will renew this show. Season 2 can’t come soon enough! Thank you, Ken.
anyone who is not watching this diamond in the rough is missing out on a great series.
I totally agree! Don’t understand why people are comparing this show to LOST, these are very different shows. I hope it’s back for season 2.
I watched the first two eps and stopped so my wife could catch up (and she never did). I’ll probably watch the whole season during a regular TV dead time but there are only so many shows I can watch at a time. I haven’t come across a AMC series I HAVEN’T wanted to watch so more than likely I’d like to see a second season of Rubicon.
I love this show! It is my favorite – I love how it spins the story to hold me emotionally captive. As much as I hope that truxton is demoted and kale promoted, I am afraid its will that’s demoted and grant that’s promoted.
Ken, Kateb is most definitely a Muslim. He obviously converted to Islam when he went overseas and he was clearly praying to Allah in the last episode.
I see the article has already been changed. Thanks for the correction.
THIS SHOW IS AMAZING. it hits every mark its sets out to hit. It’s terse, frantic and the last 6 or 7 episodes have been near perfect.
Great show, better and better each episode. One of the smarter shows and they handled the terrorist attack real well, instead of blastic dramatic music they focused on the characters reactions
I sure hope that AMC renews the show. It’s the best show on TV.
I agree, for me i really enjoy this show, and i normally watch very little other then sports or news.
I will definitely be watching. I’ve enjoyed this show from the beginning but the last few weeks have been pretty freaking awesome. Can’t wait for tonight!
I love this show, and hope it will get renewed despite the low ratings.
Will definitely be watching it!
Really great show. Yes, it is sometimes too slow paced but it gives you time to think. Hopefully they will bring it back as I have become attached to the team. Maybe they can step it up a bit for the complainers.
It had a slow start but now I’m more interested in what happens on Rubicon than Mad Men. I hope it gets renewed.
Yes! Now I know where I saw “Andy” before….she starred with James Dale Badge in The Pacific, as John Basilone’s widow.
I hope this show is renewed. Not much else out there to challenge the brain.
I believe she was on Law & Order, too?