The Rig: Season 1

Cast View all

	Iain Glen	Magnus
	Stuart McQuarrie	Murchison
	Owen Teale	Hutton
	Martin Compston	Fulmer
	Emily Hampshire	Rose
	Calvin Demba	Baz
	Abraham Popoola	Easter
	Rochenda Sandall	Cat Braithwaite
	Richard Pepple	Dunlin
	Kyle McGuinness	Rodriguez
	Molly Vevers	Heather
	Cameron Fulton	Garrow
	Steven Barr	Roughneck
	Dougie Rankin	Drill Operator
	Jason Alan Staines	Male nurse
	Neshla Caplan	Kacey
	Emun Elliott	Leck
	Mark Addy	Coake
	Mark Bonnar	Alwyn
	Nikhil Parmar	Harish
	Neila Stephens	Charlie Crio
	Zach Gerard	Helicopter Pilot

Crew View all

Director	John Strickland
	Alex Holmes
Writer	David Macpherson, Megan Salter, Matthew Jacobs Morgan
Producer	Matthew Brown, David Macpherson, Suzanne Reid, John Strickland, Derek Wax, Samantha Winter
Musician	Benjamin John Power
Photography	John Lee

Trailer

Edition details

Personal

Notes

My quick rating - 6.0/10. Set on a remote Scottish oil rig, The Rig kicks off with an eerie, supernatural premise as a dense fog rolls in, isolating the crew and unleashing forces beyond their comprehension. The show thrives on its claustrophobic setting, creating a palpable sense of dread, with stunning visuals and impressive special effects amplifying the unease.
Iain Glen does a good job through both seasons as Magnus, the head honcho of the rig, bringing a steady, commanding presence to the role. Emily Hampshire also stands out with a solid performance as the strong female lead, always managing to rein in the macho guys when they veer too far into tough-guy mode. Martin Compston had an interesting and pivotal role, though it seemed to shift between seasons, making his character arc feel slightly inconsistent.
Season 1 is an engaging slow-burn mystery, filled with tension and unanswered questions that kept me hooked. It borrows elements from The Mist, The Thing, and Alien, but never enough to feel derivative—it blends familiar ideas into something uniquely its own. The pacing is tight, the mystery intriguing, and the performances solid across the board. (7/10)
Unfortunately, Season 2 loses steam. The momentum built in the first season fades as the show struggles to maintain the same level of tension and intrigue. The writing feels lazier, relying on familiar tricks that no longer hold the same impact. While it does attempt to break away from its earlier inspirations, the execution doesn’t quite land, making it a less compelling watch. (5/10)
With the way things ended, the door is left open for continuation, but if the show were to return, it would likely take a very different direction from what we’ve seen so far. Whether that’s a good or bad thing remains to be seen—but as it stands, The Rig works best as a full binge, especially now that a third season seems unlikely.

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