Rush isn't just a great cop show, it's a great drama as well, with characters who stay true to themselves and each episode outdoing the last. Instead of overloading the viewers with meaningless action, Rush prefers to spend a lot more time on its characters, adding depth to each one of them every episode. Each character is well developed throughout the course of the series and, despite the lack of meaninglessness, the action contained in a single episode rivals any cop show any American television. ANY cop show.
Each line of the perfectly restrained script flows naturally from the characters, never feeling forced and never feeling scripted. The actors themselves help to create this feeling, each of them seeming to know their character inside out and instinctively know how to portray; a welcome change from the soap opera actors which usually back up the lead in todays cop shows.
The writers also seem to realize that drama doesn't only manifest itself in the killing off of characters, creating twisted character arcs with forbidden love, delusions of grandeur, the whole shebang. They also are incredibly inventive, thinking up new and interesting, though never unfeasible, ways to test the team's abilities. And they're far too smart to, 1) always let them win and 2)let them get away with a clean conscience.
The direction is fantastic. It looks like a constant Bourne film, but if that puts you off, don't worry, each and every shot is perfectly chosen for maximum effectiveness and won't impair your view exorbitantly.
And yes, I know what you're thinking, it's an Australian show, they probably constantly introduce themselves with a g'day and throw in phrases like strewth or fair shake of the sauce bottle (what does that even mean??), but Rush (kindly) eschews this cultural stereotype, focusing instead on the actual plot/technical-aspects-in-general of the show (hint to all other Aussie shows out there, get you're acts together!).
If you haven't found this Aussie gem yet, find it, buy it, watch it and then watch it again. I guarantee you'll love it.
