User reviews

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.

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.

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.

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, the comments relate to series one, word on series two comes at the end.

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. Watch the first series, but stop there.

Edit for series 2 as of 04.01.25, they should have kept it at just one series, the second run doesn't know where to go, and runs out of mileage very quickly, the characters undergo major changes, the script felt very lazy and disjointed.

7/10. (Series one, Series two gets a 4/10.)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I was engrossed but every time the Canadian actresss Emily/Rose came on screen, for me the acting became apparent and found it hard to get into it. In fact I'm writing this review whilst the scene is focused on her. Had to look her up to see how she landed this role....

Interesting series held up by strength of other actors besides Emily/Rose....as you may be able to tell not a fan of hers

On a positive the series gives a good glimpse of life out on an oil rig.

The whole series reminded me of 'Lost' which I really enjoyed at first....

Eventually I got fed up of 'lost' after the first 2/3 series; just hope this doesn't end up in the same category.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

In fact, I enjoyed it. The acting was a bit naff, but it really feels like they're rig workers!

CGI 5/10 Acting 6/10 Story 9/10 Suspense 10/10 Drama 8/10 They tried to give out the back stories, but I felt they did that at the wrong times, maybe should have developed more is episode 1 rather than still learning basic new things on episode 5.

I would be surprised if it is renewed for season 2, but I would certainly welcome it.

I certainly enjoyed the real life aspect given to some characters. Having family that work offshore, I was able to relate to quite a bit of the atmosphere.

Btw the intro sucks! It's like the safety videos you have to watch when training, however, if that was the plan... well done! *mic drop*

I was really surprised to see that 'The Rig' had been renewed for a second season having watched the disappointing first season. The first season was bad but I am a sucker for dramas set at the artic and as it was only 6 episodes I foolishly gave it a go. The second season is absolutely woeful. The story is ridiculous the direlouge and characters are even worse. It reads like a quickly put together first draft. The big dramatic cliffhanger at the end of episode 5 was laugh out loud hilarious but I don't think that was the reaction they were going for. Surely there won't be a season 3. Clearly the writer is big fan of 'The Sbyss' but for all that films flaws the comparison still serves to highlight 'The Rigs' inadequacies.