Sad fact. Crossing the Rubicon comes from the moment in Roman History, when Julius Caesar crossed from being the protector of the Roman republic, to it's conquering emperor. It was literally the point when his legions crossed a shallow river in north east Italy, called "Rubicon", which the Senate regarded as an act of war, a sort of revolutionary or political point of no return, so to speak.
But you knew that, didn't you?
What this has to do with AMCs Rubicon, now showing on BBC4, (freeview's home of quality foreign drama), Feck knows.
But that might be the point - it's conspiracy drama number two this year (after the "who can be arsed with it anymore?" Event).
This is a bit more low key and subtle, playing out like one of those magnificent 70's conspiracy thrillers, like All the President's Men , the Parallax View and the like.
Will Travers(James Badge Dale from The Pacific) is an intelligence analyst with a think-tank called the American Policy Institute, which advises the State Department on exactly what the bloody hell is going on across the world.
Y'know, they're the sort of weirdo smart-arses that before last Christmas would have said "see that North Africa...revolutions in the spring. Guaranteed. Maybe even Libya too..", while the rest of us would have been going "Shut-up!" (like some of the characters from The only way is Essex)
Will's boss gets killed in the first episode, and he gets promoted. At that point, he gradually realises he works for some immensely strange and creepy people, and they might actually be up to no good (as my mother would say).
.
The Rubicon of the title may refer to the extent of the conspiracy itself, which may actually be akin to Caesar's challenge to the Republic (y'see? I don't just sit down at my computer and throw this shit together, y'know - it's crafted I tell you, crafted)
But...
Rubicon has already been cancelled in the states. And there's a good reason why. I'll give you a clue. Watch that trailer again with the sound off. Now mentally ignore the jump cuts (the trailer editor's way of injecting immediacy into a story) and the partially sped-up panning shots (which don't happen in the programme). Then take away the only real action shot at the end (the train hurtling towards you). What do you have left? Lots of scenes of Will Travers shitting on about something. And scribbling lots of notes. And looking a bit moody and constipated and in need of a haircut. Oh and there's a few shots of his secretary/PA Maggie Young (played by Jessica Collins) looking chic with nice hair.
Yup, there is no action to speak of. I tried watching Rubicon previously, but (time to 'fess up here) I fell asleep halfway through the second episode.
That's not a great recommendation is it? but I think the best is yet to come with the show on BBC4 - it may well be worth sticking with. Take a look at this...
http://youtu.be/wf1-778Uh54
(youtube won't let me embed it - click on it, it's worth watching the clip all the way through). Superb dialogue. And as the West Wing proved, dialogue heavy shows can make cracking viewing.
This time, I swear I'll stick with it, without my GLW nudging me in the ribs to wake me up. I'll report back on it soon.
