'Rubicon' is sooooo slow paced

Cafe Society
#1

I’ve been watching Rubicon, the Government Conspiracy show about the puzzle solving specialists, or whatever the hell it is. And the pace of the editing is so slow, like it’s harking back to 70s drama.

Actually, in more ways than one it reminds me very much of old school TV; The muted colour palette, the serious drama with realistic dialogue, even the wardrobe has a 70s feel (it’s set in New York, which may be a factor). The lead guy even reminds me of somebody who used to headline a TV show somewhere lurking in my distant dusty memory that I can’t bring to mind… The Paper Chase or something, maybe.

Anyway, what I want to know is if this shift in tone, compared to other TV, is following a lead from another current or recent show that I may not have watched, or is this an experiment for striking out in a new (retro) direction?

#2

I agree with the comparison from Entertainment Weekly where they said it’s the opposite of 24. The weekly action in 24 had me exhausted and we just couldn’t watch the final seasons. I see Rubicon as being similar to The Wire (time for another The Wire thread?) - at least I hope it has a great conclusion.

#3

Glaciers have nothing on Rubicon. :wink: But I’m settling in for the ride regardless.

#4

I think it’s a good series so far. The slow pacing is necessary, IMO, as the story is tangled and it would be easy to lose an audience with giant leaps of plot. The supporting characters in the office are excellent.

#5

I agree. I wanted to watch it, but literally fell asleep more than once in the attempt. I think I will just read the wiki when it’s over…

#6

It’s a slow burn, for sure, and I am liking it because of that. I hope there is eventually an exciting payoff, though. I haven’t looked to see how it’s doing in the ratings–I hope it lasts long enough for at least the current conflict to be resolved.

#7

I watched the first two episodes. It reminds me of Flashforward, not just because of the convoluted mystery, but because the lead character is such a mope that you wish he would be the first one taken out. (Yes, I know your wife and daughter were killed in 9/11. That was nine years ago. Dude, get some therapy.)

The worst sin is that the writer is trying so hard to be clever that he gets his head stuck three feet up his ass.

Four major long clues in seven crossword puzzles turn out to be identical. One of them is the latin name for a butterfly.

I do crossword puzzles. I buy books of them from all the major newspapers. There is no crossword puzzle I’ve ever seen that would allow a latin name to take up a twenty-letter block. Four letters, yes. A long clue, never.

So I would notice it immediately if it ever happened. There is a crossword puzzle community. There are message boards on crossword puzzles. Every Sunday Times puzzle is analyzed down to the last clue. You think nobody would have noticed? You think that if the same four major clues were repeated in a half dozen other papers nobody would notice?

It would be the biggest thing in crossword puzzle history. (Well, since 1983, when it apparently happened before. There are many books on the history of crossword puzzles. Every one of them would have mentioned this.) I bet it would go viral. Fark would definitely pick it up. There would be a thread here. The national news would investigate.

Why? Because that means seven of the major crossword puzzle editors in seven major newspapers would have to be bought off. Or worse, that their editors or publishers forced it on them. It would become the hugest scandal in newspaper history.

By trying to be clever the writer made up a situation that would be the biggest story in the world.

And it was totally unnecessary. All you have to do is run a crazy personal ad, like the ones that Leno features on Headlines. Absolutely individual and undetectable, lost in a sea of real-world crazy and typos.

I don’t know if I’m going to continue watching. I do know that none of the supposed brilliance of the genius whackos in the story will mean anything, because it’s all just nonsense pretending to be cleverness. Anybody can be clever if you get to make up your own facts. Not mentioning any posters by name. :stuck_out_tongue:

#8

This show lost me 1/2 way though the first episode. It was so slow and boring I would find myself distracted constantly so I stopped watching it.

#9

Well I jumped during the train scene in the opener. But it’s been pretty sedate since then. They need at least one gotcha scene in every episode to keep us on our toes.

#10

When the recap takes 5 minutes, I know it’s too late for me to jump in.

#11

Does anyone here remember a series on ABC from a few years ago called Traveler? It was canceled before the first season finished but what was eventually revealed about its big secret is really similar to the underlying secret in Rubicon.

#12

As I watched the first episode of Rubicon, I thought the exact thing about some of the similarities to Traveler. Although Traveler was much more fast paced than Rubicon. Although there is a similarity in the lead character’s name:

Will Travers - Rubicon
Will Traveler - Traveler

#13

There’s that and also there’s this (double-spoilered for your protection):

Both series feature a giant conspiracy to hide the fact that there is a secret fourth branch of the US government.

#14

It’s definitely not for those with short attention spans, or who can’t go five minutes without a car crash or other mayhem going on. Me, I like subtle evil.

#15

**Did any of you notice they changed the actress of Hades first wife - who appeared at the will reading in the second episode - to another actress in the third episode? The original actress was that Tomei woman, and then when his wife came to pick up his office belongings, it was a completely different actress.

#16

You’re getting Tom Rhumor (who kills himself at the start of episode 1) mixed up with David Hadas (Travers’s Boss who dies mysteriously at the end of episode 1).

#17

Still slooooow, but still good. A lot happened in tonight’s episode, relatively speaking. When Will was staring through the window at Ingram, I was thinking, “Quit doing that! He’s going to see you!” And sure enough, Ingram saw him. Awkward!

So, were they implying that Ingram and Bloom were once lovers? It sure seemed like it, but I’m not always good at reading moments like that.

Apparently the big boss (I forget his name) and Ingram have different levels of involvement in whatever the conspiracy is.

#18

It seems Ingram and Bloom were assassin co-workers in a former, classified life. Bloom is likely still in that business, though perhaps as a “private contractor”.

Glad to see Tom and Mrs. Rhumor intersect finally (if only randomly)… :slight_smile:

#19

This was a pretty big one, too, at the time: http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/England-History/Crossword.htm

#20

Finally got to see this ep last night and enjoyed it a lot. I like the team personalities and dialog. The plot is visibly thickening: I predict that those who have already rejected the series as being a yawner will be scrambling to catch up as things heat up. Will’s partner in the investigation is a bit of a scenery chewer when compared to the subdued acting by the other characters, but perhaps that will damp down as time goes on.