Scotland 2024
Writer: Gregory Burke (based on Inspector Rebus novels by Sir Ian Rankin)
Starring: Richard Rankin and Lucie Shorthouse
I didn’t think I would find myself writing a review for a tv series. We’re in the thick of a subscription based content era with seemingly never ending seasons of bingable tv shows. These shows seem to be where the money is and production efforts seem to be focused heavily on this genre rather than on movies which is where I much prefer to spend my time. Early examples of the subscription based tv series such as Game of Thrones and House of Cards may have been some of the first of this wave of tv shows with extreme budgets, all star casts and a viewship that content creators dream of, but I mention these two shows as they are classic examples of what I dislike about a lot of the series/tv show genre. Game of Thrones and House of Cards started off very good, the first few seasons were gripping in every way, I was easily hooked and they seemed to strike the perfect balance of drama, sex and violence. However, as the seasons progressed I became particularly agrieved by what appeared to be a blatant disregard for my time. I felt tricked into watching many episodes that offered little to the overall story and which seemed to be created purely to capitalise off my viewing time. In the case of Game of Thrones my view is that, in terms of violence, it progressively crossed the line and kept going to the point of becoming another style of show alltogether. My grievances were strong enough to call it quits from both Game of Thrones and House of Cards about three quaters of the way through the show. There is no doubt that a tv series allows for story and character development in ways that movies cannot and there are many tv shows that I like and continue to watch. However, I like the efficiency of a movie. You have 90 minutes of my time and that’s it!
So with that rant over, here I am reviewing the new Rebus TV series with Richard Rankin as DI John Rebus and Lucie Shorthouse as DC Siobhan Clarke. Richard Rankin’s previous work includes the hugely popular Outlander series and Lucie Shorthouse was band manager, Momtaz, in Lady Parts and We Are Lady Parts, both of which I am not familiar but were well-received. Rebus is the long-term character of Scottish author Ian Rankin and this tv series is an adaptation written by Scottish playwright/producer Gregory Burke. The opening scene pushes police brutalilty beyond what you might expect and challenges your ability to like DI Rebus. Rebus clearly struggles with procedure and rules or is it the ‘rules’ that Rebus knows better than anyone? Rebus is a solidly built, rough around the edges, divorced Scottish cop bordering on alcoholic who has little respect for due process even with Professional Standards looking over his shoulder. However, Richard Rankin brings something new to this re-hashed well-worn cliche. He is young, energetic and is sometimes affable and charming. Richard Rankin draws on an extensive repertoire of apt facial expressions and manorisms that suggest depth of character and honesty. Rebus is ex-army but the macho is dialled down a bit. Lucie Shorthouse is also the cliche fast-track detective constable, fresh out of university and English, so she couldn’t possibly understand what makes Edinburgh tick. Lucie Shorthouse is equally great in this support role but her character is much less present than Rebus. There is definitely room for further development of the DC Siobhan Clarke character in future seasons.
Rebus, who is too well-acquainted with long-term drug lord, Ger Cafferty, tries to get to the bottom of what appears to be a turf war but is actually a messy series of incidents complicated by Rebus’ ex-army brother who is struggling with civilian life and trying to dig his family out of poverty. Rebus who feels he is finally coming to terms with the breakdown of his marriage, is eventually drawn into the mess and he feels that his world is unravelling.
It has been a while since the last tv adaptation of Rebus which ended in 2007 and Ian Rankin expressed some disatisfaction with the struggle of adapting his books to the tv format of the previous Rebus series. However, author Ian Rankin has said in interview that, after asking Gregory Burke to take on this project, he is very happy with this version. Rebus ages progressively in the Rebus books but this production is set in the present day and Rebus is younger than where the previous series left off which is refreshing. As with the character Rebus, both author Ian Rankin and the producer/writer of this series, Gregory Burke, originate from Fife and I should disclose that my parents also originate from Fife so I have a more than typical interest in this show. A Fifer with a tough past who frequently butts heads with Edinburgh’s dark underworld is a strong thread throughout this series and aesthetically the ever-present Edinburgh Castle, Fourth bridges and Royal Mile offer a beautiful juxtaposition. Edinburgh is clearly one of Europe’s most iconic and beautiful cities.
This Viaplay production is consistent with the traditional British crime and Nordic noir genres. I would place Rebus more to the rough end of the British crime spectrum with shows like Murphy’s Law, Taggart and of course previous versions of Rebus. I watched all 6 episodes on the Australian free-to-air streaming service SBS On Demand and I am glad to report that it was gripping from start to finish. I didn’t think for a moment that my time was being unessisarily milked for purely commercial purposes. All cast have done a terrific job and character development is strong. I got a sense of who these people are, what is important to them and what it might be like living in present day Edinburgh. Unlike Game of Thrones or House of Cards Rebus will not require a huge investment of your time and is well worth it. I am looking forward to the next season….
4/5 stars
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