Rubicon: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 28 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 130 Ratings

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8.0

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8.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 130 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

AMC | Season Premiere Date: August 1, 2010

Starring: Christopher Evan Welch, James Badge Dale, Dallas Roberts

Summary: Will Travers (James Badge Dale), an analyst for API, a New York intelligence agency, soon discovers there is more to the company he works for than meets the eye.

Creator: Jason Horwitch

Genre(s): Drama, Suspense

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E13. You Can Never Win
Air Date: October 17, 2010
tbd
S1:E12. Wayward Sons
Air Date: October 10, 2010
tbd
S1:E11. A Good Day's Work
Air Date: October 3, 2010

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Metascore

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Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Linda Stasi

It looks like AMC is three-for-three with their newest original drama, Rubicon, a throwback espionage thriller that takes place in the present--if the present were more like the 1970s than the 2000s. Read full review

Tom Gliatto

Challenging but engrossing.

David Hinckley

If you enjoy following complex machinations, however, and enjoy watching smart TV characters try to figure them out, Rubicon is your ticket. Read full review

Brian Holcomb

The show creates a fascinating and wonderful hyperreal world of shadowy figures, secrets hidden in codes, and perhaps even the revelation of a giant conspiracy. It's not completely original, but there's currently nothing on TV even remotely like it. Read full review

Maureen Ryan

This pleasantly low-key drama has little trouble creating an atmosphere, but the pace is sometimes slack in the first four episodes. Read full review

Brian Lowry

Rubicon dares to be smart but, as conventional thrillers go, it's not very thrilling. Read full review

Glenn Garvin

Turgid and plodding, Rubicon has the pace of an industrial-training film and the lucidity of a Czech art movie with the subtitles turned off. It would have to triple its pulse to rise to the level of lethargy. Read full review

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8.0

User Reviews

brownallaround

Sep 28, 2010

Simply put, AMC's Rubicon is the most engrossing and thought-provoking drama of the current TV season. Yes, its pace is slow and an episode leaves the viewer with some unanswered questions. But that's exactly the point. We're following in the same footsteps as Will Travers, the CIASimply put, AMC's Rubicon is the most engrossing and thought-provoking drama of the current TV season. Yes, its pace is slow and an episode leaves the viewer with some unanswered questions. But that's exactly the point. We're following in the same footsteps as Will Travers, the CIA analyst who seeks to uncover details behind a deep government conspiracy that killed his boss/father-in-law and led a multi-millionaire to suicide. Rather than revealing it all to the viewer while keeping characters in the dark, we end up feeling the same anxiety and uncertainty that Will battles every day. I like the fact that the show forces the viewer to take in every last detail of what you're watching and hearing, and just when you think you have a grip on someone's M.O., you're later proven wrong. Arliss Howard is outstanding as Kale Ingram, Will's manager and "guardian angel" with questionable loyalties...so much so that I'm hoping that his work is recognized during awards season. Those who are not familiar with 70's conspiracy/espionage thrillers like The Conversation, The Parallax View, All the President's Men or Three Days of the Condor won't grasp the inspiration or flow of the series. An outstanding ensemble of actors, sharp writing, interesting subplots, great character development and a thoughtful use of symbolism all add up to the most worthwhile TV that a viewer could possibly ask for.… Expand

6 of 7 users found this helpful61

Soupstorm

Sep 14, 2010

I'm eight episodes in, and this show has finally finished its metamorphosis from a plodding non-drama into a complex, writhing machine. Disparate clues and seemingly-random lines are finally making contact with each other, and the paranoia is quickly mounting. James Badge Dale, ArlissI'm eight episodes in, and this show has finally finished its metamorphosis from a plodding non-drama into a complex, writhing machine. Disparate clues and seemingly-random lines are finally making contact with each other, and the paranoia is quickly mounting. James Badge Dale, Arliss Howard, and Michael Cristofer are brilliant in their respective roles, twisting the purposefully-vague dialogue with hints of broader knowledge and deeper meaning, cementing both the humanity of their characters, and the pressure of their environment. The conspiracy is mounting.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Barton_Fink

Jul 25, 2011

We want a second season! Rubicon is simply outstanding.

Obviously for AMC money matters more than stories and, despite I can understand, I can't agree with it. Rubicon cancelled and Walking Dead renewed? C'mon! What a joke!

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

edwardT.

Aug 3, 2010

Needs to be watched at least twice to catch most of the subtleties. But well worth viewing.

1 of 2 users found this helpful

LeeF

Aug 2, 2010

Caught and held my interest right away. It will be interesting to see where it goes.

3 of 4 users found this helpful

KevinD.

Aug 2, 2010

I think we can trust AMC to deliver by now. This show is, so far, less character-focused than Mad Men and Breaking Bad, but that could turn around--and the plot is intriguing enough to keep me invested for now. I expect the payoff to be worthwhile, and if it's not, hopefully the I think we can trust AMC to deliver by now. This show is, so far, less character-focused than Mad Men and Breaking Bad, but that could turn around--and the plot is intriguing enough to keep me invested for now. I expect the payoff to be worthwhile, and if it's not, hopefully the characters will have strengthened by then. This is a slow-moving drama, so it won't appeal to everyone. But it promises to be a treat for those who enjoy a slower spy story. My biggest gripe: the main character of Mad Men is Don Draper. The main character of Breaking Bad is Walter White. And now the main character of Rubicon is Will Travers? Come on AMC! Keep alliteration alive.… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful

Mirkosansan

Dec 16, 2010

After watching ALL 13 episodes I can only say that it was SO much work for SO meager returns. Awful. The sad thing is with such a cadre of fine actors much more could have been done. Horrible pace--it took me nine episodes to be fully engaged, and the wrap up was tepid, at best.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

SEE ALL 55 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

69

Series Overview
Season 1

69
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: August 1, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E13. You Can Never Win
  Air Date: October 17, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E12. Wayward Sons
  Air Date: October 10, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E11. A Good Day's Work
  Air Date: October 3, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E10. In Whom We Trust
  Air Date: September 26, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E9. No Honesty in Men
  Air Date: September 19, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E8. Caught In The Suck
  Air Date: September 12, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E7. The Truth Will Out
  Air Date: September 5, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E6. Look To The Ant
  Air Date: August 29, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E5. Connect The Dots
  Air Date: August 22, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E4. The Outsider
  Air Date: August 15, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E3. Keep the Ends Out
  Air Date: August 8, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E2. The First Day of School
  Air Date: August 1, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E1. Gone in the Teeth
  Air Date: June 13, 2010
- tbd
  S1:E0. Pilot
  Air Date: August 1, 2010