Platform: HBO GO
Episodes: 8
Cast: Emma Greenwell (Myfanwy Thomas), Joely Richardson (Linda Farrier), Jon Fletcher (Teddy/Alex), Ronan Ratery (Robert Gestalt), Catherine Steadman (Eliza Gestalt), Adrian Lester (Conrad Grantchester), and Olivia Munn (Monica Reed).
Rating: 2.1/5
The Rook is a sci-fi, semi-superhero drama thriller that, as you can tell, defies categorization. It’s based on a book, and it’s about a world of super powered people and the government organisations that seek to manipulate them.
For a show about super powered beings… there isn’t a lot of SFX. You don’t get to see as many stunts as you’d expect, but that’s also partly due to the nature of the super powers on the show. They’re more muted, less flashy, and semi-grounded in what the human body can achieve. At least, for anyone who’s not the main character.
The main character’s name is… the most pretentious thing I’ve seen in names for a long time. Myfanwy. The show even tells us that it rhymes with Tiffany, because NOBODY will know this. Okay I’m sure there are many people out there who know this name, but certainly not the population at large. And clearly, the creators know that most audiences won’t know how to pronounce this name – otherwise, why bother to explain that it rhymes with Tifffany. So what was the point of this attention seeking name? To show how special she is? Or just to… I don’t know, attract attention?
The mystery also isn’t very mysterious. It’s nice that we can learn about the world alongside the amnesiac protagonist, but there isn’t really anything compelling about the character that makes us want to find out more.
However, I liked the government bureaucracy bits. Absolutely hilarious. Reflective of real life, imho. And of course, therein lies the relatability. Who hasn’t been stymied by the endless red tape that comes with every government interaction?
Consequently, the authority figures of the Checquy (the admittedly cool name for the secret organisation in the show) are a little more interesting because of their reliance but disdain for the government which funds them. Sadly, money talks, which provides the fundamental motivation for them to keep in line. Again, relatability, though not in the way you’d expect.
The Rook had so much potential, but sadly it didn’t quite live up to the premise that it had. Things that should have been changed for a television medium weren’t, and inexplicable changes were made. Had it tapped into the strengths of a visual storytelling medium, it could have been so much more. Unfortunately, what’s left seems interesting, but doesn’t quite play out that way.
You might also want to read:
- [Television] Olivia Munn from The Rook shares her one rule about taking up acting roles
- [Television] TV Guide for Singapore in January 2021: Riverdale S5, Nancy Drew S2, Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks, Kyojo 2 and more
This is an original article on marcusgohmarcusgoh.com
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I’m an independent scriptwriter who’s written for popular shows like Lion Mums, Crimewatch, Police & Thief, and Incredible Tales. I’m also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. You can find me on social media as Optimarcus and on my site.
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