Rush

Last year Rush burst onto screen with a frenetic energy that became its trademark. Whirling choppers, sprinting cops, speeding cars and dizzying cameras set a pace for the viewer to keep up with, or risk getting left behind. In its second, confident season, it show no sign of stopping for breath.

The tactical response unit of this state police force revel in their independence. Their jurisdiction knows few boundaries, save the safety of members of the public and their team. Whether its a robbery, hostage crisis, suicide attempt, crazed terrorist or pesky teenagers, they’ll take it on at a moment’s notice. Slamdunked into the moment of maximum jeopardy, it affords the writers a bit of a television luxury. No need for set-up, no care for whodunnits. This is defiantly conflict-driven stoytelling with a pressing need to resolve. Someone else can clean up the mess.

Season two opens in the middle of a domestic violence scene and soon broadens out into two simultaneous incidents involving an aggrieved dock worker and arms sellers.

Once again the team is led on the ground by Lawson Blake (Rodger Corser) and Brendan Joshua (Callan Mulvey). Their support team is personified by Nicole da Silva, Josef Ber and Ashley Zukerman. Back at the base are Leon Broznic (Samuel Johnson) and the unit’s boss Kerry Vincent (Catherine McClements).

This season they are joined by Senior Constable Shannon Henry (Jolene Anderson), a specialist negotiator who looks like having a thing for Josh. Lawson isn’t as welcoming of his newest recruit, selected against his will by Vincent, which ripples underneath the action.

Rush loves to push a contemporary line to its audience. It films in the slickest, urban locations of Melbourne (complete with actual street names), shows off the latest in communications equipment and has its youthful characters regularly referring to trends, fashions, brand names and pop culture. So much so that whenever the boys and girls in blue are driving their car they banter almost as inanely as some of their teeny perpetrators.

But when they kick into action, experience and professionalism takes over.

Rush never plays it safe, casting lesser-known actors in criminal roles, and turning sharp corners that keeps the audience on its guard. It’s never a certainty that an incident is guaranteed a positive ending which, in the world of safe television, makes for an uneasy pleasure.

This year the cast are back better than ever. Mulvey means business. Corser is a rock. McClements takes no prisoners.

With its frenetic pace, zealously captured by hand held cameras, it is the antithesis of feelgood television. The only time to exhale is when the ride is over.

Rush returns 8:30pm Thursday July 16 on TEN.

* available for viewing at TEN website until midnight Sunday July 5.