★★★★★ 0/5

Rush

Rush never plays it safe, casting lesser-known actors in criminal roles, and turning sharp corners that keeps the audience on its guard. Updated: view online!

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r1Last 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.

4_starsRush returns 8:30pm Thursday July 16 on TEN.

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

30 Responses

  1. This show is almost as bad as Sea Patrol. Just a bunch of do-gooders who fancy each other firing off seppo one-liners to rock music with jerky camera angles. Cop Shop was heaps better.

  4. I just watched the season premiere on TEN’s website as I subscribe to their newsletters and I agree with George’s comments. It’s going to be really really good,

  5. Here’s my score David. 🙂 Sorry I’ve made this post pretty long, but I thought I’d give all my opinions to back up my score (plus the show was so awesome I just had to).

    Characters: 4/5 – Good to see all the old characters back again from last year, we can see conflict between Kerry and Lawson with the hiring of Shannon, who we find out to have known Lawson from some time ago. Jokes made between Stella and Michael show that there’s been underlying relations between them all, and in general, the characters mesh well with each other. The acting skills of the cast are really excellent in general. We see all the emotions they go through during the day and the acting really is believable.

    Plot: 4.5/5 – The premiere’s plot is very interesting. From the start to the finish I was on the edge of my seat, because the plot was out there while still being extremely believable, and it flowed well. Of course, you need to pay attention to the show because it can move very quickly, but unlike a lot of other Australian dramas, I find it told the story it needed to tell in a very unique but effective way.

    Production and Special Effects: 4.5/5 – Watching Rush was an absolute joy. The shaky camera work was used in the right moments and was not overused, but not underused either. The different camera angles and scenes used helped give a true feeling of the story, characters and the emotions being conveyed.

    Overall: 4.5/5 Rush season 2 is looking to be one of the best Australian dramas to hit our screens this year. The edge-of-your-seat ride is something we have had very little of on Australian TV and as a viewer I’m glad we’ve been spoilt with such an amazing series as this. Here’s to many more seasons ahead! 🙂

  6. I watched the season premiere on TEN’s website and wow! This season looks even better than the last one. Exelent production values (the special effects with the explosions were awesome) and great acting.
    This year hopefully it will maintain a strong audience, and considering it has a leadin from a 90 min MasterChef elimination challenge it will definitely get a good starting base to build on.

  7. *Rush* should have rated much better than it did last year ! – bad programming from Ch 10 – it’s a much better show than would be competitor *City Homicide* which started Ok but dropped off as plots became increasingly predictable and boring.
    Looking forward to Rush…..

  9. I agree with Christopher!! Way better than any other Aussie drama last year! David glad to here Master Chef precedes it with a 90 mins elimination – good programming by 10. It’s a pity it coincides with the double GA episode on 7 as it comes to the end of its season – I think this calls for taping GA and watching Rush live 🙂

  10. I can’t wait for it to return!! The first season kept you on the edge of your seats – they kept the death of Grace under wraps that you almost didn’t believe it was true! Looking forward to what it has to offer in season 2!

  11. Great review David.

    Very happy to see Rush back, hopefully it can pick up more of an audience but I don’t know – I think the show is a little too highbrow for some (not trying to be snobby, can’t think of anther descriptor)

    As David says it is a frenetic show, you actually have to pay attention to what is happening not just have it on in the background and guess the predictable storyline.

  12. Rush was the hottest show on TV last year so cannot wait for it to come back on.

    The actors are believable the story lines unpredictable and although there is lots of action I still get to be involved with the individual characters.

    Aussie drama at its best, bring in on!!!!!!!!!

  13. I cant wait, Ive been hyping myself up so much just looking at the promos and to read that review makes me even more excited than I was! The first episode is available online from Friday to Sunday on Ten.com.au.

    Hopscotch Entertainment is releasing Season 1 of Rush on the 30th July, although not sure which retailers will sell it.

    I hope Rush builds an audience of over 1 mill, last years average was 936,000 which wasnt too bad considering its comp and timeslot.

  17. Can’t wait for this! 😀 Rush is an awesome show and deserves the better timeslot. Is there any news on what TEN are putting at 7:30? Surely they can’t have Rules of Engagement as a ledin since it doesn’t really rate all that well.

  18. What 3 times? I know of two, when was the third aired?

    I was lucky enough to see eps 1 and 2 at the TV Week preview in Melbourne and loved it.

    I love the hand held thing with the filming, makes you feel like your running right beside them and in on the action. Bring on season 2, can’t wait!!

  22. I’m glad Ten have decided to give Rush an 8.30pm timeslot. They should have programmed it there for it’s first season aswell. I’d expect it will pull between 1.1-1.3million viewers.

  24. Just realised how many of the characters have a “two first names” thing going on. Can’t wait for it to be back, easily the best Aussie show last year.

  25. Yes, yes, yes.

    Literally the only problem I have with this series is that sometimes the hand-held is a little Too hand-held.

    And what’s more it’s Australian! Never have I seen an Australian TV pull off this much polish and flair without being cringeworthy or occa.

    Unmissable.

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