Rubicon

AMC released a promotional poster and trailer for their newest show Rubicon. Honestly, if this show wasn't on AMC, there would be nothing about it that would make me say "I've got to see that."

Rubicon is a conspiracy thriller created by Jason Horwitch, and starring James Badge Dale, Miranda Richardson, Peter Gerety, and Dallas Roberts. I'm rarely sold on new shows based on their concepts (and this one looks like something that would be at home on Fox or any other big network), so the idea of a conspiracy thriller wouldn't sway me one way or the other. Usually, my main reasons for checking out a show are creators/writers, actors, and/or networks*. With that in mind, none of the names listed above do much for me.** So, my plans of checking this show out are based solely on the fact that it is airing on AMC, who have a pretty good track record from Mad Men and Breaking Bad***.

Rubicon is set to debut on August 1 at 8pm with a two-hour episode, which will lead into the second episode of the new season of Mad Men. However, rumor has it that AMC will air the entire first episode as a sneak preview this Sunday (6/13) after the Breaking Bad season finale. As of this time, AMC has not yet advertised or acknowledged the sneak preview, and my cable box doesn't list it.

(poster via EW)


*The practice of watching a show based on which network is airing it doesn't usually work too well, since all of the networks air both good and bad tv shows. However, I'm willing to give more of a chance to a new shows on some of the better cable channels (HBO, AMC, FX), simply because they have put out many shows that I have enjoyed in the past.

**Series creator Jason Horwitch created and wrote for Medical Investigators, a drama that aired 20 episodes on NBC during the 2004-05 season. I'm not familiar with this show, but it looks like pretty standard network fare. As for the actors, I'm familiar with Peter Gerety's work in Homicide: LOTS and The Wire, and I've heard good things about lead actor James Badge Dale in The Pacific.

***I was going to use the phrase "two for two" to describe AMC's success with original series. However, a look at their Wikipedia page revealed that they aired an original series called Remembering WENN, which ran for 56 episodes from 1996-1998. I've never watched it, previously heard of it, and I have no clue about the quality of the program.