Rush

Rush isn't just a great cop show, it's a great drama as well, with characters who stay true to themselves and each episode outdoing the last. Instead of overloading the viewers with meaningless action, Rush prefers to spend a lot more time on its characters, adding depth to each one of them every episode. Each character is well developed throughout the course of the series and, despite the lack of meaninglessness, the action contained in a single episode rivals any cop show any American television. ANY cop show.

Each line of the perfectly restrained script flows naturally from the characters, never feeling forced and never feeling scripted. The actors themselves help to create this feeling, each of them seeming to know their character inside out and instinctively know how to portray; a welcome change from the soap opera actors which usually back up the lead in todays cop shows.

The writers also seem to realize that drama doesn't only manifest itself in the killing off of characters, creating twisted character arcs with forbidden love, delusions of grandeur, the whole shebang. They also are incredibly inventive, thinking up new and interesting, though never unfeasible, ways to test the team's abilities. And they're far too smart to, 1) always let them win and 2)let them get away with a clean conscience.

The direction is fantastic. It looks like a constant Bourne film, but if that puts you off, don't worry, each and every shot is perfectly chosen for maximum effectiveness and won't impair your view exorbitantly.

And yes, I know what you're thinking, it's an Australian show, they probably constantly introduce themselves with a g'day and throw in phrases like strewth or fair shake of the sauce bottle (what does that even mean??), but Rush (kindly) eschews this cultural stereotype, focusing instead on the actual plot/technical-aspects-in-general of the show (hint to all other Aussie shows out there, get you're acts together!).

If you haven't found this Aussie gem yet, find it, buy it, watch it and then watch it again. I guarantee you'll love it.

It's good and it deserves better.

I don't want to spoil it and talk about what happens. I would like however to mention how Aussie shows manage to capture real life better than American shows - who just lose themselves in unnatural drama. I don't know if that's because Aussie life is more down-to-earth than American life since I haven't been to any of those countries, but somehow I can relate to Rush much more than to any American cop show i've seen lately.

The characters are believable and real. And yeah, some ideas might not be the most original out there, but they don't feel fake while watching, and when watching this show I don't get that odd sensation I sometimes get when watching other shows - that feeling that someone's really trying hard to come up with a good story and it just doesn't get out. The story flows naturally.

Let's hope they don't lose it. I hope they go as long as Water Rats - maybe longer.

This show is entertaining because it has some nice action scenes, and very good actors.

But like most of these action cop shows, these are the worst cops ever.

They always break protocol, have sexual relationships with each other even though it's against the rules, get kidnapped, repeatedly drop their guns, let criminals escape, miss obvious clues. Also, they run very slowly when chasing criminals, or at least they appear to run quickly, but they never catch the criminals. They also spend a lot of time yelling, "drop your gun, or I'll shoot," but they never shoot. They just let the criminals get away. And somehow criminals are always able to sneak up behind these cops and whack them on the head. Really poor situational awareness.

I guess screenwriters in every country have to follow the same rules and write the same kinds of scenes over and over again.

Watch to enjoy the actors and the shaky steadycam chase scenes. Try to suspend your disbelief. Insomnia requires shows like this.

Great Aussie series, well acted great story's.just being repeated on uk tv now my third time watching this series. Australia really has some of the best actors and series.

It is surprisingly impressive. I would expect something of this caliber from a higher budget American studio (everyone knows America has the best technically inclined staff at their disposal).

When I watched the first episode I was in awe, this show was much better then next to anything I'd expect from Australia. It has so many things you just wouldn't expect from an Aussie show, and it's on so many more levels. The technical skills and creativity are much better then most other shows on the same budget.

I went to the 24 Hour Film making festival of 2008, and I was surprised to find the lead actress of the first episode there (Aurora). The directors make the actors look great.

It is better then most other cop shows. The stories are a lot more complex and things are done more interestingly. It's not just "find the evidence, yell at the killer", it is visually entertaining and more intellectual. They characters aren't just run off the mill killers, there are large stories behind them all.

It obviously doesn't have the budget of CSI, but it is certainly more interesting (I mean, who wants to watch a monotonous guy wearing sunglasses indoors?). It's more like Law and Order, but even then, the technical skills are better and it makes it visually more entertaining.

I do have to admit, watching it for the second time around it's not as shocking as the first time around, but lightening doesn't strike in the same place twice. I am glad it has been brought back for an encore series. I'll finally get to watch the episodes I missed!