Rebus - Season 1

Rebus makes the same mistake in 2024 as in the past. A donkey does not hit the same stone twice. Unfortunately, the makers behind the remake of Rebus do this. While the young John Hannah (The Victim) played the leading role in the first series, they have now chosen the equally young Richard Rankin (Outlander). Both (then) forty-year-olds also have the disadvantage that they look far too nice to portray the complicated and rough inspector. Once again, a type of Ken Stott (Messiah) who took on the role from 2006 is missing. He managed to portray the darker and more aggressive side of Rebus very well. Moreover, in his role, Ken was the embodiment of an inspector who had no regard for rules and hierarchy.

Just like Rebus himself in this 2024 version, the story is also a bit too normal and smooth.

Today's Rebus is a light version in everything compared to the earlier version with Ken Stott. Rebus struggles with his private relationships. He is having a hard time with the separation from his wife and child. His colleague and friend suffered permanent injuries in an accident. The criminal Ger Cafferty (Stuart Bowman, Versailles) is responsible for this accident. Even years later, Rebus still wants revenge. If the name Cafferty pops up in a case, Rebus is of course there to take up the case. It is one of the common threads in the story.



The other common thread is the relationship between Rebus and his brother Michael (Brian Ferguson, The Ipcress File). Michael fought in Afghanistan. He and his wife are having financial difficulties. The result is that they live in a neighborhood where drugs and crime are rampant. Michael decides to intervene. He steals drug money from dealers. The result is that Michael is drawn further and further into crime. Together with former fellow soldiers, he ends up in a drug-related power struggle. Not entirely coincidentally, this also has similarities with the case that Rebus is investigating.

For those who don't know the old series or the books, this season is quite entertaining.

Just like Rebus himself in this 2024 version, the story is also a bit too normal and smooth. It is now a standard story in which drug crime plays a major role. It is not exactly the dark and melancholic detective it should be according to Ian Rankin's books. One of the main reasons for Rebus's great success is that it provides an intriguing insight into a complex soul. Someone who doesn't seem to care about kicking everything and everyone. He has emotionally lost everything he loves, which makes drink and violence seem his only option. Some kind of destructive mission. This is not (yet?) mentioned anywhere in the current version. Rebus may be aggressive and averse to rules, but otherwise he is a relatively one-dimensional soul.



Rebus is a nice crime series in 2024. However, it does follow a standard story a bit too much. It is mainly the casting of the main character that lets the story down, even though the story itself is thin. It's a fun pastime. The big problem is that this television series is a remake of one of the best crime series there is. One that managed to capture a dark atmosphere and that gave all the space to a dark soul like Rebus. Unfortunately, that exceptionalism is now not achieved in any episodes. As a crime series it can pass. For those who don't know the old series or the books, this season is quite entertaining. That's why we decided to give this series a six and a half.