The Rig season 2 review: Martin Compston drama starts strong but veers off course

The crew are on Pictor's turf now, having to grapple with their morals, their crippling fears about their loved ones back home, and purely trying to survive as the Ancestor remains a mystery to them.

The key difference from season 1 is that the show is bigger in all senses. The crew are in a bigger and more dangerous environment, we explore more places, and are introduced to new characters from the off – and, for the most part, this works well.

Overall, things kick off in a strong way as the crew attempt to grapple with their new environment and find out more about the mysterious Ancestor.

The most captivating moments come early on and in the claustrophobic and life-threatening sequences, as the series continues to prove that it isn't afraid to shock – or to harm – its darlings. One of these comes in episode 1, courtesy of Abraham Popoola as Easter and newbie Ross Anderson as Cameron.

The best sequence, though, is reserved for episode 3, thanks (again) to Anderson and to Mark Addy, who's impressive in his return as David Coake, the Pictor representative who's relishing the fact that the Kinloch Bravo crew are now on his turf.

In the second half of the season, though, the series veers off course a little. It feels as though the story could have been nicely paced into four episodes rather than six. It once again becomes a little tonally confusing, almost as though it's struggling to find its identity despite being two seasons deep.

In particular, a storyline involving Emily Hampshire's Rose feels like a cop-out, causing the show to lose any sense of danger at a crucial moment. Meanwhile, following his monumentally important storyline in season 1 involving his connection with the Ancestor, Martin Compston's Fulmer gets a lot less interesting – and the continuing romance between Fulmer and Rose seems played-out.

The new cast largely fit in seamlessly, with Anderson particularly getting his time to shine. Other additions include Alice Krige and Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, who play higher ups in Pictor, Phil McKee, and Johannes Roaldsen.

Meanwhile, the remaining cast are given varyingly interesting stories. Rochenda Sandall remains a standout as the team medic who's now on a mission to find her wife following the tsunami, after revealing that she's pregnant. As usual, the actress gives a stunning performance with whatever scenes she's handed. On the other side of things, Iain Glen's Magnus is weirdly underused.

Despite its flaws, The Rig season 2 is still well worth the watch. It continues to be visually glorious – perhaps even more so than season 1 – as we're exposed to the harsh landscapes of the Arctic, the claustrophobic yet sprawling Stac, and the UK dealing with the aftermath of the tsunami.

It's also impossible not to be reminded of the importance of the show in terms of its depiction of the climate crisis. Season 2 is perhaps even more relentless in getting this message across - but also not sacrificing entertainment to do so.

It never feels preachy but also doesn't pull its punches when showing the damage that humanity has done to the planet. However, it also features those much-needed moments of optimism, making it clear that it is still possible to learn more and to do better.

The Rig season 2 will be available to stream on Prime Video on Thursday 2nd January – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial.

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