At this point, it may feel as if every single new TV show on the horizon has some vague connection to Line Of Duty, but you know what they say; if it ain’t broke…

To that end, then, we’re happy to report that The Rig – an epic six-part thriller, directed by LOD’s John Strickland and starring none other than Martin ‘Steve Arnott’ Compston – looks every bit as good as those initial reports first promised.

And the first trailer, which dropped this week, looks absolutely gripping.

Watch the trailer for The Rig below:

“We punch the earth long enough, eventually it’s going to punch back.”

A deeply ominous line, as we’re sure you’ll agree. 

Here’s what you need to know, then, about the chilling series.

What’s the plot of The Rig?

Seemingly blending the horror and thriller genres, The Rig whisks us away to an oil rig stationed off the Scottish coast in the dangerous waters of the North Sea.

There, we meet the crew of the Kinloch Bravo, who are eagerly waiting to be collected and returned to the mainland. 

Too bad, then, that a mysterious and all-enveloping fog makes this impossible, eh?

“The rig is hit by massive tremors, and they find themselves cut off from all communication with the shore and the outside world,” continues the official synopsis. 

“And, as the crew endeavour to discover what’s driving this unknown force, a major accident forces them to ask questions about who they can really trust.”

It adds ominously: “Bonds are broken, allegiances formed and generational fault lines exposed. The crew of the Bravo will be driven to the limits of both their loyalties and their endurance, into a confrontation with forces beyond their imagination.”

Anyone else getting big Vigil vibes, albeit combined with Stephen King’s The Mist?

Who stars in The Rig?

As mentioned already, Compston has a starring role in this thriller, but he’s far from the only recognisable name on the list. 

We also have Schitt’s Creek actor Emily Hampshire, Small Axe’s Rochenda Sandall, and not one but two Game Of Thrones legends in Iain Glen and Owen Teale.

As if that weren’t enough star power for you, the series also boasts the talents of Shetland’s Mark Bonnar, Gangs Of London actor Richard Pepple, Kingsman’s Calvin Demba, Paradox’s Emun Elliott, Jingle Jangle’s Abraham Popoola, Trainspotting’s Stuart McQuarrie and Molly Vevers (of Doctors fame).

What are people saying about The Rig?

Georgia Brown, director of European Amazon Originals for Prime Video, promises big things from this epic thriller.

“The Rig is a brilliant story, expertly told, in the most dramatic of settings,” she says. “It asks searching questions about nature and the environment, about what it takes to survive and to be human, which feels very pertinent to the world we are living in now.”

When and where can we watch The Rig?

Filming for the new UK Amazon Original series finished last year in Edinburgh, Scotland, and it is set to hit our screens on 6 January 2023… just in time for those bleak midwinter nights.

Will you be watching?

Images: Amazon Prime