Run
Episodes and My Ratings:
Ratings are IMDB scores
1. Run (7.3/10)
2. Kiss (7.1/10)
3. **** (7.5/10)
4. Chase (7.3/10)
5. Jump (7.5/10)
6. Tell (7.2/10)
7. Trick (5.9/10)
Percents are my opinionated score
My Rankings
1. Jump (87%)-This episode is Run's strongest storyline in my opinion as the more nonchalant yet hyper tone of the show is abandoned for a rapid and quite dark turn that changes the next couple episodes. It's a turning point for a show that barely managed to establish a set plot and while it is struggles from some weaker aspects, it also really shines in other ideas. The episode has the strongest performances yet from Domnhall Gleeson and Merritt Wever as they are faced with some difficult decisions which is an excellent representation of their powerful acting skills. The story is very fast paced and don't give any break to the audience which keeps up with the title of the show, but really left me annoyed as there was so little time with some things and excessive time with other things. The addition of Phoebe Waller-Bridge was interesting and if you ask me could have been cut out completely to allow for some more development and this really doesn't have anything to do with how she acts, but is just more about the storyline and its internal issues. I did enjoy this episode the most and found it the most entertaining as it provided a new energetic and serious tone that the other episodes lacked, providing a more captivating story for the audience. However, it loses its footing by doing this and ditches everything it was originally supposed to be which is clever, but in my view a mistake as audiences will be left confused and annoyed with the inconsistency, consequently it almost seems like the well-made episode doesn't know what it is supposed to follow or what it is going to lead to, creating that uncertainty that can disrupt a storyline. Overall though, this episode changes Run extremely in a good way as it increases entertainment as it makes the storyline bigger and darker that ultimately leads to a fast-paced, fun adventure that for the most part is a successful episode.
2. **** (87%)-The next episode in Run comes very close to "Jump," as the two are alike in so many ways, but it was Jump's pacing that I couldn't ignore and its transition for the series that ultimately helped it take the lead. However, **** is still a strong episode for Run and like the top episode of the series, it transitions the series into something bigger and something more entertaining that drastically affects everything we have seen so far in a good way as the tone and characters are all reshaped in a bold but risky way. As Ruby and Bill decide to spend a day in Chicago, Billy is forced to deal with this new and mysterious Fiona character while Ruby is forced to reflect a little bit in the city on what her plan is exactly and these plots are mainly good and a product of greatly average writing that sets it apart from others, but this episode also changes the tone too rapidly and transitions everything in a rough way that might confuse audiences or turn them away. The acting continues to be great and Fiona's character greatly makes this show more entertaining as it makes everyone want to keep watching and spellbound, but there is a lot of wasted time in this episode that could have been used for some more explanations or confrontations that would ultimately make it easier to understand. The whole episode extends the boundaries for the show which I was impressed by as it brings them to a big city in contrast to a small train, but it doesn't know how to manage this space and use it to the fullest extent which causes it to end up feeling too small and almost uneventful at times. Even though this is a major setback for the episode, I felt like the transition was necessary and a good turning point for the show as it finally established the lacking central plot and hinted at some of the main conflicts or even antagonists that could be upon us in the episode that finally feels like it matches with what Run promised. It has its standout flaws and doesn't handle everything 100% perfectly but is ultimately a great and needed transition for the show that becomes extremely unique and entertaining.
3. Run (84%)-The pilot episode for this series is a mostly entertaining, fun journey and look into two brand new characters that is flawed with a confusing start and uneasy tone or pacing. The show introduces Ruby in an interesting way as we simply just see a text that says run on it which is ok but it could have explained the character better and made it easier to understand as I was very confused on the storyline especially Ruby's character for a while into the episode since she is the central focus of the beginning of the episode. However, Merritt Wever's acting doesn't stand in the way and is great for the most part but in this episode is just a little bit not relatable and feels almost too scripted in a way, but for the most part, she is good in this episode. In similar fashion, the character of Billy is very under-developed in this episode and feels more like a hint to what the character is instead of any true characteristics or quality that might add the mysterious idea to him, but weaken the story greatly as it does revolve greatly around this character in this episode. The storyline also does a good job in creating a fast paced and energetic tone that matches with the description of the show and title as everything in the first episode is moving fast as if it is running to a point where it is almost excessive and annoying, but creates a captivating and fun adventure that sucks the audience in. With this fast paced journey, the audience loses track of what's going on and the plot loses that unique quality it has and feels dull in a way that exemplifies the instability in the plot as the show never really knows where it wants to go and feels very unsure for most of the plot. But, the first episode is mostly entertaining and a good way to introduce what to expect just without actually creating any introduction to the plot but mainly just hinting as a teaser to us about the characters and storyline which is decent for a pilot episode, but could have been better to help pull the audience in and make the storyline more apparent and fast so audiences will have no option but to keep watching, therefore when the tone creates the fast paced tone that matches with how the show should run and its description, it is exceptional and provides a character to the show that makes this episode a unique yet mostly satisfying introduction.
4. Tell (77%)-This episode is a decent addition into the series, but feels too much like a filler episode and struggles to really find its purpose other than setting up what will be an interesting (in not the best way) season (or maybe series) finale. This one is also ironically the slowest moving plot to me as everything is happening and characters are becoming more involved because everything moves in a much slower pace and it doesn't have that running pace and tone that the previous episodes set. It derails some of the strengths of the other episodes as the writing feels very weak and almost lazy at times as some characters do things that never make sense for them or others just act in sort of stupid ways. Merritt Wever and Domhnall Gleeson do their best to save this episode and add more depth to the characters, but the way they are written in this episode feels very one-dimensional and seems almost like the story rapidly introduced two new characters with completely different personalities. Consequently, it lacks that development that was strongly present in some other episodes and also lacks the strong tone and pacing that brought this show up and more fascinating. Therefore, this episode is more boring and definitely never identifies itself as more than a filler episode and weirdly the episode knows that and just goes along with it in in the best way it can. There were a variety of different ways this episode could have gone that would have made it unique and stand out, but ultimately it ignores those available paths and feels more like a bunch of random ideas and stories that become intertwined with some very vague storytelling. The thing that brought this episode up for me than the others was its development into the plot and digging down deeper into the story because although it feels like a filler episode and is essentially that, it is the first time in the show that I felt the story developed to the most it could and unnecessary details were chopped off, creating only stuff that benefited and moved the plot along which reflected amazing editing in my opinion. This might not seem like much, but other episodes really struggled to develop the plot and change its ways, therefore I thought that idea brought this episode up and overshadowed some of the awful mistakes made that weakened the quality of the episode.
5. Chase (76%)-This episode of Run is decent, but really suffers from a weak and way too short storyline that undermines the previous tone of the other episodes and although it leads into future episodes and creates an anticipating future, it lacks in entertainment and strong writing. The acting is average for this episode and disappointing compared to the other episodes, however the mystery of this Fiona character is finally unravelling with just a little slower pace than most people would enjoy. Therefore, the way the show handles this storyline and its development of Fiona is flawed as it is too stretched out and could have been summarized instead of the exaggerated and quite boring way the story tells the mystery. But, this definitely helps Archie Panjabi (who plays Fiona) stand out as her acting is very powerful, mysterious and emboldened which contrasts with the other roles and ideas in the series and creates a nice balance for the tone and pace of the show which does help this episode move above the others. However, the rushed feeling of the series that matches with the description (and title) of the show is dropped from this episode again and I truly felt that one of the best things from the show had been dropped which weakened the quality and strength of the show that made it unique and special. Consequently, the writing was ok at best and didn't distinguish itself from other episodes and felt repetitive to a frustrating extent. This episode's pace is definitely too much of a filler episode like the surrounding episodes and I felt that although it was purposeful in the series in moving the story and created an even bigger mystery (plus the amazing and cliffhanger ending), this half-hour was dying from boredom itself and needed more captivating energy that would attract audiences and repair what made this show enjoyable to audiences in the other episodes.
6. Kiss (74%)-This episode of Run is interesting and risky as it definitely provides some depth to the characters and continues the rushed tone that fits the show perfectly, but it also doesn't provide a significantly meaningful storyline that would attract people or develop the series and seems almost too relaxed and comedic. I did love the humor in the episode though and found it fascinating how the writing meshes serious topics with extremely light subjects, however the storyline is not very rich for the episode and bland especially since we learn more about the characters but still lack the context needed to support such an unknown story. Run's fast pace saves this episode from being last once again as the energy and momentum that is constantly felt throughout the series gives this episode a fresh vibe and entertains the audience just enough to where they will keep watching. In addition, the performances continue to peak in this episode as the character development is the strongest thing, therefore unlike some previous episodes, the vague writing actually works in its favor. The main problem is just the story in this episode is meaningless and although an argument can be made about the relationship development, I felt that this episode could have been skipped or modified to be more than just intimacy and romance, but develop a substance that is so needed to support this lacking episode. It's not bad and will most likely captivate specific audiences, however the writing style is unsteady and does not give the depth to the story that I was hoping for especially in this episode that was supposed to continue the pilot and build up a strong storyline which it really never did. But, its fast-paced energy and strong characters (acting also) bring this episode up and still make it an enjoyable half and hour escape.
7. Trick (59%)-I'm not really sure what happened with the season finale of Run as it was the weakest episode of the series to me with lackluster writing and what seemed more of a failed climax to all the events that could never match the fresh or energetic energy the other episodes. The characters seem to have changed completely into new people as some of their actions and characteristics contradict what we knew about them which although represents a clever use of seven episodes for development, it is all done in a rapid and uncomfortable pace. Building up characters and changing them all at the last second for "development" just makes them unlikeable and makes the show all the more unsteady. The storyline connected to the previous episodes well and continued the high quality acting from everyone, but the writing really changes to something that I think was the biggest mistake for the episode. Instead of having some big climax with all the characters facing their troubles or everything becoming intertwined to match the fast paced and fun energy of Run, we are met (in this episode) with a stressed and uninspired tone that creates a climax to a story by separating each character, allowing them to find their own ways and escape their problems while also leaving many other storylines wide open for the future. This could have been miraculously successful and something wonderful, but the way the writing portrays this and the dragging storyline that is consistently carried out through the episode without any real meaning makes this quite disappointing and sets this far away from the other episodes quality wise as it had some moderate potential to be great and spun its ideas into a confusing and packed web. I'm not saying you shouldn't watch the last episode of Run as it sums up most of the storylines (not in the best ways-but no spoilers) and provides some closure for the characters, but it just lies further back from the other episodes and feels like an episode that would be released when the series was finding itself as the tone, writing, directing and storyline flow all is unsteady and disappoints the previously energetic, quirky and fun show we were expecting to receive.
Cast/Crew
Cast:
Merritt Wever.....................Ruby Richardson
Domhnall Gleeson...................Billy Johnson
Archie Panjabi..........................Fiona Hatwal
Rich Sommer................Laurence Richardson
Phoebe Waller-Bridge............Laurel Halliday
Tamara Podemski...................................Cloud
Shaun J. Brown......................Ryan Everwood
Crew:
Kate Dennis........Director/Executive Producer
Natalie Bailey.....................................Director
Kevin Bray.........................................Director
Vicky Jones.........Creator/Executive Producer
Stacy Osei-Kuffour................................Writer
Adam Countee......Writer/Consulting Producer
David Iserson........Writer/Consulting Producer
Georgia Pritchett....Writer/Consulting Producer
Kirstie Swain........Writer/Supervising Producer
Layla Blackman..............................Co-Producer
Emily Leo...........................Executive Producer
Jenny Robins.......................Executive Producer
Oliver Roskill........................Executive Producer
Phoebe Waller-Bridge...........Executive Producer
Emily Ballou.....................Supervising Producer
D.J. Carson...........................................Producer
Daniel Hank.....................................Co-Producer
Kevin Lafferty.........................................Producer
Lucan Toh.............................Executive Producer
Polly Williams.................Development Executive
Dickon Hinchliffe.................................Composer
Matthew Clark...........................Cinematographer
Kristin Fieldhouse.....................Cinematographer
Anthony Boys...............................................Editor
Katie Weiland...............................................Editor
Ben Harris...................................Casting Director
Allison Jones...............................Casting Director
and many many more:
Click Here for a Full list:
Storyline:
"Ruby Richardson walks away from her ordinary life in the suburbs to revisit her past with her college boyfriend, Billy Johnson. The two made a pact 17 years earlier: If either one of them texted the word "RUN" and the other replied with the same, they would drop everything and meet in Grand Central Terminal and travel across American together. "
-HBO https://www.hbo.com/
"Two ex-lovers active a long-planned escape to disappear together"
-IMDB (IMDB Editors) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8045468/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ql_stry_2
Attempting to forget about the troubles they are currently facing in their lives, two former lovers Ruby Richardson and Billy Johnson meet up in a train station after texting one word to each other: Run. With the intention to travel around America and connect with each other, their journeys lead them to places with many unexpected twists and turns in a unique yet electric and enjoyable display of their relationship and romance. Run takes all the best ideas from a romcom and adds depth to them to create a moderately humorous, fun and full show that make be a bit shaky at times but always depicts love in a different way by showing an unexpected and weird connection between two people. Run's energy will always keep you on your feet and excited for what is to come next as this overall energetic show always ensures an overall good time.
Would I Recommend?
Run is a unique show that some people might find extremely engaging and entertaining while others might find it bland and lacking in many departments, therefore it is hard as to whether recommend it or not. Despite the standout flaws, I generally enjoyed the show as it felt like a quick half-hour journey into something that would differ weekly and continue to be mysterious and entertaining. The typical romcom story is reshaped for better or worse and the writing might be unusual and not the best in some parts of the season, however it ultimately portrays an upbeat and fun experience as each week we witness many fascinating twists and turns through the rapidly changing character's eyes. Even though I enjoyed the show and thought the acting was amazing in it, the ending was really the worst part as it felt very broad in a bad way and left everything open annoyingly with little conclusion which ultimately made me feel like I was watching a seven episode journey to nowhere. Consequently, I would recommend Run to people who just want a show that will provide a sort of serious but entertaining good time, but I would not recommend Run for people wanting a deeper storyline as it's plot and characters are unsteady and never establish themselves which could make you feel like you're riding on a train to nowhere ironically in this hyper and fast-paced program.
Overall/Review:
Run is a tough show to review as it has major strengths and standout failures in almost all departments which ultimately make it clever and energetic while also creating an uneasy and quite confusing storyline. In my opinion, the best thing about this show was the mostly consistent "running" tone which perfectly matched with the story and title and made the writing and story feel more developed and professional especially more in some episodes than others. The fast-paced energy this show brings provides a fresh take on a romcom and made the first couple of episodes very enjoyable and different from anything else in a great way that really showed the potential for the series. But as the episodes become more complex with a heavier plot, that impactful tone gets lost and makes the show feel very one-dimensional or incomplete as everything randomly jumps at time from one thing to another. It seems like the show doesn't know what to do with this rapid movement and didn't have the maturity to craft a storyline that could support all the changing ideas and movements which ended up creating a very powerful opening that slowly dwindles down until the original spark was lost.
The writing is the main problem throughout the series as the storyline automatically struggled from a lack of context and although this engaged the audience more (creating a more mysterious idea), it forced the show to progress without any basis to fall back on or any bottom layer to build up on which made a very original, but also not multi-layered storyline due to this. The writing becomes less engaged the further the series develops mainly because when the series rapidly changes tone and plot to become something much more than it originally was, the writing doesn't support the rapid movement, but seems almost disconnected from the characters and storyline. In addition, the character development that began with a pow backfires towards the end of the series to a point where I was wondering if these were the same characters that I had been watching all along. The characters make unusual decisions that defy any previous development we had for them and reform them to look different to the audience in what could have been a clever storyline tactic, but ended up being an unprofessional and hasty move to rush the series to the finish line. Therefore, while I strongly believed that the character development was one of the strongest things in the series, the later episodes changed the characters too rapidly and weakened that strong connection present in the original episodes. However, the acting from Merritt Wever and Domhnall Gleeson are both stand-out performances as they help feel the show feel more mature and complete especially with their fierce chemistry that makes this twisted romcom story even more engaging and entertaining. If it wasn't for the two fantastic performances, the show would most likely be rated lower because in my opinion, their performances really fuel the storyline and keep the audience captivated when the story might be weaker, representing just how strong their performances must have been in these complex roles.
Despite all the major flaws in the writing that made this show feel like it lacked purpose and meaning, I thoroughly enjoyed the idea of creating a plot and mysteriously adding elements that help everything unravel. I loved the addition of Fiona to the show as it provided so much depth to Billy's character and really created some special development that helped him match and balance the complex background and constant details from Ruby's life. Fiona almost was a symbol of the turning point in the series which showed how artistic the show really got at times and elaborated on the genre-binding idea the show tried to succeed in. However, the addition of Phoebe Waller-Bridge in the show felt unnecessary and really seemed pointless to me for the most part as although the acting was fine, the character didn't seem to have much background or depth and really left me wanting to know more about the character and understand what we lacked. But again, that contributed to the rushed and chaotic writing that was previously discussed because it seemed as if the story couldn't contain the various different materials it was receiving.
Additionally , the ending really disappointed me and set this show further back as it culminated everything in a bittersweet climax that left little to no conclusion on any characters and felt more like a break in the plot rather than an actual ending. Although it can be interpreted in many ways, I thought the ending was substantial but not carried out in the best way as many plots are left too open (for a season 2 maybe) and the characters that we have got to know for 7 episodes suddenly just stop and leave in the most abrupt way possible. It is ironic that a show called Run ended abruptly, however I think that the ending was unsatisfying and made the whole series feel pointless as nothing that occurred actually led to anything, but all ended up being filler moments to disguise the useless journey that would lead to an unsettling climax. Overall, Run doesn't seem to know what it's doing or what it wants to do as it jumps around everywhere in terms of story, genre, characters which makes it feel inconsistent and doesn't fit with audiences well especially in some of the later episodes. But, despite these major flaws in writing and directing as well as that really controversial ending, the acting (their chemistry), the characters (for the earlier part of the season) and the fast paced tone or fun energy saves this show from itself and helps it became an overall enjoyable and extremely fun for the most part yet rapid and quick experience for the audience (even if it might lead to nothing).
Rotten Tomato Score: 84%
IMDB Score: 6.4/10
Rating: 76%
*Run is available to watch on HBO On Demand, HBO Go, HBO Now and HBO Max and is rated TV-MA
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