Starz The Rook, the adaptation of Daniel O’Malley’s astonishing book, is almost upon us! To better prepare you, here at Fangirlish we put together 5 reasons why you should watch this show as we’re already a couple episodes in. But don’t worry, no mega spoilers will be coming your way and we hope to see you every Sunday starting June 30 for our reviews of The Rook!
1. The mystery surrounding Myfanwy aka the female lead.
Myfanwy, which rhymes with “Tiffany”, is at the center of the mystery that is The Rook. She doesn’t remember who she is but she’s determined to figure out who did this to her and why she woke up on the Millenium Bridge in London surrounded by dead bodies. Along the way, Myfawnwy, played by Emma Greenwell, is introduced back into her life and the people she works with aka giving her even more suspects when it comes to what happened to her. And we’re here for it all!
2. There’s a disabled character playing a disabled character.
Look, representation matters. And no, I might not be a disabled person but I can appreciate and cheer on another community for the actual representation we are going to see on The Rook. Ingrid Woodhouse, played by Ruth Madeley, is the backbone of the day-to-day operation of the office Myfanwy works at. And what makes her even more exciting to see is that she is a wheel chair living badass played by an ACTUAL disabled person. That right there MATTERS! (Please message me if you are a disabled individual who prefers different language when addressing the community.)
3. The subtle hints of power and abilities.
At first glance you wouldn’t think that this show had characters with a particular set of skills or powers. The Rook comes off as a spy thriller/drama when you watch the trailer for the first time and if you have no background on the book this show is based on. But the deeper you delve into The Rook and the more time you spend in this world, the more you come to appreciate the subtly and power of those with abilities. Because this is a human story; no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
4. Women took a stand on screen and behind the scenes.
You can tell when a woman takes the reins on a show. It’s in the way the woman is presented to the audience, how her worries are translated into something we can relate to, and how she fits into the complex puzzle that is any show. The Rook, a show with a female lead and plenty of women in supporting roles, was directed by women for 6 of the 8 episodes of season one. Without giving away spoilers, it shows in every bit of the first episode. Trust us on that one!
5. The Gestalt.
Not going to lie, the Gestalt are weird. But who wouldn’t be if you were sharing a “hive mind” between four siblings? They appear to be individuals, with their own taste in dress and style, but it’s all a ruse. They are one and that really makes you wonder what their end game is and why they are working at the Checquy.
The Rook premieres Sunday, June 30th on Starz.
