Richard Rankin talks a younger, less predictable Rebus in the Viaplay series

Ian Rankin’s books following the Scottish detective John Rebus have had another adaptation. Rebus season 1 is now available to stream on Viaplay in full, with Richard Rankin taking on the lead.

This is a much darker and younger version of the character we’ve seen in the past. The show brings us a troubled and self-loathing man who doesn’t seem to expect anything good to happen to him. When it does, he doesn’t allow the good to really soak in.

When we meet him in the new series, he’s involved in an affair, he’s struggling with his ex-wife and daughter seemingly replacing him, and he’s dealing with aftermath of a terrible accident. There are much bigger issues, though, when he finds out that his brother is involved with a drug gang that links to a dangerous man from his own past.

We talked with Richard Rankin about the role and what it was like playing such a character.

Making John Rebus a younger man in Rebus

If you’re not familiar with the books or the original adaptation, you may overlook the fact that this is a younger version of the character. It’s more than just in terms of looks, as well. What does making him younger mean for the story and the character?

"“I think it makes him a more capable man; make him more of a threat. I think it makes him more unpredictable."

Rankin explained how the show went about making him a younger version of the character we already knew.

"I think he’s at a complicated stage of his life, and I think he’s struggling to keep hold of himself…He’s ex-military as well, so I think we’re more on that side of his life, and how does that inform him mentally and physically?"

It does lead to more elements that would have otherwise been overlooked or not made sense to bring in for an older Rebus. Rankin went on to share how it brings more energy to the character, and it’s true. He’s at a point where he wants to throw himself into the action, whether that’s to catch the bad guys or to save his brother.

An unlikable character at first

I’ll be the first to admit that Rebus is not a likable character at first. Throughout the first episode, I was curious at how we would end up with a protagonist that we could root for. I was not the only one to feel that. In fact, it’s something that Rankin thought when reading the scripts.

There is some amazing character progression throughout the six episodes, though. And it’s clear that we’re still not done with this character. We just need Rebus to be renewed for season 2. Rankin shared the progression and what that meant for him.

"It was interesting because I had the same thought. There were things that he did, there were ways that he behaved, that I thought, ‘how are we getting away with this? This is our protagonist’…And I said this to the writer, and I said this to the director."

Rankin brought up the fact that Rebus is sleeping with his best friend’s wife at the start of the series. This is something that could potentially work for a supporting character, but not for the protagonist who you’re supposed to want to follow and respect.

"The writer, Gregory Burke, he’s a man I have a lot of respect for. He’s very talented. He knows his job, and he knows what he’s doing. And he has a roadmap for all his characters…everyone has something to say. And he said, just trust me. What you’re bringing to the character, what you’re doing with it and the landscape of the progression throughout the episodes, you’ll be fine. It’s not that it’s justified in what he does, but there are reasons for it."

Those reasons? Rankin quickly got into them. He shared more about who this character is on the inside, and what he thinks of himself. And no, those reasons aren’t excuses. They don’t justify his actions, but it is fun to get into his head and into the psychology of the character.

"He’s quite self-loathing, quite self-destructive…There’s something in him, he feels like he can’t be happy. It’s almost like he feels damned at times, and I think a lot of that comes from failed relationships, through quasi estranged relationships."

This is a character who has difficult relationships with everyone in his life. This includes his daughter, his ex-wife, and his brother. All of these relationships and his past have turned him into this darker, self-destructive character.

The turning point for the character in Rebus

There is some good news. He does become a more likable character as the episodes go on. This is a man who ends up having a breakthrough, and he doesn’t even mean to do it. There’s a chance for him to realize what he wants in life, but he has to be willing to take chances and make changes.

Rankin shared more of what it was like to see this development in the character. I also asked him about what it was like for him to delve into this character and then portray all of those feelings and experiences to us on the screen.

"You’re playing largely with a sort of subconscious and logical thought a lot of the times. There are going to be things that the character himself doesn’t realize or quite register, but you have to sort of build a foundation of where this character’s from? Where has he grown up? What kind of life has he had? What has his experience been?"

Things did get on a deeper level as we looked into Rebus’s actions throughout the episodes.

"People who are doing bad things don’t necessarily think they’re doing bad things at the time. Although there are occasions where Rebus definitely knows he’s doing bad things…I had to build a foundation for the character so I could rationalize why he was doing, why he’s behaving the way he is."

Rankin turned to the books, the character’s past relationships, and his time with the Army to help figure out who this man was to be able to bring him to life on the screen for us. This all led to some brilliant scenes both on the case and while in the psychiatrist’s office.

"He definitely hits a nerve that he wasn’t intending to. He wasn’t intending to actually talk truthfully. He goes in with a bit of a shield up…and ends up being vulnerable, which is why they’re so important."

What could be next for Rebus if there is a second season?

Of course, there are a lot of questions about whether Rebus season 2 will happen. We’re hoping it does, as there is clearly a lot more to explore within this character’s life. It’s something Rankin would also like to see happen, and he shared his own dream of where things could go.

"I think we’ve only just got started with the character. I’d like to explore that a bit more. I’d like to explore that world a little bit more; establish a bigger framework for bringing some familiar faces, some characters that are maybe known to the world of Rebus."

He ended the interview with a fun story about filming in Edinburgh. Outlander fans will love hearing this one! Check out the full interview with Richard Rankin below:

Rebus is now available to stream on Viaplay, the home of the best of European and Nordic series and films.

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