Although I find some of the characters laughably entertaining and I like the urban style of the main actress the plot is ridiculous. To begin with, Rebel quit the police force because her fellow police officers gunned down her brother, (to include her partner who drew his gun on her brother). If her partner would never have pulled his gun then Rebel would not have shot him to prevent him from shooting her brother which subsequently led to the cops who shot him mistakenly assuming her brother actually shot her partner. Now fast forward, she quit the force to become a private investigator and I guess to show her displeasure with the incident and yet now she is working with her former partner in her investigations that was the catalyst for her brother being killed. Confusing I know. That is the fragility of the plot and the clumsy characters. This show is entertaining but only if you don't think to much!!!!
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jonnithomas18 May 2017It is a contentious subject. However, it should be faced. Fact some US police do kill black Americans.
So take one really serious subject and try to capitalise on it. Partly it was a story which had prospects. Add some unnecessary gratuitous sex. Add a heroin whose hair changes every time you see her. add some serious dialogue and a hodge podge of rubbish.
What do you end up with ? A badly directed piece of bubblegum. The subject deserves far more than this. The storyline after the original premise is so weak it is laughable.
So writers and directors you should be ashamed of yourselves. Serious subject made into trash. it deserves far more as a subject.
So you get racially prejudiced people making it a mockery. You get black people trying to support it.
Would I try to watch it ? Perhaps if there was nothing else on. Would I make a point of watching it..... hell no. -
LiquidPoetry192129 March 2017I must admit that I was excited when I found out director John Singleton (Boyz in the Hood) was the creator of BET's new show 'Rebel' ~ and was also its director! Starring Danielle Mone Truitt as the title character: Oakland cop Rebecca 'Rebel' Knight, a black officer who finds herself in a profession plagued with police brutality and misconduct.
In the harrowing pilot episode, Rebel's brother Malik (Mikelen Walker) is shot and killed by her partner (and former lover) Thompson 'Mack' McIntyre (Brandon Quinn), and is blamed for his death by her father Rene Knight (Mykelti Williamson). Adding to this stellar cast of actors is Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad) who plays Rebel's lieutenant, friend and mentor. The conclusion of the first episode leaves us with the disillusioned Rebel becoming a private investigator.
Described as 'hard-hitting, gritty, complicated and morally ambiguous', 'Rebel' looks to be a compelling new TV show due to dealing with recent events involving the police and the African-American community. -
dreemwater6 April 2017I've seen the first 3 episodes and find LOTS of problems BET's series REBEL. Schizophrenic is the best way to describe it. I wonder if the writer and John Singleton have issues creating three dimensional female characters we can empathize with??? The only character I have empathy for is Rebel's father played wonderfully by actor Michael T. "Mykelti" Williamson, who conveys the father's pain of losing not only his wife but his son through isolating alcoholism and bitterness. When the father tells Rebel Malik was "a part of him that is now gone", his eyes and tone reflect that pain and I automatically connected with which stands in stark contrast to character deficits seen with Rebel. In episode one, her brother, Malik is killed by ex law enforcement partner and ex lover, Thompson McKintyre. The mourning of her brother was the worst piece of dramatics and I'm surprised John Singleton, who I know didn't write the script but has written screenplays with well crafted male characters, didn't send up red flags about the lack of character development here? Through all of this Rebel is not given the breathing room to grieve, reflect and process or reveal character flaw/weakness, but is very capable of sipping tea like a satisfied monk, keep her hair did, clothes on point and heartily laugh with friends as if her problems are champagne bubbles in a glass! What? Huh? AND have lighthearted conversation with THE ex partner/lover, Thompson, who, remember KILLED HER BROTHER, somehow has the big balls to shove a sentimental jump drive with a video of he and Malik rapping (virtual Hallmark at it's best-yeah!) to remind her he liked Malik. But so what!!! Tell me WHY, tell me HOW you could do this to my baby brother, to me? And by the way, Thompson's dialogue trying to explain how he didn't mean to shoot Malik is vacuous, vague verbiage I can't believe Rebel's character wouldn't demand more clarity of. But no, she's seen laughing reminiscing over the good ole days which appears as if Rebel is on heroin. Even if she is laughing with Thompson, couldn't she have conveyed some pain once she walks away from him so the audience can see into her interior life? Can we see what's behind her mask when she knows she's laughing with her brother's killer. For it is the subtle, nuanced crumbs of interior complexity of any character that creates a connection, empathy for a protagonist. All of this is missing and/or given only "drive-by attention". Even with stoic characters, for example, Annelise Keating (How to Get Away With Murder) and Olivia Pope (Scandal), both characters from these shows are pretty stoic women who are aptly portrayed as strong, messy, weak, sexy, complicated wrecks and audiences can relate and root for each of these women yet Rebel is a hologram of the 1970s characters of blaxploitation films like Foxy Brown. And no, we never got to see Foxy cry into her Pink Champale after a day of kicking ass but today, in the 21st century, we want and deserve a bit more introspection about Rebel's emotional and psychological baggage because this helps us to understand each other and ourselves. Rebel only gives lip service, not soul-service, to her pain which only creates a wall between the audience and Rebel. She's seen laughing like it's the 4th of July everyday and then uh- oh....like a community acting 101 class, on cue, she patronizes us with "her pain" and then is off for more Oakland Ass Kicking. ....a paper doll with guns, hip hugging jeans, belly button shirts and a book full of poetry. Nah, I'm good, send her back to the 70s.
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b4blue29 March 2017The description of the show is completely false. It says that main character "has always excelled by playing by the rules" and yet the show starts with her blatant brutality and misconduct (yes, I know it is forced on the viewer to accept this as something good, because the guy is a rapist, never mind that this makes her Judge Dread). So she is actually a dirty cop and judging by the comments of her coworkers, a racist dirty cop. How does that make any sense in the direction the writers wanted show to go? And then there is the shooting scene, where all the men in uniforms are portrayed as zombies that want to shoot a black person, even though the scene drags long enough and the suspense and the threat of danger completely dissolves in its own time, without any major problems. They are completely oblivious of the reality and just stay in the zombie mode, trying to kill, kill, kill,...like dogs seeing a squirrel.
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ahmoserevenge30 March 2017I was not surprised with how creative and stunning John Singleton was and the direction for this show. The cast members were perfect for the roles cast in. The only slight hiccup would be that I wish it was a movie, which is a compliment in itself also.Danielle Mone Truitt was absolutely the perfect casting for this role and she hit it out the park. Usually with shows, during the Pilot, you will see members that are not good for the parts or the script,but with Rebel, each member displayed tremendous professionalism and played their parts excellent and I can only imagine the heights that this show will go to in the coming episodes.
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mrsdm18 June 2017Rebel is a good/ no great show. Its edgy, sexy, it relates to real life topics that are going on in the world today. The beginning does jump around a bit which is a great addition to this show because it gives you insight into the character. It gives depth into the story. Giving you time to embrace the who what and why of Rebel Knight's personality! Now on the specifics of the show. We have to look at different writers so the writers on the episodes that received the most ratings.. maybe that could be a direction to go in. The cast is great! The leading actress is a phenomenal talent that I hope to see more of. John Singleton is Great so I see nothing but great things for this show!! Its only the beginning lets see what REBEL has in store for season 2 I can already see where its headed by how season 1 ended. Which will have us hanging on to the edge of our seats. REBEL IM HERE FOR YOU!!!! 👍
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fletch-0948530 March 2017Considering that I compare all shows whether they are movies or a TV series against movies such as Avalon, Quigley Down Under, Dances With Wolves or Hamlet, the Mel Gibson version, it's rather hard for a simple TV series to compare. However, imho the three critiques already listed aren't quite fair. The show so far isn't nowhere near the block buster it has been made out to be. It's nothing more than OK, depending on your tastes. Imho the main character isn't quite as tough as she needs to be to portray the character she is supposed to be. She also seems to be a bit inexperienced for the part. As far as her being a bent cop goes, uhmmm, no, not really. Nor is she playing a racist like the other critique claims she is. She is reacting no differently than anyone else would react in a similar situation. To top that off one actor doesn't beat around the bush about playing a white racist. Methinks the person writing the critique is very probably a racist himself. Dunno, don't know him but that's how his critique struck me. Anyway, for me the show was just OK. I won't go out of my way to make sure I don't miss any episodes but if it's on, I might watch it again. I do know if it doesn't improve I definitely won't be watching it again which isn't saying much actually. I get more enjoyment out of watching the news than I do anything on television anymore.
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rochellepaulette14 April 2017This is one of my favorite shows to watch on Tuesday nights. Rebel is a strong black woman. The cast members are phenomenal.However I think it touches on a lot of things going on in the world around us, like black crimes, homeless, domestic violence, racism, drugs and alcohol.. lack of education and good parenting...
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I came across this TV series quite by an accident - stated watch first episode and... by the end of the day I had already watched all episodes. It's good solid crime drama with unusuall way of showing it.
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areneem24 May 2017Is it the best show ever, no, but you have to stay with it through the end. It beats other cop shows on. There's some pretty good acting and some not but I really like this show. It's taken some unexpected turns with the alleged good guy and I love it!! Can't wait until the next episode!!!
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adhethunjilucckheymhan19 December 2019Firstly I don't like this movies but my friend told me about this firm but I try to watch and when I watch to be sincerely it very interesting to watch I love this movies very much
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romino589 April 2017Not an original idea, but refreshing visuals. Generally good performances, yes and their are some throwback similarities to 70's movies. Overall, Rebel is a good watch, better than a lot of the cop shows that flash across the screen these days. I'll certainly keep watching.