hustle

(S03E01) Ahh, what a way to start off a season. Hustle hasn't lost any of its steam. The stories are just as twisted as ever and the stylistic aspects have gotten even better. It's really a visually stunning program. This episode was very smart and extremely funny (this was mostly due to the fact that several of the British actors attempted to utilize American accents and ebonics... at the same time). The episode started with Mickey, Ash, Danny, and Stacie working a short con, the Jamaican Switch, for some extra cash while Albert attempted to rope in a new mark. The short con worked perfectly, but just as Albert got his mark right where he needed him, the mark had a heart attack and had to go to the hospital.

Our friends at Cinematical recently posted that FOX has picked up the rights to create a feature-length version of the BBC/AMC show Hustle. The original minds behind the series are going to work on the film, so that's good news. This is nice and all (Hustle really is a fantastic program), but each episode already runs over an hour. I hope they figure out something really exciting to do, because I'm not sure I'd be willing to fork over $10 to just watch what is essentially an extended episode.

Meanwhile, the third season starts June 28 at 10:00 PM EST for the Americans, with a fourth season in the works.

I couldn't sleep last night, so I watched an episode of Hustle at around 2:00 in the morning. During one of the breaks, there was a commercial for the new season and its new time: Wednesdays at 10 PM, starting June 28. What?! That's only thirteen days away!

I'm really surprised there hasn't been more buzz about this. I mean, I wouldn't have known about the US premiere of the new season if I hadn't stayed up that late. It deserves a bigger audience because it's really a fantastic, smart, fast-paced show. Plus, I heard the new season has Mickey and Danny streaking through London. Good stuff.

I really enjoy this show. The stories are entertaining, the cast is great, and it's good to see Robert Vaughn doing something besides those commercials. And now season one of the show is coming to DVD on September 5.

It's only 6 episodes, but there are going to be two DVDs for some reason. I guess the "Assembling The Team" featurette is a little longer than I thought it would be.

The episode started right in the middle of the gang's latest cons. Stacie was just about to work her "sex kitten" act when she stopped dead in her tracks. She just spotted someone that she recognized... her ex-husband, Jake. A crazy twist within the first two minutes? Bravo, Hustle. Anyway, Stacie's ex-husband ran out on her years and years ago, taking all their savings with him. To exact revenge on this jerk that betrayed their beloved Stacie, the gang decided to make her ex the new mark. Stacie explained some of his background to the group and they decided that, by working off his love for poker, they would fool him with a bent Hold 'Em competition.

This episode started at an auction house, where a bidding war over some prized comic book artwork was reaching its climax. It was down to two gentlemen, who brought the price up to £100,000. Ash, disguised in some cool glasses and a little facial hair, jumped in at the last minute and offered £110,000. The two other gentlemen looked crushed as the auctioneer finally banged his gavel. The team looked slightly worried about their new investment as well. What could they possibly do with £110,000 comic book artwork?

Hustle seems to be one of those shows that I've been hearing about forever and meaning to get around to watching, but just never have. It's originally a British show (now in its third season across the pond) that AMC has been showing at various times. They just started with the first season back in January, I think, so don't worry, you can still get into it. To help you along your way, AMC is showing a mini-marathon tonight of all the shown episodes thus far. It's starting at 7pm and going through 11pm. Tune in and give the show a shot, it seems like it would be worth your time if you're a fan of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Layer Cake and the like. I know I will.

We're currently three episodes (including this one) into the new season and there have been a few changes... I've noticed some stylistic switch-ups, including more creative angles and a lot more of the characters winking or speaking directly to the camera/viewer. Plus, the stories have grown a little more far-fetched, which is really saying something because the first season had some material that was way too bizarre to believe.

Whoo... Lots of stuff to cover. Let's get started... The episode started with Mickey and Danny wrapping up a con in which they tricked a man named Arthur Bond into thinking that they had just helped him purchase the London Eye. Before Mickey and Danny slip out, Arthur laughed with great satisfaction over his new "purchase", puffing his cigar and saying, "I usually get what I want". Another con successfully completed.

While Danny grumbled over the fact that the hotel's new receptionist won't go out with him (he keeps insisting that she's either a lesbian or totally frigid because no straight woman in her right mind would turn down Danny Blue), the group moved on to a new con. This time, they planned on taking advantage of Sir Anthony Reeves, utility company CEO, and his gambling habits. 

This episode revolved around a con that takes advantage of a vengeful, rich wife, a con called "The Congeve" (named after William Congreve, the man who penned the phrase "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned"... It's paraphrased, but that's how everyone knows it, anyway). The group pondered the possibility of conning a woman named Katherine Winterborn, a real "psycho bitch", as Stacie put it. After Ash revealed that he's been secretly caring for his ex-wife and former grifter, June (she use to play "The Flop" like Ash, but after one went wrong, she suffered from partial brain damage). He's desperate for some money to provide some proper care for her so the group eventually decide to go through with the risky, but profitable, Congreve.

While Stacie and Danny busied themselves with a game of strip poker (which Danny easily lost), Mickey met Victor Maher, an ex-fraud squad man turned bank security head and the person to ever catch Albert. Maher explained to Mickey that he had some footage of a young Danny when he used to work as a look-out for some thieves. He used this as bait, luring Mickey into helping him catch a robber who has been troubling his bank. Maher decided to use a con artist to catch the thief so he wanted Mickey to befriend the robber, Sam Richards, and then help Maher catch him by accompanying Richards during the actual robbery. Despite Albert's advice to stay away from Maher (because he's always one step ahead), Mickey agreed to save Danny (and his ego).