TV: Review- Hustle

Michael Stone aka Mickey Stone aka Mickey Bricks is back on the Hustle. In a year of awful news, that might be the best news of the year so far ... TV Division. Don't want those Obama fans picketing this site [G].

Adrian Lester took series 4 of the British heist show, Hustle, off (He did the great first season of Bonecrackers, instead). And the program suffered considerably. I know more than a few championed Marc Warren as the new Doctor Who, but his inability to carry Hustle last year might have been a factor in him not getting the gig. Warren, who played Danny Blue through the first four series of Hustle is a fascinating second banana. Is he missed in series 5? Not at all.

Warren and Jaime Murray, who played Stacie Monroe, were replaced by Kelly Adams and Matt Di Angelo, who play sister and brother con-wannabes Emma and Sean Kennedy. The replacement was almost seamless. Sean Kennedy took on Danny's job of being in Mickey's face most of the time. And Emma became something Stacie wasn't ... a potential love interest for Mickey. They Sam-and-Diane'd their way through the whole series. Emma had the same chameleon role Stacie had and did a good job with it, being the only girl in the group. Kelly Adams is a real find.

The rest of the gang was back and I think Robert Vaughn did his best turn in the series so far. He did more with less this year. Robert Glenister isn't as over-the-top as his brother Philip (Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes, Demons). He plays brilliant, with a rough edge, utterly believably. He anchored last year's shows, but retreats before the return of the crew's headman this year. And you know, Eddie the Barman (Rob Jarvis) continues to be a key comic foil and occasional dupe.

As for the villains this year, they were all nasty nobs who had to be taken down a peg or three. Even the finale, which featured a try by one of the nasties to bring about turnabout no fair play, the ditz being used by all was just too stupid NOT to be taken for a ride (or the lack of same, by the red-headed Emma).

This is a DVD set to grab when it comes available. My guess is that it will show up on BBC Canada or even ONTV sooner rather than later.