Hustle

Apr. 10th, 2005 11:30 am
altariel: (Default)
[personal profile] altariel
Why oh why, despite [livejournal.com profile] dberry's sterling promotional campaigns, did I not start watching Hustle any sooner? I did this with Spooks too; I don't learn.

Falling for a show or a character is a two-step process for me. There's a first moment when I think, "Aye aye, this isn't bland shite." Then there's a second moment when something in my head goes 'ping', and I know I'm nurturing a minor addiction.

With DS9, for example, there was that bit in 'The Way of the Warrior' (first episode I saw) when a bunch of Klingons advanced with menace towards Garak, and he said (something like), "Either you're lost or desperately in need of a good tailor." "Aye aye," I thought, "this is funny." My 'ping' moment came when I was watching 'By Inferno's Light', and Garak started arguing with a light fitting. Trust me, it makes sense in context. (There is sometimes a third step, when a major addiction is born - with DS9, that was while watching 'In the Pale Moonlight' when Vreenak held up the datarod and said, "It's a fake!" Argh!

I watched two episodes of Hustle last night. First moment came when a shot was done ripping off Catch Me If You Can; the shot of Matt Damon faking being a pilot, with a girl on each arm. It cut into some super-stylish 1960s opening credits. The second moment came when they did a shot that made the lead(ish) character look exactly like Alex from A Clockwork Orange. Ping!

Hustle is about con-artists. Each episode is about doing a con. Nice simple premise. It has an ensemble cast, who bicker and witticize at each other. It's really stylish. Leaving aside that latter point, it's practically Blake's 7, if B7 was, er, about con artists doing cons. Imagine if it was set in space.

Date: 2005-04-10 04:34 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dberry.livejournal.com
FWIW, the Hustle season one DVD (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00069MOA4/qid=1113132503/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_11_1/202-8318833-3188621) comes out tomorrow.

*excited*

Date: 2005-04-10 04:41 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com
Oh very cool! Will I enjoy season 1 if I've enjoyed these two episodes of season 2?

They should be paying you!

Date: 2005-04-10 10:08 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dberry.livejournal.com
Will I enjoy season 1 if I've enjoyed these two episodes of season 2?
Oh yeah, definitely. They haven't yet given us a dud episode of Hustle.

There's an awesome show with Tamzin Outhwaite in season one, and a really tense one in which the team set up their own bookmakers' . . .

And there's strip poker. But that's just an added bonus. *g*

Date: 2005-04-10 10:26 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com
We tried Borders before just in case they'd got the DVDs in a day early, but no such luck. Ah well, try again next week.

Date: 2005-04-10 04:53 am (UTC)
kathyh: (Kathyh domestic)
From: [personal profile] kathyh
It's really stylish.

We really enjoy it. We were lucky and started watching from the beginning because we've seen Adrian Lester on stage a couple of times (two Sondheim productions and Henry V) and like him a lot. I just adore the way it's managed to update a 60s TV style into a modern setting.

Leaving aside that latter point, it's practically Blake's 7, if B7 was, er, about con artists doing cons. Imagine if it was set in space.

It would be B7 *g*, though hopefully without the angst and character deaths. Didn't Paul Darrow base part of his portrayal of Avon on Robert Vaughn's Magnificent Seven role as a conman or am I imagining that? It gives it all a nice circularity if he did though *g*.

Date: 2005-04-10 10:37 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com
Didn't Paul Darrow base part of his portrayal of Avon on Robert Vaughn's Magnificent Seven role as a conman or am I imagining that?

Oh I hope so!

Date: 2005-04-10 05:06 am (UTC)
ext_6322: (Kaede)
From: [identity profile] kalypso-v.livejournal.com
I did watch an episode a couple of weeks ago, but Marc Warren's character irritated me too much for me to try another, despite the attractions of Adrian Lester. Warren was terrific in State of Play, but I just wanted to strangle him in this, and couldn't quite see why Lester didn't.

Date: 2005-04-10 10:36 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com
I've heard excellent things about State of Play and must get round to watching it. When it next turns up.

Date: 2005-04-10 02:12 pm (UTC)
ext_6322: (Kaede)
From: [identity profile] kalypso-v.livejournal.com
It's pretty wonderful until the final episode, where something absolutely staggering was called for and didn't quite happen. But I suppose that often happens with thrillers.

Date: 2005-04-10 06:54 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seemag.livejournal.com
Would you believe I fell for DS9 over "Let He Who is Without Sin..."

::slinks away::

Date: 2005-04-10 10:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com
Hurrah for the triumph of the human spirit!

Date: 2005-04-10 09:40 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] emeraldsedai.livejournal.com
I love your description of the falling process. Very apt. It's the "something in my head that goes 'ping!'" bit that I'm still hard pressed to analyze or explain, but I do know the feeling.

I want to see the version of "Catch Me If You Can" that has Matt Damon in it. That must've been the one released in the UK, huh? (Sorry--couldn't resist.)

Date: 2005-04-10 10:24 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com
I want to see the version of "Catch Me If You Can" that has Matt Damon in it. That must've been the one released in the UK, huh? (Sorry--couldn't resist.)

LOL, just in my gorgonzola head! (Occasionally a good place to be!)

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