Hustle - Complete BBC Series 8 [DVD]

Hustle has been my favourite show on telly ever since series 1 began. I loved the way the criminals were no longer the bad guys and would make me think "how did they do that?" Series 8 is a brilliant end to Hustle as it provides brilliant and risky cons which will have you gripped from beginning to end.

For me, the last con is the best, the crew try to con someone out of £10,000,000! Although I can now predict the ending of how they did it sometimes, I had no idea of the final con and it completely blew me away!

I would highly recommend this series to anyone who either enjoys hustle or even those who have never watched it before.

Husltle over the last decade has entertained us, making us or laugh, think and shout out "how the hell did they do that" but one thing I can say is now that it has gone the programme will be sorely missed. But Series 8 - the final series of the programe - was as amazing as the rest of the them. 6 episodes of pure joy, as you watch the con artists both con the unexpected and try and get themselves out of some sticky situations.

The team of con artists, who include Mickey (Adrian Lester), Ash (Robert Glenister), Sean (Matt Di Angelo), Emma (Kelly Adams) and Albert (Robert Vaughn) are back in this series with 6 more action paked episodes. My favourite episodes where the 4th, when they targeted a sham health care supplier, and the final episode, where the gang try and con a mark out of an amazing £10,000,000! This series also has some amazing guest stars including Martin Kemp, John Barrowman and Mark Williams who all played there roles respetivley with great accuracy and each of them added their own golden touch to the show.

Hustle will live in the memory of everyone for a long time to come and now it has come to an end (with an extrodinary finale and a stunning twist) this DVD will be one that everyone has to have in their collection. A true gem from start to finish - I congratulate all the actors, the writers, creaters, producers, editers and anyone who has worked on the show its been a pure joy to watch. Just one thing - "Don't be a mark!".

Well it took 8 years to provide 52 episodes, but at the end of it we now have 52 tightly woven episodes with very little fat or flap to stand up to repeated viewing. Quality over quantity when you consider series television in the States would've produced far more chaff by their greater turn over.
With series 7 of Hustle, yes a few little cracks did start appear to say that maybe the show had run it's course. But to the cast and crew's credit, they also recognsed this to go out on a high with Series 8. And go out on a high they do! Perhaps some scenes are a little overplayed and too self aware - but hey - knowing it's their swan song, we can forgive them these little indulgances. Although I guessed the very last twist ending, it was born more of hope than me actually thinking it might happen. So when it did happen, boy did it bring a broad big smile to my face. A nice completion.
In my books, the creators shouldn't have played out a part of the ending at the beginning. It actually spoilt the complete shock and surprise it otherwise would've delivered. That said, Hustle will now pass into Cult viewing history to no doubt still be watched decades from now. After all, clever plots never grow tired or die no matter what period they're set in.
Suffice to say there will always be a few episodes that might not reach the par of some others, but this is purely through a question of personal taste rather than the actual writing. And although some bad guys have often been accused as being a little too wide and idiotic, there are these greedy bafoons actually out there. And besides, wouldn't it just be plain dull and predictable if all the bad guys were just sinister or nasty one dimensional?
Sadly though - probably due to cut backs - the biggest Con for all, is that there are no Extras on this DVD. Such a shame when a programme like this deserved a great documentary to give it a proper send off. A mistake I'm sure that will only rankle as the years go on.
And hey - it's such a shame that Eddie also didn't get to walk off in the sunset with a nice little wad as well as his new found lady. I'm sure the Hustle crew wouldn't have been THAT heartless to not to leave him anything?
All in all though, if you've never seen Hustle before, then here's your chance to catch up on 8 years of some great clever entertainment that ultimately never let itself to become too stale of boring. I just hope now that instead of only a DVD boxset, we also get a Blu-Ray release soon too!