No, I’m not talking about the markets, though the way things are going not even the House wins nowadays. I’m talking about the art of the con . . . artist shows. For your persusal, I have two examples of the genre: Hustle, a 2004 entry from across the pond, and Leverage, its 2008 Yankee cousin. Both shows feature teams of grifters taking down the high and mighty. (Note: If you haven’t watched The Sting, you should really do that before viewing either of these.)
In my mind, it’s no contest: Hustle has a joy and panache that the dourly shot and over-explained Leverage lacks. To judge for yourself, click each link below and watch for at least 15 minutes. You’ll see what I mean right away. Please note the links below are meant purely as visual aides for comparative purposes. If you like the episodes in question, I strongly suggest ordering them from iTunes. (Note: TNT has some Leverage episodes on its main site, but it only works on Windows. Way to limit your online viewership, TNT.)
Those interested in learning more about America’s long, uneasy love-affair with scammers should read David W. Maurer’s classic book The Big Con, which was the basis for the cons shown in The Sting.
