Hustling America

Episode one
Alex Conran, cardsharp, self-described con-man and star of BBC3’s ‘The Real Hustle’, takes his bag of tricks Stateside for a discursive road trip in which he attempts to blag, bilk and bamboozle his way across America. This first episode centres on Texas and the Southern states as Conran follows in the footsteps of his hero, 1930s’ huckster and gambler Alvin ‘Titanic’ Thompson – the template for Sky Masterson in ‘Guys and Dolls’.

And a very genial, cosy trip it proves. There’s no real subterfuge or chicanery. Everybody’s clearly in on the grift, from a car salesman who gets rooked by a rigged walnut in a throwing contest to an innkeeper who loses an elevator/stairs race to the top floor of his hotel. Think ‘Man v Food’ with cards instead of calories.

Conran himself is a charmer with just enough tricks up his sleeve to fill a decent hour, but you get the impression the show would be a lot more interesting if they ditched the stagey, long-winded hustles and concentrated on presenting a travelogue detailing the history of America’s scammers, mountebanks and – thesaurus.com alert! – flim-flammers instead. Next week – Las Vegas!