Rough Diamond (aka Diamond Geezer/Acorn Media)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C-     Pilot/Episodes: B-

 

 

David Jason began in comedy, has done his share of drama and has now combined both in his new hit show Rough Diamond (aka Diamond Geezer) where he plays an old criminal with cleverness and wit.  In the pilot, he is stuck in a prison, stops a young arrestee from being beaten in a surprise boxing match by planting a key in his room, then gets stuck with him when he tries to escape to steal a fortune.  Oh, and he’ll go back to the prison so no one suspects he is the robber.

 

Despite too many coincidences in the teleplay, it is entertaining, enough to launch a series.  This set includes the first of four telefilms and just when you might think the show could go into decline, the big surprise that saves it is the casting of none other than Jenny Agutter in the follow-up telefilm.  The telefilms are:

 

Pilot

A Royal Affair

Old Gold

Old School Lies

 

 

Roy Marsden (The Sandbaggers, reviewed elsewhere on this site) shows up in Old Gold, while Don Warrington and Simon Williams are impressive in Old School Lies.  Though not great (yet?) the show brings back some of the grand classiness of British TV’s proud Mystery/Crime fiction pasty long lost in police procedurals and disappointing such shows since the late 1980s.  Over 2 DVDs, it gives one hope the Mystery telefilm is not dead yet.

 

The 1.78 X 1 image may have more motion blur than I would like, but I also think part of the problem is the tradedown to DVD.  Acorn needs to make this one of their first Blu-ray releases when they start doing the format.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has weak surrounds, but are all nicely, clearly recorded.  Extras only include some text interviews with Jason, Agutter, Warrington and Williams, plus cast filmographies.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo