Yeah, we miss the Mick, we do. That smile could sell me a thousand bridges and I'd buy every time. Plus I just miss his dynamic. I miss the way he moved things, made things happen.

But I like the way they've chosen to deal with it; the team struggling with the leadership vaccuum, Danny looking to find his feet. Remember, it wasn't that long ago that he was working short con.

It actually makes it harder for me to watch the show, though, because I have great fears about getting caught. With Mickey, I could believe that something brilliant was just around the corner. But now, it just makes me scared!

Anyway, I like the new guy, think he's got potential. I like the idea of Albie taking him under his wing, as he did for Mickey and to a certain extent, Danny.

This episode was funny because I was wondering about how they'd get the painted horse back to its owner and was picturing a humorous scene with the original owner and a wrong-looking horse. But then when they were all running away and it was all unraveling, I was all, well, guess it'll get back to the owner now. Did Archie take back the original horse, do you think, when he was driving away with the trailer, leaving them all in the dust?

Heheh. I like horses. You can tell, huh? There's this big con, they nearly get caught, they nearly run a loss, there's personnel changes, lots of dynamic changes, and I'm all, I wonder what happened to the horses?

State of Play is getting a second season!

And they're getting John Simm and Bill Nighy back for sure. Possibly the others as well.

On Hustle, I'd love to compare the scenes of Danny showing up at Mickey's door with the new guy showing up -- cute!

Hustle: Just from memory it was awfully close, I think. I'm pretty sure Mickey shut the door on Danny, and Danny definitely horned in on the con they were doing. I love the parallel, and I know that Danny won't react as well as Mickey did, eventually. Danny hasn't had enough time to be confident as leader, and you know Not!Mickey is going to be all up in his business in order to prove his own worth for a while.

An IGN interview with Lennie James. Nothing spoilery on the first page, vaguely spoilery on the second.

I'm pretty sure Mickey shut the door on Danny, and Danny definitely horned in on the con they were doing.

Yeah, the setup was definitely the same -- and with the new guy saying how he's the best short con man around, etc., etc.

The speech was either an exact quote, or really damn close. I liked.

Robin Hood: Is it actually getting better? Or am I just adapting to the cheesiness? Because I really enjoyed this week's episode, in particular: Much as a new noble and that bit where Robin shoots the fire arrow past Guisborn's head and explodes the Greek Fire.

Minnie Driver's acting on The Riches is just blowing me away. On the one hand, playing a character that's a con artist is pure acting class stuff. You're playing characters acting like other characters and showing your chops. On the other hand, she's got the chops. Incredible range and a ton of emotional depth.

I have not seen last night's Riches yet. I'll have to catch it on rerun.

But last week's episode, with the return to the Traveller camp for Earl's funeral? Wow. That one brought the pain like Joss and Tim can.

Minnie's "How Can I Keep From Singing" broke. Me. Ded.

All the little subplots -- Wayne and Mick, Delilah and Dale, and Didi and Ken all kept me on the edge of my seat, and kept breaking me with how they played out.

Ken in particular broke me. I thought for sure he was going to be a one-note character, and in that episode he showed tremendous depth. I think I [heart] woobie Ken now. And then his encounter with Dale at the very end. Oh, Ken. Such a sweet soul, and I have no doubt that Dale would happily torture you for the rest of eternity just for fun, let alone to get information on where they live out of you.

I absolutely adore Cael's relationship with Wayne. It's such a weird, but loving dynamic. It's very best friend/older brother in tone, rather than father son. And plenty of times, particularly Cael's "save your breath, I'm coming with you," as Wayne went to meet with Dale, it seems like Cael's in the older brother position.

They've developed Didi and Cael so much, I wish they'd do a little more with Sam eventually.