TVSquad

I have to say this right off the bat ... I love con jobs. Anything about 'em from movies like David Mamet's House of Games to books like 'Bringing Down the House'. Seeing a really deserving 'mark' getting hooked by 'the lure,' then getting drawn in by 'the roper' and to have the whole plan come together (a la Hannibal from The A-Team) is really satisfying. See how I know all the lingo? That's how cool I am, thus making me the biggest mark of all, because I'm arrogant and annoying -- although not rich, so maybe I'm safe.

Anyhow, AMC's continuing original series Hustle comes to Las Vegas this season (April 18th to be exact) and picks up Robert Wagner as a special guest star along the way. He stars as a collector of Hollywood memorabilia, and thus the con is on as Danny promises to bring him the Hollywood sign. Whoops.

Quotes of the panel:

• Someone asked the cast if they had ever been conned, to which Robert Wagner replied "Well, we're here ... aren't we?" Zing! Unfortunately I can't stop picturing him with an eyepatch and reporting to Dr. Evil.
• Robert Wagner was asked about clashing egos when working on a tv series, and he said he wished his was bigger so that he could impress co-star Jaime Murray. So calmly replied, "I told you darling, it's not the size of the trailer ..."

Crumbs' two week hiatus just got extended indefinitely by ABC. The new Fred Savage comedy was off the schedule during the Olympics but now it doesn't appear to be returning anytime soon. Instead, ABC will stretch next week's episode of Dancing with the Stars to two hours. The network has scheduled movies, Sweet Home Alabama and Bringing Down the House, on the following Thursdays, March 2 and 9. Then, ABC launches the Simon Cowell competition American Inventor and, starting March 23, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition comes to Thursdays.

It's actually a bit of a surprise that Crumbs is shelved. It's the highest-rated comedy on ABC these days, even ahead of The George Lopez Show. There are eight episodes of Crumbs that are left to air so maybe we'll see it back on the schedule this summer. Or on iTunes.

[The Futon Critic]