Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Cast: Jack Cutmore-Scott, Ilfenesh Hadera, Lenora Crichlow, Justin Chon, Laila Robins, Amaury Nolasco, Vinnie Jones, Stephanie Corneliussen, Evan Parke, Billy Zane, Jack Davenport.
The existence of the magician and their sleight of hand proves that we all want to be fooled at some point in our lives. Perhaps it is the willing of the suspension of belief that attracts us, the chance that we might see through the mist and feel the satisfaction of being the only one to have worked out the illusion, whilst at the same time wondering what happened to the child within who was overawed by spectacle as well as exhibition.
Deception is the name of the game, whether it is in magic, or in the criminal act, the difference being is the intent, and whilst one sets out to fool, to trick, and perhaps even shame you for your innocence, the other is a fraud, it is created to harm not humiliate you when you reason its existence.
The act of deception is also how a television drama series can pull you in to care about it, when at an executive level you cannot see, is ready to pull the plug on what could be a truly entertaining series that takes a sideways view of the old buddy system in a police procedural show.
Whilst Deception arguably suffered from such critical comparisons to that of the hugely popular Bones and Castle, across its 13-episode run the series was able to offer an insight into the world of illusion that those who steer clear of magic shows in general, were able to gain insight into the minds of those who seek to pull you into the truth behind the con, and in those 13 episodes the ethic of illusion was played out with consistency and daring, especially as the premise of the series was bound up in the idea of freedom and captivity.
With Jack Cutmore-Scott playing the dual roles of renowned magician Cameron Black and his twin brother Johnathan, Lenora Crichlow as his assistant Dina Clark, and Ilfenesh Hadera as F.B.I. officer Kay Daniels leading the impressive cast, the stage of Deception, set against lies, falsehood and creative license, stood out with aplomb; the only problem was that, like many a magician’s trick, it was stopped in its tracks by those who wanted to spoil the illusion.
Like many an interesting and novel perceptive, if those in charge cannot see its worth then the illusion fails, and like so many series worth its salt, it was left in mid-air, suspended like disbelief, in the hope of the final ploy being revealed.
A great series cut short; one would hope to re-emerge at some point.
Ian D. Hall