Heist movies and TV shows as of late have been trying to experiment with form more than substance. In the case of the Italian series Everybody Loves Diamonds, we're shown the actual heist right from the beginning, as the show then moves back and forth through time to track the investigators right on the thieves' tails, as well as the delicate alliances that hang in the balance if the protagonists don't get away scot-free. There's a lightheartedness in the storytelling (complete with direct-to-camera address) that allows some of the more familiar elements to go down easily, and the more convoluted plot details to feel more like they're just part of the messiness of real life.

Unfortunately, the fact that the series doesn't innovate nearly as much with its actual story eventually catches up with it. At the end of the day, it still feels as if Everybody Loves Diamonds is counting on our being familiar with the heist formula to become invested, rather than giving us more substantial characters with motive. It doesn't help that the performances can't always get on the show's wavelength; many of the actors have trouble locating themselves between the serious and the comedic, which may be just as much a problem with the scripts, too.

There is one performance that immediately stands out, though, at the end of the first two episodes watched for this review. An unrecognizable Rupert Everett (in a grey wig, glasses, and an eternal scowl) shows up to interrogate lead thief Leonardo (Kim Rossi Stuart), and you can practically feel gravity get heavier. Intelligent and subtly menacing—but still somehow so playful—Everett brings out the best in his scene partner, and almost single-handedly ratchets up the tension for everyone involved. It feels like the kind of role you'd expect Anthony Hopkins to play, which should tell you everything about how much of an impact Everett makes.