Partners in comfy trousers (and crime) steal the show

Suranne Jones's heist caper 'Frauds' proves you don't always need a big screen to think big

- By Catriona O’Sullivan

Bad news: the latest project from Suranne Jones doesn’t always feel like the real deal. Implausible details abound in this six-part heist thriller (that she produced through her company, TeamAkers). And there are weak links in the cast. Still, don't panic, because the blissful moments outweigh the blah ones. Jones herself as Bert - a tough and sexy ex-con, who enjoys playing mind games - is on blistering form. Her costars, Jodie Whittaker and Elizabeth Berrington, are compelling. In a typical line of dialogue, Whittaker tells Berrington: "I always said your vagina could light up a room!" What a relief to be able to report that Frauds (taken as a whole) is a shining example of accessible, transgressive TV.

Money has clearly been spent on a story that's set in Spain and toggles between the southern coast and Madrid. Wide-angle shots of a bullring are stunning. There's also a lusciously lit cathedral, plus two set pieces, in episode six, that are epic in every way.

Ironically, the cinematic visuals trigger a bleak thought. Jones is a beloved stage actor who's starred in game-changing dramas (Vigil, Doctor Foster, Gentleman Jack and Hostage) as well as a spry TV movie (Christmas Carole). But she's never been the lead in an actual film. You know, the kind you see at the Odeon or Vue. Like Natalie Portman and Frances McDormand, who she physically resembles, Jones offers a lucky dip of treats. In Frauds, her brown eyes are expertly noirish, yet when you least expect it, she suddenly grins like a kid taking their first bounce on the biggest of trampolines. In a just world, Jones would be a screen legend. Why isn't there a place for her in cinemas?