A Diamond Industry Sopranos?

The industry seems to have survived “Blood Diamond,” but could it survive a diamond industry “Sopranos”?

Apparently, AMC – the cable channel that brings you Mad Men – is making a pilot of “Ice,” a weekly drama set in the diamond district, for consideration in 2009. Here are the available details:

"Ice," written by Christian Darren ("Hustle: The Pete Rose Story"), revolves around a family in New York’s diamond district  …

[It] will be directed and exec produced by Vadim Perelman ("House of Sand and Fog") and Mosaic’s Ilan Breil. New Frontier Films’ Evan Pinchuk is co-exec producer.

"There’s an old-fashioned crime aspect to this," [AMC executive Christina] Wayne said. "The diamond industry has always been considered incredibly dangerous. This is a way to do a family drama set in a distinctive world."

Well, it is indeed dangerous, but in the sense that there is always a danger of being robbed. Not really something to base a series on. If she means dangerous and "old fashioned crime" in the “Blood Diamond” sense, we could have a problem here.

I’d be interested if anyone out there has talked to the producers or writers for background.

I’ve heard talk that this show was pitched to HBO at one point.  They seemed to have passed; we’ll see what AMC does. Keep in mind a pilot is not the same as a series, so this isn’t a go yet. And while the industry definitely needs more consumer attention, this probably won’t be the good kind.