ABC’s heavily promoted new soap, Dirty Sexy Money, got off to azippy start last night, thanks to a talented cast of TV veterans who made thesometimes nonsensical script seem far better than it has any right tobe. (Watch for our critic’s official review of the series in a forthcoming issue of EW.)
Peter Krause (pictured) plays a do-gooding attorney named Nick George who toilsin the nonprofit world, trying to reject the example of his estrangeddad, the personal lawyer for the filthy rich, spoiled rotten, andtrouble-courting Darling family of New York City. Then Nick’s daddies — mysteriously, it turns out — and he’sessentially bribed by patriarch Tripp Darling (a gleefully naughtyDonald Sutherland) into carrying on the paternal legacy.
We never learn the source of the Darling wealth, but it’s pretty clearthat the bulk of the fortune will disappear after the death of Trippand his boozy, vase-tossing wife, Letitia (Jill Clayburgh). The nextgeneration certainly doesn’t stand much of a chance of holding on toit. There’s golden-boy Patrick (Billy Baldwin), the future New Yorksenator with a transsexual mistress; Karen (Natalie Zea), who stillpines for her long-ago ex, Nick, as she prepares to wed her avaricious fourth husband ("Nick deflowered me," she tells the poorsap); Brian (Glenn Fitzgerald), the Episcopalian minister with anillegitimate son and a petty, toddler-like resentment of Nick; theParis Hilton-like Juliet (The O.C.’s Samaire Armstrong), who fails equally atacting and suicide attempts; and her twin, Jeremy (Nip/Tuck’sSeth Gabel), the clueless, coke-using ne’er-do-well ("I can’t even wina yacht without getting arrested," he complains).
The script offers some delicious dialogue that recalls Dynasty andother over-the-top ’80s soaps. "I want to be a human being," saysJuliet at one point, to which her own mom replies: "Someday you’ll beone." In another exchange, Nick tries to persuade Patrick to confronthis boy/girlfriend on his own instead of sending him as intermediary,culminating in Nick’s insta-classic challenge: "Is she more of a manthan you?"
Mind you, there are plenty of potholes to disrupt this Park Avenueidyll. Not to mention plot holes. Do we really believe that Nick wouldso easily accept a job that he hated his father for doing? Or that thisupstanding lawyer would be so provoked by the pastor insulting hisdad that he’d chase him around like a schoolboy playing tag and tacklehim in the Darling mansion foyer? Or that he’d be blocked by policefrom entering the church for his own father’s funeral? (Speaking ofthat scene, the wide shot of the church steps showing aless-than-robust crowd of onlookers is one of the pilot’s rare visualflubs, as is the scene in which Jeremy uses a blowing hand dryer in abathroom that’s supposedly the john "at Ethan Hawke’s place.")
But the top-flight performers manage to brush off many of theimplausibilities, taking even dumb scenes and playing them smartly. Iparticularly liked Krause twitching his eyebrow when Tripp too-quicklyagrees to double his original salary offer from $5 million to $10million. That single flash of knowing surprise suggested that Nick waswell aware he’d been played by Tripp and should remain on his guard.
So, what did you think of Dirty Sexy Money? Will you keep tuning into the tabloidy exploits of the Darling family? And more importantlyfor me as I contemplate a remodel of my bathroom: Should I think aboutinstalling a blowing hand dryer so I won’t have to worry aboutlaundering guest towels?
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It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t appointment viewing, either.
I was prepared to hate this show, but found it delightfully snarky….it will be hard to keep track of waaay too many characters, but to see Peter Krause back at work is just wonderful and Donald Sutherland could teach his progeny a thing or two about class….Kiefer, you know you’re reading this.
This is a show I really enjoyed and will likely only get better as the season progresses. I don’t think this is a show that I would watch for years and years, but this year sure. I will hope for the best, because offbeat shows like this usually don’t last long.
It was better than i expected. i will definately tune in next week!
The excellent cast can overcome the so-so plot for 2-3 weeks, but not indefinitely. And look for the show to get a new lead-in pretty quickly. “Private Practice” was so absolutely godawful that I can’t imagine even the most devoted “Grey’s” fans sticking with it for more than a couple weeks.
I am intrigued . . . it was better than expected and ahhhhhhh Peter Krause.
Do-gooder main character, acting out of a sense of duty to a less-than-moral patriarch and a boozy matriarch, and their spoiled, self-centered kids?
*
I think I liked it better when it was called “Arrested Development”.
LOVE Peter Krause…I would watch him in anything. seriously. I noticed the eyebrow twitch too…loved it.
I recorded this buy have not watched it yet. However reading the description it reminded me of Nate Fisher being pulled back into the family business against his will to add some degree of stability of the nutty family. I sounds like a pale copy of six feet under.
didn’t love it, but i will continue watching. love peter krause and donald sutherland.
I’ll keep it on my Maybe list. I want to give it a shot for Peter Krause’s sake; loved him in Sports Night.
I flipped this on last night during the Donald Sutherland/Peter Krause bribe/job offer scene and was completely hooked. Ten minutes later I was rolling my eyes and changing the channel. I kept coming back to it, but for me, it was really uneven scene to scene. If a couple of strong plotlines emerge to establish momentum, I’ll probably watch; otherwise, I suspect I’ll give up on this one as quickly as I wandered away from Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip last year, and for pretty much the same reason. The good parts are very good, but there just aren’t enough of them.
How LAME were the ring tones – what was the target audience for that? If you’re going to waste the talent (Clayburgh, Sutherland, Krause) by throwing in clever ring tones, then you can add this show to the nominees for “Which Show Gets Canned First”. I’m talked down to at work, I don’t need it while watching TV
Loved it. I am hooked already. Adore Donald, Peter, Jill and Billy.
I liked this show okay, but I do think that as far as depictions of ridiculously privileged people go, “Arrested Development” has this show beat (as an earlier commenter as noted).
Yep. I would gladly trade this show in for another season of “Arrested Developement”. I’ll be surprised if this show lasts past Mid Season.
I don’t know, probably won’t. I can already tell that the pastor brother is really Nick’s brother. I wouldn’t be suprised if Trip is really Nick’s father, 40 years for an affair a lot of things can happen, and I think Trip messed around with Nick’s mom, that’s why he’s so keen on Nick, why he’s ready to pay him, and so proud of him. Even the pastor kid can tell, that’s why he hates him. But I don’t think this show will last, so I’m probably out.
Very funny and pretty addictive. I like my nighttime soaps especially when they are well acted. I’m hooked at least for now.
Honestly, I fully intend to watch every week– if for no other reason than Peter Krause. As for the blowing hand dryer, why wouldn’t Ethan Hawke have one of those in his bathroom? He has lots of money, and (in tv-world, at least) has parties… why not?
I was fully expectiing it to be Henry Winkler (Arrested Development) to some out from under the eye patch of the school’s administrator. Like others, reminded me A LOT of AD. But I think I will stick around for a few more.
I’m in love. I’m hooked. And I loved the music (the soundtrack, not the ringtones). And Peter Krause. Love some Peter Krause.
I was excited about this show from the start! The cast alone made me watch the first episode. I think its a little over the top but I like it. I cant wait to find out what made Brian become a minister because its clear he is not trying to do Gods work. The characters are great. I also think Nick is the product of LeTicia Darling and his dads affair. His “mom” left his dad but did’nt take Nick with her. Maybe because she is not his real mom. I will tune in to see.
BEST Show so far! Love It! Some people on here are so picky! It was campy night time soap at its finest!
From the review:”– The script offers some delicious dialogue that recalls Dynasty and other over-the-top ’80s soaps. “I want to be a human being,” says Juliet at one point, to which her own mom replies: “Someday you’ll be one”–”
Whenever critics/reviewers write stuff like this, it makes me cringe. The dialogue does NOT recall Dynasty or the 80’s soaps because when they say stuff like this it is apparent they never watched them.
No, the dialogue like that recalls the “Fresno,” the Carol Burnett Dallas/Dynasty spoof miniseries on CBS way back when.
Otherwise, DSM was highly entertaining!
Liked the show. Will give it a chance. I think one episode doesn’t show enough what it will be like, need to see a little more.
i really liked it, im a bit worried it could get to nasty and snarky for my taste, LOVE LOVE candis cayne as patricks mistress!
Best line of the night. Nick: “30,000 thousand people die of starvation every day.” Jeremy “Yeah, but there’s 7 billion.” I thought the first half of the show was great. The last few seconds, when they introduced the murder of the father, and the voice over, that he would not leave until he discovered who the murderer was and made them pay… That totally lost me. Guess what, I don’t care, it’s been done, not that original… and frankly, I didn’t like the characters enough to keep coming back for it. But that line, that line is classic.
“How LAME were the ring tones – what was the target audience for that?” Come on Elizabeth – that was hilarious! This is my favorite show so far this season, I know they’ve got some ’splaining to do but I think it has great potential!
It was a surprising, snarky delight! I loved it! Especially w/ this cast.
I too liked DSM, however, it was annoying having to jump over the glaring plot holes. Like Nick’s wife at the funeral clearly says something like “I never want to see these people again” referring to the Darlings, yet when Nick announces he’s taken the job as the fam’s lawyer, she seems to have little objection, then loves going to their parties. Huh!? Or why the priest brother wears his collar, ALL THE TIME! Most priests (even Catholic ones) take it off at some point. Also, if the priest was trying to keep his kid a secret, why didn’t he mind getting into a screaming match in public about it with Nick? Wha!? What was with Donald Sutherland’s green plush velvet coat at the end when he picks up Nick with the helicopter? Why!? However, I think these blind lapses in judgment are making me like the show more. That, the older sister, and the transsexual, they were great! Last point, (I swear), can they slow the pace down, it moved so fast I almost got whiplash. I’m not gonna turn, promise.