Sunday, September 30, 2007

DIRTY SEXY MONEY: "Pilot"

I'm not 100% sold on this one. The first few minutes of the show grabbed me. I liked Nick George's unique relationship to the Darlings while growing up. It's also ironic that Nick would end up working for the family that usurped his father from him. The series bolstered by strong actors like Peter Krause, Donald Sutherland and Jill Clayburgh.

But once we started meeting the Darlings, my patience began to grow a wee thin. The show devolved into BROTHER & SISTERS on a bender. It also suffered a bit from quirkitis. Quirkitis began sometime in the 90s, infusing post-modern quirks on old standards. So, for example, it isn't enough that William Baldwin's character has a mistress. Add a little quirkitis and you get a trannie hooker(?) mistress. Likewise, Mick's chief rival among the Darlings is a selfish, hypocrite with at least one bastard child he refuses to acknowledge in public. Sprinkle a little quirkitis and hey, he's also a reverend! For good measure, let's have Mick and Rev. Darling wrestle like children during a swank dinner party.

The last 10 minutes saved the show, grounding it back to reality a bit. Even juicier, Mick learns that one of the brood may have murdered his father. That twist gives Mick good reason to stick around - and maybe me too! The series has potential as long as it doesn't get soap-silly.

No comments: