Monday, December 01, 2008

"They" Aren't Always Right - My Take on Dirty Sexy MOney

For some time now, "they" have been coming up to me suggesting television shows that I should be watching. And when I say "I," I mean specifically me, like as if Show X was written just for me. Once in awhile, They are right and I do like the show (Arrested Development, Firefly). Most often, I have a lukewarm reaction (30 Rock), but sometimes, They are way off.

Dirty, Sexy, Money.

I thought the title alone would draw me in, plus I really like Peter Krause as an actor. Sadly, I Netflix'd the first few episodes this weekend, and was quite disappointed. Now, I know that the first few episodes maybe isn't enough to get a real feel for the show, but if they can't draw you in in the fiorst three, how does a show expect to last? Alas, I heard after watching the first two episodes this weekend that the show is being cancelled, so I guess I'm not too far off here.

The problem, as I see it, is that the writers are trying to portray the Darlings as this helpless lot of foosl that need theor lawyer to help them through life, which is a premise for hilarity, right? Sure, until they write plots involving murder and deception and adultery. Where's the hilarity there? Plus, if the Darlings are such idiots, why should I care that Jeremy is sleeping with his sister's arch-nemesis, who is only her nemesis because one of them (I can't remember which, and who cares?) wore bangs before the other one. I don't know any family where that would be an issue, let alone take up two episodes. Hell, I don't think I've ever dated anyone who my family liked.

"But, dude," you may be thinking, "You're being too harsh. In fact, the characters are actually learning and growing thanks to Nick's influence. You're just a crumb-bum." True enough, but here's where the show fails. First off, in order for normal folk to identify with (or even like) obscenely rich people, they need to either be human in some way, or completely over-the-top, like in the aforementioned Arrested Development. Seeing these stupid people complain about their lives just makes me hate them all the more. So, William Baldwin is cheating on his wife with a transvestite, and I'm supposed to feel bad for him because he doesn't want to run for Senator because his daddy is pushing him into it? Boo-friggin'-hoo. And the lying, cheating Reverand with the bastard son is the worst, because he is totally dispicable and hateful, yet I'm somehow suppsoed to care about his dilemma. I kind of wish he would just get what he deserves and die a painful death. And thanks to the miracle of the ratings system (or whatever laws govern TV cancellations), he shall.

The sad thing is that the acting was actually pretty good. Donald Sutherland and Peter Krause both deserve a better fate than this, but I'm sure they'll catch on somewhere else. It's just a bummer really, because there was potential for real laughs here, but they decided to go another way, and thus, the show suffered. G'night, Darlings. We hardly knew ye.

No comments: