When advertisements for this series began showing up on television, I thought, great it’s another night-time soap, and didn’t pay much attention, knowing that I would watch it, if only to see Donald Sutherland and enjoy his acting.
I was completely delighted and surprised by Dirty, Sexy, Money, (although when written, that does look odd) and became an instant fan of the show. Now is your chance to see this unusual take on what is all too usual in our viewing schedules.
One has to love a filthy rich family who are so completely self indulgent, mean, conniving, cut throat, vindictive, and oh so charming to guests, and who bear the surname of Darling.
Donald Sutherland is at his elegant best as patriarch Tripp Darling, head of the privileged family and whose character never seems quite as good humored as he would have one believe. With more money than anyone else in the world, he conducts business with a condescending smile as if to say that he knows best what everyone should do, or have or lose or find.
Scary thing is, most of the time he is correct in his assessment of situations and people. Jill Clayburgh is his equally charming and manipulative, but with a gentle touch wife. She has her own secrets, and helps or hinders the idiosyncratic behaviors of their several children.
One son is a mean priest, a completely nasty personality, another is a sentimental politician, who can’t get his act together where a certain model is concerned. The elder daughter falls for men and keeps getting married trying to find her true love, and the twins, well, the twins are trouble times two.
Thrown into this is lawyer Nick George (Peter Krause) whose father held the unenviable job of keeping all these Darlings out of trouble, or at least out of the media until his untimely death. Was it a murder? Should Nick work for these people who through the years have cause his family so much trouble?
Doesn’t this sound juicy, and fun? Believe me it is…with abounding paternity suits, and parties, revelations and love entanglements, mergers and murders, this is melodrama at its best. Perhaps one should be shocked, but it is much easier and much more fun to laugh hysterically at the over-the-top plots and dialog.
It is never a silly show, or stoops to embrace the low joke to generate laughter or tell the story. Some situations might be familiar, but the wonderful writers have given the plot a magnificent kick and twist to turn it into fascinating viewing. I can’t wait to see what happens in Season Two!
Dirty Sexy Money: The Complete First Season is presented on three discs with some really good special features. The bonus material included “The Road to Excess” the making of Dirty, Sexy, Money; “Enter the Penthouse – The VIP Tour” showing how the Darling’s lavish lifestyles are captured on a Hollywood sound stage.
“Haute Couture: Dressing the Darlings,” “The Other Woman: Candis Cayne” with commentaries, deleted scenes, bloopers and a special edition of Observer, to learn the Darling’s news.
They know everyone who is anyone, so get caught up in the lives of the Darlings, but be careful, filthy rich might just be an understatement.
Dirty Sexy Money: Season One is now available at Amazon . It is available at AmazonUK for an Oct. 20th release. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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