The Riches (8): It Has Turned Into The American Nightmare.

Season finales usually try to hit hard to increase viewer interest in order to encourage networks to renew the series. The cliffhanger is a staple element. I am avoiding using the word cliché, because I think that it can be used very effectively, like on Tuesday’s episode. It is hard for me to accept that after only seven episodes the season is over and now I have to wait some indeterminate amount of time before any new episodes. Structurally, though this season has been short, it makes sense. Season One was about the attempt at a “normal” life and the pitfalls thereof, while Season Two has been the fallout when some accept that “normal” isn’t working and others do not. To prolong this later phase would be repetitive and dull: the fragmentation of focus among the family members and the evil skulking in the shadows could only last so long before the show as a whole lost focus. I want more new episodes, but I am pleased with the choice on the producers’ part to shorten the season.

What we may have lost in quantity was more than made up for in quality.

The three Malloy children are in tiered sequence of interpersonal situations. Sam has either a girlfriend or a stylist, or maybe both. His little smile when he looks at her says more than I ever could about how innocent and precious this relationship is. The young wonder so beautiful contrasts with the painfully decimated landscape of Wayne and Dahlia’s marriage.

Di Di slept with the security guard, loosing her virginity in a bed that belongs to neither of them (I happen to think that is a indication that the relationship will not last, but I may be wrong). Witnessing the animosity between her parents and especially loosing faith in the goodness of her father must make Di Di think that another’s fake house is interchangeable with her own. It is not surprising that she takes refuge with another person who seems not to question her, but also does not seem to be expecting her to play some kind of role. The fact that the security guard is a nice little guy tempers how sad Di Di’s situation is. She has now officially begun to turn away from her traditions by having sex without a blessing, but a huge factor in that choice has to be the disillusionment of seeing her father abandon their traditions as well.

Cael may or may not be aware of just how badly he got played. I think he genuinely cares about Rosaline, but she has to be in on it, has to be. And I think it will kind of crush him when he figures it out (next season). He is caught between his love for his family and his anger at his father; the former is stronger but not sharper than the later. His discomfort at standing by the side of his father’s enemy was evident, but his completely understandable indignation prevents him for seeing any option but to bond with the one who gives him shelter. Furthermore, he has mistakenly acted as if trust is automatically associational: he trust her, she trust Quinn, so he wants to trust Quinn also. While we are more inclined to trust those trusted by those we trust (could I say that word more?) but it is a simplistic way to approach the world. Brilliant ploy on Quinn’s part, by the way, to praise Wayne, the irony of course being that he does see Wayne as a “visionary” of the Travelers.

Too bad Wayne’s vision entirely excludes his family at this point. (Okay, continuity thing. We saw Cael call Dahlia, but not Wayne, from Quinn’s phone. Quinn is able to call Wayne after Cael fell asleep. Therefore Cael had to dial his father’s number, but obviously didn’t speak to him. Interesting.) The cliffhanger, the question, is what will Wayne do now that he knows Quinn has Cael? (And “has” is the word Quinn uses, Cael is a prisoner.) Is Wayne too far gone, too wrapped up in his lies and his ego, to save his son? Is there a point beyond which your ability will frustrate the best of your desires?

Dahlia may turn out to be the more reliable parent, so it could be that the Malloy children are doomed. No, I jest. There is still hope, because at her lowest point Dahlia turned away, turned back to her family. I don’t see much hope for reconciliation with Wayne; that would be a little naïve of me at this point. The problem is that Dahlia has as many problems as her children; in some ways they behave more maturely than she does. Her future depends on if she can take Nina’s advice and face the truth. There is a lot of truth for her to face, what with her husband being a dick, and her parole officer kissing her, and all of her lives falling apart, but if she can and realize that she will have to be caregiver to her children (not vice-versa) then the Mallloy’s might stand a chance.

Nina has my undying respect. I have been to a few funerals in my day and I have always wanted to pitch a big shit-fit and then go get stoned like she did, but I always restrain myself. Portraying the messy, undignified side of grief (not the sympathetic tears and fond memory side) was a realistic element I was not expecting. Everyone admits that death is difficult, few acknowledge that it is ridiculous and makes the bereaved act ridiculously. Plus, she told Wayne that he is an ass who has forgotten the distinction between his wife and Doug’s wife. Lady has some balls, and I love her for it. I cannot imagine how Season Three could actually take place in Eden Falls, but I hope Nina stays a significant character.

And, Dale is alive. Dag nab it.

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The Riches (8.5): Ding Dong Dale is Dead.

At least that is what it looked like in the last scene of last night’s episode, and I think it is a beautiful beautiful thing. I just refuse to feel bad about the fact that this possibility makes me so happy. I should probably calm down, since Quinn is a whole heaping pile of dung scarier than Dale, and he has Cael.

Cael, just a warning. Literary history is strewn with the bodies of those who have chosen sex over family. And I do not think that any honest argument can be made that Cael actually feels comfortable in Camp, that it is where we wants to be. The hope of getting some made him linger, and now that he got some he is staying; not good decision making criteria! He has lost faith in his father, leaving him doubting his upbringing and susceptible to manipulation.

Even so, Cael was right that the house stole the family’s souls (and I am not a really superstitious person, but I think he might be literally right). Dahlia’s relapse was heartbreaking after seeing her try so hard to change herself and her life. To see her act out in the belief that all her effort was towards a goal that no longer existed (her family) could have simply been a pathetic ending to her storyline, but rather it was so sad because Dahlia has a dignity she retains in even her most undignified moments. But was any one else confused by the eventual conversation between Wayne and Dahlia about Pete? Why couldn’t/didn’t Wayne simply say that Dale had already murdered Pete before Wayne got back to the house? I doubt that would have substantially affected the outcome of the argument, since she is completely correct that causally Pete’s death is their responsibility. And she is completely correct that protecting his family was not Wayne’s only priority in returning to Eden Falls, and then lying to Dahlia about Pete. Still, Wayne would not have murdered Pete, and that seems to be how she understands the situation. Is he so tangled in his own lies (to others and to himself) that he doesn’t actually know what the truth is anymore or how to tell it?

And did he really burn down an orphanage?

On a happier note, how cute was Di Di’s kiss with the little security guard in the chapel? Maybe not the kind of chaste behavior that her new school organization demands, but ridiculously adorable. This dude is so much better than her former boyfriend. That kid was a tard.

Conversely, poor Nina. Could someone give this woman a break, please? Her semi-openly gay husband drunkenly tells her that he loves her during the drag themed birthday party she organized for him, and then he drops dead. It seems unfair to me. Granted, this may be the most emotionally healthy scenario for Nina; there was a kind of healing between her and Jim and therefore she is not plagued with questions and regret as well as grief.

I cannot believe that next week is the Season Finale!

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The Riches (8): No Amount Of Money Is Worth This.

Can you believe they kicked Priscilla off DWTS? Oh, wait, I wasn’t watching that and why would I care? I have really important things to talk about.

I do have a confession to make. I missed last week’s episode of The Riches, and my efforts to find it online were thwarted (much to my chagrin does not even begin to describe it), but I got the impression from last night’s episode that while I missed an hour of my favorite gypsies, it does not seem that I missed too many plot points that I could not glean from “previously on” and this episode. Well now, my soul feels lighter.

Dahlia feels the opposite of lightness, and no wonder. Now she is living a triple life, because she is trying to hide her Eden Falls life from her parole officer and her parolee life from Wayne. Dahlia is a stronger person than I, because all that plus her daughter holding her responsible for her son leaving would drive me back to drugs in a heartbeat. But is honesty a half way type thing? What kind of life can she build with each foot in a different partial truth? She has alienated her parole officer because he knows she is lying to him, even if he does not know about what. Also, she and Wayne are extra fighting because deep down he thinks she is still doing drugs. The trust is eroding between Wayne and Dahlia, and while I admire her efforts to act according to her conscience, more lying will not help to rebuild that trust.

But, is Wayne worthy of that trust anymore? He did not kill Pete, but he is doing everything he can to cover it up. He is working with Dale even after Dale attacked Dahlia. He is not even doing a very good job of covering up because, Dahlia knows that Wayne is hiding something and avoiding talking about whatever it is. Furthermore, nothing seems to be as important as the Bayou Hills deal, even the respect of his children. He would not talk to Sam when it was obvious Sam was upset. He kind of just let Cael leave without even offering to follow him, make sure he is okay. He reassured Sam at the end, and I do believe him that he would never abandon Sam, but Sam was in trouble in the first place because money has become the most important thing to Wayne, whether he really realizes that or not.

Which is why I cannot blame Cael for leaving, even though he is a total moron. I had to call my friend Jennie and ask her if it was completely obvious that Cael is being manipulated or if I was entirely making up a parallel story that did not exist on screen. She assured me I was not crazy; that it is readily apparent that the Travelers who picked up Cael were instructed to do by Quinn in order to bring him back to camp, and that Cael fell for it. Cael is either extremely out of practice (more so than thought previously), or extremely (shall we say) lonely to fall so easily into what appears to be a trap. Whatever the reason, he better catch on sooner rather than later (but the previews looked like he will be getting some in the next episode, so if his stupidity is the result of reason #2, at least that problem will be taken care of). Why Quinn wants Cael is not as clear as Cael’s stupidity. Could be that the camp ran out of males and the little blonde needs a new husband (Jennie’s theory), or could be they intend to hold Cael hostage in order to flush out his parents (my theory) or most likely it is for some reason I could not possibly think of. While my heart is with Cael (I would leave too, because Eden Falls is bullshit) and I think he is right about what he said concerning the overemphasis on stuff in most people’s lives, it seems fairly evident that family unity is necessary for success, as well as fairly evident that he has forgotten this.

On the other hand, the Malloy family is cracked, so maybe all Cael has done is state the truth out loud. Or at least that was all he had done before he got in that RV.

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The Riches (8): It Was A Different Color, It Could Not Be Real.

Before I get into the crazy joy that was Tuesday’s episode I have to pass along a criticism that was pointed out to me by my friend Jennie. If a show is pursuing a baby-plot with an actress who is not actually pregnant, it is stupid of them to point out to the audience the fact that the actress was never pregnant by putting her in a belly-shirt. While some women loose the baby weight quickly, Ginny’s muscles definition screamed “I go to the gym every day and have not gestated another human being recently.” I promise that she can be just as trashy in shirts that cover her abdomen, so let us hope the costumer learns his/her lesson.

Back to business. I am going to say it and not even defend my statement: Dahlia did not turn herself in for parole violation. Moving on, there are not enough forks in the world that could be stuck in enough places in Dale to make me even slightly less irate. And as repulsed as I am by Dale, I am furious with Wayne. I thought that by taking a day and letting myself process I would be able to discuss this episode sort of rationally. Well, all I have gotten is angrier.

Dahlia is the great love of Wayne’s life; wife of many years, mother of his children, partner in crime. He finds out that Dale threatened her, choked her, and tried to drown her, and he reacted without even a glimmer of anger, or outrage, or protective instinct. That is bullshit. Yep, I said it, bullshit. He is not giving her a better life; hell, he is not even giving her a life equal to their Traveler days. One presumes that back before the Rich-con Wayne protected his family, kept them in relative safety. One assumes he would not let some sub-prime dirt-bag like Dale even talk about hurting Dahlia. For money he rolls over and tells her to deal? Cael is not pulling any punches, and I commend his honesty. But is his son’s dismissal enough to make Wayne see that he is not pretending to be an asshole, he is one. (I have no doubt that this show will find a way for Wayne to win my heart back, but right now I am pissed.)

And speaking of being pissed, so, I was wrong on my theory about the prison dude’s identity. Now the interesting question is why does a man who has been in prison for twenty years have a grudge against Wayne? And, is there a relationship between his dislike of Wayne, Ginny’s dislike of Wayne, and Ginny’s father’s murder?

To end this on something of a happy note, Sam started a new mural! This one seems to be about his desires for his family’s future, rather than a document of their past. Maybe Sam can save them all.

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The Riches (8.5): Its Okay, My Timing Is Off Too.

I feel as rusty as Dahlia and the kids, so please bear with me and do not try to beat the living snot out of me with a baseball bat. If you are watching this show, then you know what that refers to. If you are not watching this show, I beg you to do so. Season One is only thirteen episodes, which is so easy to burn through, and we are only two episodes into Season Two, both of which can be found on iTunes and Amazon for download. If you live in my metropolis (and are not either JP or Kathleen) I will loan you Season One (it was twenty bucks at Target last week, how could I pass that up?) and you will be able to see the wonder that is The Riches. And then you will understand what I am about to say about the first two episodes of Season Two.

Sam had the money all along? What? Sam is so quiet that it would be really easy to forget that he is a) a little con in training, b) listening to everything going on, and c) quiet by choice rather than by stupidity. When he busted out that 40 grand he reminded everyone, family and audience, that he is a necessary and active member of the clan. I am starting to think he might be the smartest one of the Malloys.

But on the not smart side of life there is Dale. I do not know which side of him makes me want to rip off my skin more: the desperate sniveling sycophant, or the overly sexualized amoral bully (and murderer). I cheered (as much as I could because I was in my office) when Wayne kicked him in the balls. I wanted to cry when he was trying to convince Wayne that they are the same type of person. Since all signs seem to indicate that Dale will not be going anywhere anytime soon, and I do not want any of the Malloys to become (intentional) murderers, I guess I am going to have to deal with nausea Dale induces in me. And I do really, really want to know with whom he is talking to in prison. I think it is someone involved in the scam that put Dahlia in jail. I think Dale has found an equally revenge minded person to team up with.

I will admit what a terrible person I am and tell you that I laughed out loud when Wayne hit Hugh with his car. It was just such a funny moment; Wayne getting to do by accident what he deep down wants to do all along.

In the second episode we got to see something that even if we intellectually understood, we have not been exposed to the full emotional reality; a scam can be based on charity as easily as greed. There is a thrill seeing the Malloys pull a fast one on people with more money than morals and that reaction could let the viewer slip into a sense of complacency about what they do. I in no way agree with rednecks wailing on Cael, but the strong reaction elicited by using another’s tragedy to raise flee-to-Mexico funds reminds viewers of the ethical complexity involved in The Riches. We are pulled in both directions: we want the family to be okay, but we see what that will cost others.

The one downside to watching The Riches on TV: suffering through commercials not only for Dirt (yuck!) but also It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (double yuck!). The horrifying irony of the situation is that Kaitlin Olson, who plays Hartley Underwood on The Riches, is also a cast member of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, so not matter what there is always the specter of a terrible show floating about a wonderful show, at least in my mind. Maybe Hartley will not return and that little problem will be solved.

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My Weekend Fling: The Riches (8)

I do not quite know where to begin in reviewing this show. I can say that after watching the entire first season over the weekend (it is only 13 episodes, so not even a challenge) I am excited for the new season to start on March 18th. The season finale was a perfect mix of cliffhanger and resolution. I want to know what happens next to the Malloys but I do not feel like I am being unjustly propelled into another season of a show that will only disappoint me. (I will use an example to illustrate what I am talking about. I watched a couple seasons of a show called MI-5. Most of the episodes, around 90%, were tedious and impossible to figure out what happened. The characters were flat and the romantic storylines were ludicrous. But the season finales were unbelievable. The stories were exciting, the characters vivid, the performances impressive, and when the finale ended I had the immense desire to watch the next season, despite the fact that I knew already that the next season would be boring and arduous. At the end of Season Three I broke the cycle of manipulation and parted ways with this show. I have not regretted my choice, and I use this show as a personal cautionary tale to remind myself that one episode does not redeem a whole show.) The fate of Wayne, Dahlia, and children is uncertain, but minor storylines were wrapped up so they could move forward.

But let me move backwards. The Malloys are: the father Wayne (Eddie Izzard), the mother Dahlia (Minnie Driver), the oldest son Cael (Noel Fisher), the daughter Di Di (Shannon Marie Woodward) and youngest son who dresses as a girl Sam (Aidan Mitchell). They call themselves “Travelers” but I am fairly sure ordinary society would like to stick to the traditional “Gypsies,” but I am splitting hairs. They live out of an RV, run scams to make money, do not have social security numbers, do not pay taxes, and are part of a large (but rather inbreed) family that has a base camp in some forest in the South. Dahlia is released from a two-year stint in jail, where she developed a drug addiction, in the series premier. It is obvious from the get go that Wayne and the larger family are experiencing some difficulties, the details of which take up a nice chunk of the first episode, so before long they are out on the road again, and an altercation with one of the camp members (in a Ben-Hur type race, only in RVs) results in a luxury sedan crashing off the road. The Malloys try to rescue the victims, performing CPR and attempting to help. But the couple, Doug and Cherien Rich, die and the Malloys assume their identities in the Riches new home: Eden Falls (ha ha, get the joke). Hilarity ensues. Okay, well, sort of.

The premise of The Riches did not do much for me when I first heard about it. In fact, it seemed kind of creepy, and well, it kind of is. But the characters realize that what they are doing is kind of creepy. They talk about losing their souls by moving into “the dead guy’s” house. And they think that the real Doug and Cherien may have lost their souls because the Malloys have taken over their lives. But the premise is a vehicle to explore some of the fundamental complexities of human existence: how does a marriage survive when trust is broken; when does a lie become the truth and the truth become a lie; how do parents respond as their children grow up; if there a division between who you are on the inside and who you present to the world, how do you draw that line; is family all we really have; can we make any substantial change to who we are, or are our changes just accidental (superficial); when is giving-up prudence not cowardice; do we have a right to a certain type of life?

While the themes, the questions raised and addressed, are quite serious, the show does not take itself seriously. The Riches reminds me of Ben Jonson’s plays; there are so many ridiculous things happening, and it is incredibly funny, but the ridiculous propels real stories about the ambiguities of moral judgment. The neighbor in Eden Falls, Nina (Margo Martindale) makes ostentatious phallic pottery in her garage (and the viewer eventually finds out why). The neighborhood shrew Hartley Underwood (Kaitlin Olson) got her arm bitten off by a crocodile, but she is also a kleptomaniac. The man who may prove the Malloy’s undoing is as sniveling an excuse for a human being that modern therapy is capable of producing. And the Malloy’s schemes and plots are priceless. My personal favorite is when they impersonate missionaries to get social security cards for the children.

The Riches is infernal comedy; it is hard to say that any of the adult characters (I will address the children in a moment) are “good” people because everyone is fallen and impure. The show utilizes contrast; the evil of one is always in comparison to the evil of another. They discover that the real Riches were selfish and unloving, so Wayne and Dahlia are doing more good with the available means than those to whom it rightfully belongs. Dale Malloy (Todd Stashwich), Wayne’s nemesis whom happens to be in love with Dahlia and is trying to gain control of the family from his dying father, is one of the nastiest people on TV. This is a dude that even when he has recently shaven still has a two-o’clock shadow. On Homer Simpson it is funny, on real people it is kind of my definition of icky. I fully support anything anyone does to thwart and frustrate this man. The concept of comparison is used for more than the characters. The Traveler camp is filled with RVs, and the RVs are filled to bursting: trinket, clothing, memories, the sum of which represents a traditional way of life and a communal heritage. The homes of Eden Falls are decorated with objects that serve no purpose and only highlight the sterility and artificiality of the lives lived inside. To fit in with his new neighbors Wayne rents a silver Mercedes, to embrace her new role Dahlia buys a red Mustang.

The Malloys lie, cheat, and steal, but within their cosmos they are attempting to be the best people possible. You might not want to like them, but (fairly quickly) you do. One reason that the viewer (or at least me) likes them is the children. Sam says the least of any of the characters, but I think I love him the best. Sam is an artist. He changes the trials of his life into a sweeping mural, he wants the world to be painted with beauty, and he actively draws others into his vision, especially ones who could potentially be left behind. Sam is not a cliché; he is a respectfully rendered character with an aesthetic soul. Di Di accepted the female lead in her family while her mother was in prison, but now that Dahlia is back, Di Di is confused as to whether she is child or an adult. Even when she is being a bit of a brat, you wonder in what other way should she react given her circumstances. Her desire for a “normal” life stands in opposition to Cael’s desire to return to their old one (again the contrasting). Cael is not a caricature of a lazy teenager who has no desire to better himself. Rather Cael sees the difference between being a liar and being a hypocrite, and sees the only “honest” life is that of a liar. My hope is that Cael never quits smoking. (I think it would make me sad in a similar way as when Ryan never smoked again after the Pilot episode of The O.C.) I want Cael to keep smoking because it functions as an indication of his attitude towards a situation. He lights up when a family dinner has turned disastrous because from his perspective there is no way to make the situation worse. (Dale also smokes, but he uses the time of lighting a cigarette to try to intimidate people. Dale is an evil smoker, Cael is an awesome smoker. Do not be brainwashed by liberal propaganda; smoking is unhealthy, but there are good smokers and bad smokers. But I digress.)

There are a few assumptions The Riches makes that are distracting; capitalism is inherently corrupt, Christians are homophobic. These examples are almost incidental within the scope of the show, and things that are just culturally unquestioned, so I should not be a harpy about them, but for a show that exists outside the box it is vexing to see such pedestrian material employed.

By the way, the cast performances are fantastic. Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver are playing pretty far from type, and they are phenomenal to watch.

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