Windfall

Here's a really interesting story idea, one with a lot of potential for comedy, drama, etc., etc. that is being anesthetized before our very eyes by miscasting and one-dimensional writing. I've watched from the beginning and have a hard time remembering most of the characters names. Because there are *so many* characters, I'm going to give it a few more weeks, but I don't have high hopes because there is so little spark on screen. Every group of friends has at least one person who is funny and witty, for pete's sake, and it's usually more than that. This group is so stern and serious, they might bore themselves to death for a final episode.

The exceptions are Luke Perry, Sarah Wynter, Sean (the ex-con, right?), Damian the teenage boy (the actor is good, his love triangle is sappy and not credible), Galina the Russian wife, Sean's missing lawyer/lover Zoe (maybe she'll be found?), and the woman who threatened to sue for her share. These characters are interesting and the actors all have presence, so much, in fact, that the trance-like performances by the rest of the cast come into sharper contrast.

Is Jason Gedrich on downers or is it that his character is sleep-walking through life? I can't tell. And his hair looks over-dyed. His supposed romance with Nina must be a figment of both their imaginations because when they are in one of their tete-a-tetes, I see no chemistry. These two are very miscast as lead role love partners. It's boring to watch them and it's pretty hard to believe how they find their alone time together...oh, the easy convenience of it all. Alice Greczyn is another who looks like she's hypnotically reading memorized lines...tsk, tsk. The overdone waif-innocent longing or giggly looks are tiresome as an emoting technique when you have to see it weekly.

The scripting is also becoming too incestuous. There's far too much overlapping and interloping taking place. We are not going to get to know these characters fully if all we know are their sexual attractions to each other or their one night stands with each other which are an inevitability it seems. This is too trite for words. For the most part, these are supposedly intelligent characters but they're going to suffocate in the vacuum the writers are creating, particularly if the swapping happens too quickly. It may be efficient for the writers to do this, but it amounts to merely a game of spin the bottle with the same players week after week.

So unless some cast changes are made (not likely) and the script gets some new directions, I see a short run for Windfall. Too bad because the concept is original but it needs some pizazz.

Remember Luke Perry? Oh come on, course you do. He was in teen drama Beverly Hills 90210 playing a high school kid even thought it was patently obvious that the man was so far into his 30s he was old enough to be some of the students' father. There you go, you can picture him now, well he's back.

In fact he's the main draw in this drama that follows 20 lottery winners after they all become notably rich. With US$20million each they head off spending but for each of the characters the win comes with unexpected problems from marital and ethical to legal and criminal. While indulging in the fantasy of instant wealth (there are lots of shopping scenes) it also fulfils the human desire to see rich people have problems too. Lightweight and easygoing it's more soap than heavy primetime material but a nice distraction nevertheless.

For Luke Perry, being given another shot at the prime time must have actually been like winning the lottery. But Windfall was cancelled in the first season, although there are 13 episodes to watch which is more than many are permitted these days. Many in America didn't get the chance to see how it all ended as some NBC affiliates screened pre-season football instead of the final episode. Well worth a look but if all this talk of Luke Perry has done is awaken a buzz of 1990s nostalgia then please note that the Beverly Hills 90210 DVD set was released to buy last November. You're excited now aren't you?

this is great. i love watching shows with a sort of characters to focus on. an assortment of characters always leaves room for death and additional characters. things could get very interesting. from one writer to another, good job. i love the way all of the characters are linked by the common thread, money. i saw great writing and that was only in one episode. i don't watch much TV. this show will become 1 of the 4 network TV shows that i watch. please choose a time slot and stick with it. if i have to search for a show i usually end up missing it. after i do without my weekly dosage of a particular show, i usually learn how to do without.i missed it last week. hopefully it won't happen again.

I loved this show.I watched it from the first airing to the end.Even video taped it.I would love to see this show air again with more story lines.The best cast ever.It was the most watchable show on my block that summer,every house on the blocked watched it.I remember having our block meetings,boy we could even get started without discussing Windfall.We loved it,and the cast.Is there anyway that this show could be brought back for a second,third and maybe even forth season.We would love it.We would love everyone responsible this if you could make the possible. Sincerely,

Windswept by Windfall,

Overbrook,Pa.Community

Various friends and neighbors attend a party where people contribute a dollar to play the lottery. Sean Mathers works at a flower shop and hiding as a fugitive. He's invited by his boss Beth Walsh and her husband Cameron who are planning to move away for his new job. Peter and Nina Schaefer seems to have a happy family but she's cheating with Cameron who was her ex. Maggie is an overworked struggling nurse. Teen Damien adds a buck at the convenient store. Nina plays Cameron's birth date which ends up winning $386 million. Addie fights with her husband who she's in the process of divorcing. They have teen daughter Frankie. Struggling single mom Kimberly George delivered a pizza and added the extra dollar. Sean does a deal with lawyer Zoe Reida for her to claim the winnings and split the money. She fears his fake identity, a murder, and creepy Jeremy from his past. Damien is underage and can't collect for another ten months. He decides to marry his father's annoying friend's mail-order Russian bride Galina and move away from his disapproving father. Former student Elisa claims to have a baby with Cameron. Sunny van Hattem claims Kimberly's share threatening to tie up everybody's payout. Zoe goes missing and her sister Tally searches for her.

There are way too many characters and everybody has a problem. There is too much going on. It's bad soap and quite frankly whiny. Some of the rich people problems come off as annoying. Some of them are doing down right stupid stuff which gets really frustrating. What's with the baby kidnapping? With so many story lines, it becomes a waste of time waiting to follow the particular characters that one finds appealing. It gets tiresome and got canceled after 13 episodes.