Richie Rich

I loved the Richie Rich movie (1994) with Macaulay Culkin when I was a kid. Of course, once I watched it again as an adult, I found some things in the movie just dumb, but I could still see why I loved it so much. It was well written, had a good plot, good actors, etc.

This Richie Rich show, however, is simply bad. No, wait, I have a better word for it: horrendous. Story is pretty much inexistent, characters and dialogues are horribly written, and actors are just... not good. After watching a few episodes, I couldn't take it anymore.

I know they are just kids that were probably just very poorly directed, but still, this is something else. They remind me of puppies that are avidly learning to do new tricks. In this case, their "punchlines" are the tricks, and the "laughs" are the rewards. And honestly, it gives a stink of desperation to the whole show. They kinda look like they are on speed or ecstasy too. Yep, a bunch of puppies on drugs, that's pretty much what they look like to me.

And let's not forget the obviously objectified/sexualized robot French maid... She has the best lines, and she's a freaking robot! And just like all the other characters, she's an overused stereotype that is just inappropriate. It's like they took her character from a bad indie porn movie and put it in a kids show on Netflix.

I don't often take time to review movies/series, but this show just made me so mad I had to vent somehow. I can't believe such a show can still be produced in 2015. It's sad for the actors, because you sense they do have potential and talent hidden behind the poor direction, but I officially brand this as unwatchable. There's too much wrong stuff at the same time, and I honestly don't understand how someone could enjoy it.

The show has 0 humor and there's nothing in the plot, even when considering it's a kids sir, to carry it.

Richie Rich is a lovable character, but it's his family that's the problem. His father is basically a couch potato with no job or aspects. The sister should be grateful they're all living in a big mansion, but all Harper does is complain. Not exactly the way a supportive sibling should behave.

I got as far as episode 5 before realizing the family never leaves the house. Richie and his friends never set foot in school. They could've built a classroom set on the same stage, but they didn't.

The worst plot is Richie converting his vegetables into energy. I mean come on that's pathetic.

This show is really bad. At first blush, it looks like a typical low-budget children's show, not unlike what you might see on the Disney Channel. But it has some huge problems. First, is that the Murry, Richie's money manager is a Jewish stereotype. For some reason, Richie Rich's money manager is a 12-year-old like him and has a bunch of Jewish money manager stereotypes. He also has a bunch of weakling nerd stereotypes, but those are just annoying, not insulting.

The second problem is that the robot maid is a typical model in french maid outfit. It's weird that a kid that hasn't hit puberty yet (at least not in the first episode) would choose a blatant sex symbol. That said, she has the best lines. Heck, she's the best developed character. It's like the writers knew how terrible the concept was, and gave a bunch of great dialogue to compensate.

The worst problem is Darcy, who is a girl Richie's age who 'spends his money' and otherwise acts like a vapid spoiled trophy wife/girlfriend. But she's twelve (or around that age), and they're not dating.

It's unsettling to see young children acting out these adult tropes. The only actual adult (besides the robot) is a Richie's father, a man child who doesn't seem to have ever held down a job in his life. How he had two kids (Richie has an older sister) is beyond me. It isn't that I can't picture a woman having sex with him, it's that he's so immature I can't imagine him being interested.

I'd stay away from this show. Far, far away.

This show is a complete abomination. Other than Richie Rich, the other characters are completely one-dimensional and stereotypical:

* Richie's jealous sister who most of the time is used only for a punchline * Richie's accountant given the stereotypical dress (glasses, suspenders, etc.) and has no range of emotion other than "Hey look at me I do nerd stuff!" * A teen girl who overspends and, most of time, is characterized only by her obsession with consumerism. Although she is allowed some character development.

But the most egregious character is the father: stupid does not begin to describe him. He has the maturity of a six month old, never got past the third grade, and is just there to be the big clown. Did all of the writers hate men or their parents?

The jokes are lame and don't even deserve the obvious and overused canned laugh track. Laugh tracks should just be banned from sitcoms.

I feel bad for all the young actors in this show, they deserved better than having deal with this drivel.

Avoid this show.