Dirty Sexy Money

In all honesty, I didn't even know what channel ABC was on before I sought out this show, but it made me look! I missed the initial airing so I caught up via "OnDemand" and was hooked--I ended up watching all the episodes twice. I love everybody in it, although Peter Krause alone would have been enough for me. It's apt that he's the designated voice of reason: he always brings such a sense of realness & believability to whatever he's in. Although some of it is over-the-top, I think it'll be like peering in on how the other half live. (I remember reading that one of the Kennedy in-laws--maybe Shriver?--was the go-to guy for all the Kennedys--they didn't even know how to renew a drivers' license without him.) The rich are like you and me in that neither of us has a clue how the other lives (e.g., Paris Hilton asking if WalMart was where you go to get anything you need for your walls). I'm looking forward to finding out how/why the evil Brian became a priest -- I find that more amazing than the fact that he's a father. I also like that Donald Sutherland doesn't seem intrinsically bad--just clueless about child-rearing. This show will only get more interesting, & will probably almost write itself. With Bryan Singer and so many other heavy-hitters behind it, I can't imagine it doing poorly unless it the audience doesn't have the attention span to absorb it all.

Nick George (Peter Krause) follows his late father's footstep as the legal fixer for the scandal ridden New York Darling family. Tripp (Donald Sutherland) and Tish (Jill Clayburgh) are the heads of the family. Their son Patrick (William Baldwin) is the reluctant politician with closeted secrets. Karen (Natalie Zea) is the jet setting daughter who has a lifelong crush on Nick despite his marriage to Lisa (Zoe McLellan). Juliet (Samaire Armstrong) is struggling with issues (including real-life ones) along with twin Jeremy. Brian has an illegitimate son. Simon Elder (Blair Underwood) is Tripp's rival.

The concept is promising but it's reliant on the likability of the characters. They can't be all be douches and mostly they're not. Mostly they're just damaged by the secrets they're keeping. There are probably a few too many characters. The show lasted two seasons. The first season does well. It has a nice balance of comedy and darker revelations. The second season gets weighted down by too much revelations. Sadly it's the usual way for a failing TV show to ramp up the drama.

This has become my favorite show on television. It has its own special charm to it. I love the characters in the Darling family. The acting is superb for nearly all of them. Donald Sutherland is incredible as always in the role of Tripp, the tactful businessman. Then you have Glenn Fitzgerald as Brian, the flawed priest; William Baldwin as Patrick, the spineless politician; Samaire Armstrong as Juliet, the spoiled daughter; Seth Gabel as Jeremy, the reluctant playboy; Natalie Zea as Karen, the impetuous harlot; and Jill Clayburgh as Letitia, the spaced-out mother.

The character of Brian is the one I find the most entertaining. He perfectly pulls off being a complete jerk, which makes his contrasting moments of humanity that much more impressive. His relationship with his son brought some of the funniest and most heartfelt moments of the season, which is really saying something considering the strength of the rest of the show. The character of Jeremy is intriguing as well, as he's somewhat of a security blanket for Juliet. Fitzgerald and Gabel show off their acting talents in these roles, but it's Sutherland that steals the show.

The well-acted characters don't stop there, though. Peter Krause nails the role of Nick, the lawyer/babysitter for the family. Will Shadley is adorable as Brian Jr. Blair Underwood adds mystery as the rival billionaire. Daniel Cosgrove gave a memorable performance as Karen's boytoy Freddy. Shawn Michael Patrick adds even more talent as the obedient limo driver. Zoe McLellan is stuck in that middle as Nick's wife Lisa, along with fascinated-by-rich-life daughter Kiki, portrayed by Chloe Moretz.

There are precious few flaws with this show. Leticia, Patrick, Juliet, and Karen can grow tiresome, partly because their characters are sometimes intended to annoy the viewers with their actions. However, the truth is that Clayburgh, Baldwin, Armstrong, and Zea simply don't possess the acting talent of the rest of the cast. I can hate and love Brian at the same time, and I can't say that for the rest of these characters who are supposed to elicit similar feelings.

The only reason I gave it a 9 instead of a 10 is because the latest episodes haven't been quite as good as the early ones. Still, I think that speaks more to the excellence of the show's beginning more than anything else. There's plenty of potential to develop all the characters much further, as you could make a lesser series based on any one of the characters. I don't know what the future holds for this show, but I can only hope that we haven't seen the last of it. If they give this enough of a chance, I think it will be truly great.

I worry, though, because nearly everyone I try to talk to about it hasn't heard of it, and we're going on a few weeks now without a new episode. It seems pretty high-budget as well. I think a little more promotion or patience could save the show. I fear the worst, but I'll breathe a sigh of relief if I see another new episode in the new year.

Please, ABC, keep this show going. If it disappears, it will be sorely missed.

Not to often you get a surprise like this,rather than insulting your intelligence it instead stimulates it! I only discovered this show by accident myself. After the first episode i wanted to see the second and since then have not missed an episode.

Beautifully written,engaging performances and attention paid to cinematography.

Apparently this had been slated for at least two seasons but have only been fortunate enough to have seen the first ten episodes,last one being 12/05/07 I believe.

I warrant my 9/10 rating for the simple reason of being put-off for an undeclared amount of time with no word or promise of another episode...hate it when they do that with new shows.

The comment above mine sums this show up nicely and I concur.

You want great entertainment.WATCH THIS SHOW!

Two thumbs up in Canada.

I really like this show. I think that it follows in the footsteps of desperate housewives and others before it as far as it being character-driven, engaging the audience in a great story, with a good blend of comedy and drama. Some of the previous comments have implied that we've seen this plot (or something similar to it before) and I couldn't disagree more -- I don't think that the story seems done. In my opinion, the story line is definitely creative and unique... much like housewives, greys, and heroes (my three favorites) I'm totally curious and entertained (and the point of TV is to entertain, after all!) Bottom line: I can't wait to see whats to come -- it's a breath of fresh air that TV has so desperately needed.