The Wedding:
While the sexually secure Karen flaunts her stuff, her younger sister and Jeremy’s sweet but Paris Hilton-like childish twin Juliet (Samaire Armstrong) battles insecurity over her latest acting performance to a rivalry with her old best friend Natalie Kimpton (Tamara Feldman) who had the audacity to steal her signature bangs. However, the rest of the Darlings have far greater matters at stake.
And indeed, it’s the other Darling son, the Reverend Brian Darling (Glenn Fitzgerald) who is hiding an even greater secret that’s quickly revealed in the season’s earliest episodes as we learned that Brian — a family man much like Patrick — has illegitimately fathered a child. One of the sharpest written characters on the show and played to enviable perfection by Fitzgerald as arguably the most unlikable character (who must hide true emotion below bitterness at all times), I was fascinated to learn that Minnesota native Craig Wright, who holds a Master’s in Divinity, may be culling from his own background. Although he claims that all characters contain a bit of himself and on the DVD featurette shares that Nick’s relationship with the Darlings reminds him of his own relationship as a playwright with Hollywood, it’s Brian who other crew members say reflect the show’s creator the most. Yet this being a soap opera, of course, he’s far more prone to deceit than anyone could be in reality.
For, when his old lover leaves their son with Brian in the hopes that he’ll be able to give him a better education and life, the morally questionable Brian panics and forces his son (also named Brian) to pretend he is a Swedish orphan named Gustav whose parents had perished in a bullet train accident. Of course, after an evening of bible study prompts young Brian to ask “What would Jesus do?” he decides to come clean, approaching his stepmother fittingly in the bath.
Gustav/Brian:
While one would assume that is all the drama one show could handle, more mysteries are revealed concerning the main premise of the pilot episode — namely, just what exactly happened to Nick’s father, Dutch. After learning about a large check written to an airplane mechanic who worked on the plane that killed his father, finding a briefcase filled with a huge file on the mysterious “techno-philanthropist” Simon Elder (Blair Underwood), and discovering that the Darling matriarch, Letitia (Jill Clayburgh) had had an affair with his father for more than forty years, Nick realizes that while he finds clues on a daily basis, what he really needs is answers.
Article comments
1 - JimmyJames
I actually just started getting into Dirty Sexy Money and i thought it was good silly fun. I checked out this and got myself all caught up for the new season. I wonder if my parents felt the same way about Dynasty or Dallas.
2 - Jen
Hey There,
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment.
First off-- great handle (News Radio fan?). Secondly, excellent call and I think you're right. I'm too young to recall Dallas but I do vaguely remember some of the "catfights" between Crystal and Alexis on Dynasty and it definitely had the same vibe but this seems much funnier. I know, I love those ABC episode players-- thanks for adding in the link there so others can get caught up too.
- Jen
3 - LucyLu
OMG... was walking to work today and passed this construction site for Darling Tower! Can they really be building this in NYC???
4 - Jen
Too funny-- ABC's pulling out all the stops! :)
5 - JimmyJames
Love my News Radio. During my recent unemployment stint, I caught some old Dallas reruns, and they seemed a little more serious than things like DSM. I am not sure if DSM is purposely winking its eye at us, saying "hey we remember the old shows and this is done with tongue firmly planted in cheek" or ... do are they oblivious and really putting out a serious show. I think the former, but you never know.
6 - Jen
I agree-- think the former as well but a good friend told me to add Dallas to my Netflix queue a.s.a.p. so if I get a chance to start watching, I'll be sure to review here.
P.S. I STILL miss Phil Hartman. News Radio ruled and I own every season he was on! Great taste again there, Jimmy James. :)
7 - Greg-eddie
For my Dirty Sexy Money the main difference between this show and the old school shows--Dallas, Dynasty--might be the attitude of the viewers towards the show. We live in a more ironic time, perhaps, than when Dallas was on TV. I can remember people seriously needing to know who shot JR. The wealth in that show was entirely something to aspire to. DSM seems to acknowledge the deprivation of the wealthy, maybe? It's a fun ride however you slice it. Love these inside with the stars interviews. A great cast, with some exciting additions for season two.
8 - Jen
Very well put, Greg-eddie, and I think you're so right! Thanks for the great comment and I loved that clip you provided. I'm going to be adding that one actually to my review of DSM on my own site Film Intuition. For more great "inside" views, the DVD set was packed with cool extras that I'm sure you'd enjoy if you haven't checked it out already.