Thursday, April 24, 2008

Riches

The Riches make me happy, even when they are making me anxious and upset. Bravo, well, technically FX, to the creators of The Riches. I wish I could get past all of the political red tape, through the investors paying for glory, beyond the CEO's who merely had high hopes for a pitch. And I want to thank the original creator behind the scenes and on paper. For those of you unfamiliar: 2 things.  1: Do not read on. And 2: Get familiar.
In a nutshell, a financially unsound family of con-artist gypsies basically crash into the good fortune of seamlessly moving into the American dream. Although it's too far-fetched to actually be relatable, one hopes, the writer's successfully create situations where this family's unique background aids them in perpetuating their greatest con. I liked the Rich family, and the double entendre that becoming the Rich family, in turn, made the family rich. And I liked it even more when they fell prey to the same materialistic values that I have been taught to hold so dear. And as the family's lie slips from supportive spiders web to entangled noose closing in on them, I was initially upset. Drawn into the notion that is this fairy tale scenario doesn't play out for them, then all hope is lost. Because, really, how could anyone survive losing a mansion and a career people kill for? How could anyone recover from saying goodbye to their walk-in closets and choice of automobiles?
And it really took me a while to realize that they were struggling to hold on to the one thing that was tearing their lives apart. One son has run away and might soon be joining opposing forces. The other son has to rely on spying to even try to spend time with his parents, and he is self-medicating by playing both a male and female role in his own young life. A daughter who has now been teased by the previously unattainable world of popularity, academia, and a shot at an honest future which all, most likely, will never be able to come to fruition. A mother who is doing drugs, fighting and losing to her inner demons, and trying to piece her life together as it gets further stretched apart right in front of her eyes. And a father who is so wrapped up in his career that family is not even close to a priority and everyone, including himself, is feeling it. 
So welcome to the American Dream. Where there's apparently only room for money or love, because love of money is too cumbersome to share the spotlight. And the ultimate irony is that only when the family tries to play out the honest American life, all of their intimate interactions become lies.  And still, given the choice between this and that, I still choose this.  Maybe the moral will resonate a little louder with someone else....

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