Introducing the Riches

I didn’t expect to enjoy watching Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver put on Southern accents, but I thought I’d spend the hour laughing out loud so that their accents wouldn’t matter. Instead, I thought they both gave very thoughtful, compelling performances in the premiere of The Riches, and I don’t think I laughed out loud once.

I did, however, enjoy the show immensely.

The Riches is both bloodier than I’d expected, and more serious, and the back story comes entirely out of left field. Yes, a show about a family moving in to a strange couple’s house and taking over their life is bound to throw some surprises the audience’s way. But the premise was surprisingly fresh, and the plot was not at all formulaic.

A few other key points that were unexpected:

The main characters are gypsies.As the noisome state trooper says to them early in the episode, “I didn’t know you people existed.”

The show is set in the South. From the commercials, the backdrops struck me as having been filmed on the same lot as The O.C.

My 50-year-old neighbor can probably pick my lock, with absolutely no qualms about it. I should see if she’d agree to teach me.

Minnie Driver should not ever cornrow her hair.I probably could have predicted that, had someone just asked.

The best place to keep giant wads of cash is in the cushions of the patio furniture. I’ll have to remember that the next time I think about dragging the patio furniture outside. Also, the lock-picking neighbor won’t find it at all odd that we stuff our patio furniture cushions with cash.

In addition to serving as furniture batting, cash can also be used to sop up a bloody lip.

I’d say that about sums up the first hour of The Riches. .I’ll definitely be watching the second episode online rather than waiting a week for it to air.

By Liz McKeon