HOLLYWOOD—I have been seeing teasers for this new series for weeks, and after the long wait, the new FOX soapy series “Filthy Rich” starring “Sex in the City” alum Kim Cattrall finally premiered Monday night. I will be honest Cattrall hooked me because it looks like a feisty and bitchy role, something unlike we’ve seen from the actress and the premiere episode was a treat.
This is a fun series and after one episode I am hooked because it’s a soap opera giving you everything that you want: wild characters, chaotic moments, catfights and predictability. It takes the world of religion and mixes it with the rich, the wealthy rich in the Monreaux family led by patriarch and matriarch Eugene (Gerald McRaney) and Margaret (Cattrall). They run a highly successful religious network, known as the Sunshine Network, where everyone praises the Lord, but it is clear behind the scenes shenanigans are taking place. The network is celebrating 25 years and it is apparent off the back that their son Eric (Corey Cott), who is fighting against hiding the truth from the public.
This big celebration is immediately met with sorrow when Eugene, who is traveling by private jet with some of his ‘associates’ and the plane goes down. Eugene is presumed dead because a body has not been found and the chaos emerges at the network; notably the fact that Eugene had 3 children Ginger Sweet (Melia Kreiling), Jason Conley (Mark L. Young) and Antonio Rivera (Benjamin Levy Aguilar). Out of the three, Ginger is a standout, and that’s a direct result of Kreiling. Kreiling totally eats up this role as a feisty, yet vulnerable woman who seems destined to get what is due to her. She has a softer side, which is seen near the end of the first episode.
Margaret received the news from their lawyer Franklin Lee (Steve Harris) that Eugene was up to no good outside of the marriage. This creates a battle as Margaret flies the children to Louisiana in hopes of buying them out of the company by offering a million dollar payday. However, Ginger did her homework and was well aware that Eugene was worth billions and she wants her cut of that fortune.
What really works for “Filthy Rich” is the fact that as an audience we all know that every character seems to have an underlying motive or are keeping secrets close to the vest. With that said it creates tension that explodes in a fun and chaotic way. I will admit the most lackluster character of the bunch is Rose Monreaux (Aubrey Dollar), who just seems like a ditz. She is an aspiring fashion designer who wants to step out of her mother’s shadow, but is afraid to do so. The only thing that struck me as interesting is when Jason placed a kiss on his sister Rose. My blinders immediately ‘Rose’ quite literally that maybe, just maybe Jason is NOT one of Eugene’s long lost children, but is involved in a ruse with Rose for a bigger outcome. Stay tuned on that tale people.
The rivalry between Ginger and Margaret will be one to watch as the series continues, I mean that shindig that Margaret hosted only to have it crashed by Ginger, who made a statement while Margaret did the same is only a sign of more catfights to come between these two women. Eric as noted, is a bit of a weasel and planned to out his father’s extramarital affairs, but Margaret halted the big announcement, only to be threatened by Reverend Paul Luke Thomas (Aaron Lazar), who is looking to be the next standout at the network at any costs. He issues threats to Margaret and she heeds those threats until she doesn’t.
Eric blew a tamper when his mother didn’t appoint him as the new CEO of the company after his father’s ‘passing’ (note the quotations people). He seems like a bit of brat, who happens to be married to Becky (Olivia Macklin), who is not as nice as she appears to be. All this mayhem culminated with Ginger being duped by a letter she thought Eugene wrote to her, but it was actually Margaret.
Quite devious, but I expected it people. With that said, Ginger was about to expose the truth, but Antonio gave Margaret a heads up regarding what his sister was up to. So what did Margaret do? She held a press conference exposing Eugene’s dirty little secret and invited her new ‘family’ to join the mix. Oh, the icing on the cake was the announcement that she is the new CEO of the company. Eric and Paul Luke were not pleased.
Things ended on a cliffhanger, as I predicated the moment it was noted that Eugene’s body was not found, he was very much alive and being nurtured back to health by a stranger. So it makes one think someone tried to kill Eugene and they failed. Oh, if all this chaos transpired in one episode, I cannot wait to see what else the series has to offer because I’m all in. “Filthy Rich” airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on FOX.
